1
25
53
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/6622fa82c246b28907d8b47164a15442.pdf
41f64f2f48bcab4163fa403a5817e383
PDF Text
Text
��
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Collection of Reverend Tobia Attallah Letters
Subject
The topic of the resource
Emigration and Immigration
Letter writing, Arabic
Letters (correspondence)
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/historical note</h4>
<p>Reverend Tobia Attallah was a reverend of the Maronite Church who lived in Bayt Shabab village in Lebanon in the early twentieth century. He correspondended with three of his children, Krouger, Nadim and As’ad Attallah who lived and worked in various locations including Argentina, Brazil, Guinea, Mali, and Ghana. Krouger and Nadim were more regular correspondents, and letters in the collection from each of them document the strife of migration and their travels to and from Lebanon.</p>
<h4>Scope/content note</h4>
<p>The Collection of Reverend Tobia Attallah letters includes letters mostly written to Reverend Attallah from 1896-1959. The writers often speak of their business, families, and financial standing. Beginning in 1914, the bulk of the letters are from three of his sons, Krouger, Nadim and As’ad Attallah. This collection shows one family's emotional turmoil and their struggles as they cope with living abroad with limited communication to their family and friends back home in Lebanon.</p>
<p>The materials consist of approximately 200 letters and 40 other items including envelopes and notes. Some of the latter items may have little or no relation to the Attallah letters, but the materials have been kept together as they were originally donated.</p>
<p>To read more about this collection and how it relates to the broader experience of immigration you can access Dr. Akram Khater's blog post <a href="https://lebanesestudies.news.chass.ncsu.edu/2020/08/17/letters-from-afar/">"Letters from Afar: New Khayrallah Center collection of letters from West Africa to Lebanon"</a>.</p>
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Jihad Bannout
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1896-1959
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
French
Spanish
English
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Tobia Attallah
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Amanda Forbes and Lala Al Saeedi, 2020-2021. Translations contributed by Akram Khater, 2020-2021. Collection Guide written by Amanda Forbes.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 June.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The Khayrallah Center claims only physical ownership of the materials. Due to the nature of archival collections, information about copyright and rights ownership in the materials may be difficult to find despite reasonable efforts. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0052
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
Digital material in this collection is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Physical material in this collection is also available to researchers. For questions or to access a collection, please contact us at kcldsarchive@ncsu.edu. Please give at least 48 hours for responses to any inquiries regarding the materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
TAttallah2020-238
Title
A name given to the resource
Excerpts, life of saints/figures
مقتطفات، حياة بعض القديسين/الشخصيات.
Description
An account of the resource
Excerpts about the lives of saints and historical figures. Names included: Constantine I, Ephrem the Syrian, Saint Basil the Great, (last name not clear).
تاريخ (غير موجود). الاسماء تشمل: قسطنطين الاول، افريام السرياني، باسيليس الكبير، (الاسم الاخير غير واضح)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
undated
غير موجود
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
غير موجود
Subject
The topic of the resource
Letter writing, Arabic
Correspondence
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Jihad Bannout
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Janina Santer
Lala Al Saeedi
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Biographies
Religion
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/02143073a4704ae9a0225c381fdea990.pdf
9649122aa4f6a9dbc7baf10cc265b8f5
PDF Text
Text
��
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Collection of Reverend Tobia Attallah Letters
Subject
The topic of the resource
Emigration and Immigration
Letter writing, Arabic
Letters (correspondence)
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/historical note</h4>
<p>Reverend Tobia Attallah was a reverend of the Maronite Church who lived in Bayt Shabab village in Lebanon in the early twentieth century. He correspondended with three of his children, Krouger, Nadim and As’ad Attallah who lived and worked in various locations including Argentina, Brazil, Guinea, Mali, and Ghana. Krouger and Nadim were more regular correspondents, and letters in the collection from each of them document the strife of migration and their travels to and from Lebanon.</p>
<h4>Scope/content note</h4>
<p>The Collection of Reverend Tobia Attallah letters includes letters mostly written to Reverend Attallah from 1896-1959. The writers often speak of their business, families, and financial standing. Beginning in 1914, the bulk of the letters are from three of his sons, Krouger, Nadim and As’ad Attallah. This collection shows one family's emotional turmoil and their struggles as they cope with living abroad with limited communication to their family and friends back home in Lebanon.</p>
<p>The materials consist of approximately 200 letters and 40 other items including envelopes and notes. Some of the latter items may have little or no relation to the Attallah letters, but the materials have been kept together as they were originally donated.</p>
<p>To read more about this collection and how it relates to the broader experience of immigration you can access Dr. Akram Khater's blog post <a href="https://lebanesestudies.news.chass.ncsu.edu/2020/08/17/letters-from-afar/">"Letters from Afar: New Khayrallah Center collection of letters from West Africa to Lebanon"</a>.</p>
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Jihad Bannout
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1896-1959
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
French
Spanish
English
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Tobia Attallah
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Amanda Forbes and Lala Al Saeedi, 2020-2021. Translations contributed by Akram Khater, 2020-2021. Collection Guide written by Amanda Forbes.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 June.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The Khayrallah Center claims only physical ownership of the materials. Due to the nature of archival collections, information about copyright and rights ownership in the materials may be difficult to find despite reasonable efforts. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0052
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
Digital material in this collection is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Physical material in this collection is also available to researchers. For questions or to access a collection, please contact us at kcldsarchive@ncsu.edu. Please give at least 48 hours for responses to any inquiries regarding the materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
TAttallah2020-208
Title
A name given to the resource
Comments on the lives of early Christian saints, including John Chrysostom and Saint Maroun
تعليق على حية بعض القديسين المسيحيين الأوائل مثل يوحنا فم الذهب، وما مارون
Description
An account of the resource
Short information on some early Christian figures.
تاريخ (غير موجود). معلومات بسيطة حول بعض الشخصيات المسيحية في القرن الرابع والخامس.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
undated
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
غير موجود
Subject
The topic of the resource
Letter writing, Arabic
Correspondence
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Jihad Bannout
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Janina Santer
Lala Al Saeedi
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Biographies
Religion
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/3b8c756d44e92c2ca24c4edcdb7ae220.pdf
3d9d18f10b3ff560e0b7bde06f0e6833
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Collection of Reverend Tobia Attallah Letters
Subject
The topic of the resource
Emigration and Immigration
Letter writing, Arabic
Letters (correspondence)
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/historical note</h4>
<p>Reverend Tobia Attallah was a reverend of the Maronite Church who lived in Bayt Shabab village in Lebanon in the early twentieth century. He correspondended with three of his children, Krouger, Nadim and As’ad Attallah who lived and worked in various locations including Argentina, Brazil, Guinea, Mali, and Ghana. Krouger and Nadim were more regular correspondents, and letters in the collection from each of them document the strife of migration and their travels to and from Lebanon.</p>
<h4>Scope/content note</h4>
<p>The Collection of Reverend Tobia Attallah letters includes letters mostly written to Reverend Attallah from 1896-1959. The writers often speak of their business, families, and financial standing. Beginning in 1914, the bulk of the letters are from three of his sons, Krouger, Nadim and As’ad Attallah. This collection shows one family's emotional turmoil and their struggles as they cope with living abroad with limited communication to their family and friends back home in Lebanon.</p>
<p>The materials consist of approximately 200 letters and 40 other items including envelopes and notes. Some of the latter items may have little or no relation to the Attallah letters, but the materials have been kept together as they were originally donated.</p>
<p>To read more about this collection and how it relates to the broader experience of immigration you can access Dr. Akram Khater's blog post <a href="https://lebanesestudies.news.chass.ncsu.edu/2020/08/17/letters-from-afar/">"Letters from Afar: New Khayrallah Center collection of letters from West Africa to Lebanon"</a>.</p>
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Jihad Bannout
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1896-1959
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
French
Spanish
English
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Tobia Attallah
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Amanda Forbes and Lala Al Saeedi, 2020-2021. Translations contributed by Akram Khater, 2020-2021. Collection Guide written by Amanda Forbes.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 June.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The Khayrallah Center claims only physical ownership of the materials. Due to the nature of archival collections, information about copyright and rights ownership in the materials may be difficult to find despite reasonable efforts. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0052
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
Digital material in this collection is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Physical material in this collection is also available to researchers. For questions or to access a collection, please contact us at kcldsarchive@ncsu.edu. Please give at least 48 hours for responses to any inquiries regarding the materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
TAttallah2020-196
Title
A name given to the resource
Draft of article on building religious schools
مسودة مقال عن المدارس الدينية
Description
An account of the resource
A draft of an article titled 'if leaders want to demolish prisoners, let them build schools first'. The writer supports the building and expanding of religious schools. Undated
تاريخ (غير موجود). مسودة مقال، العنوان 'اذا شاء الحكام هدم السجون، فليبنوا المدارس اولا'. يدعم الكاتب بناء المدارس الدينية وتوسيعها.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
undated
Subject
The topic of the resource
Letter writing, Arabic
Correspondence
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Jihad Bannout
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Janina Santer
Lala Al Saeedi
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Education
Religion
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/660610290e9b0feb06f439d6ada1d6c0.pdf
c4ef03c7c8a42247634bce61eb23448b
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Joseph Family Papers
Subject
The topic of the resource
Belly dance
Lebanese Americans
Marines
Photographs
World War II
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Genevieve Rose Joseph
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Genevieve Rose Joseph
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1931-2015
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Inventoried by Amanda Forbes and Celine Shay, 2022 May. Processed by Allison Hall and Rachel Beth Acker, 2023 April-August. Collection Guide created by Allison Hall, 2023 September.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Arabic
French
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0062
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
Digital material in this collection is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Physical material in this collection is also available to researchers. For questions or to access a collection, please contact us at kcldsarchive@ncsu.edu. Please give at least 48 hours for responses to any inquiries regarding the materials.
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Genevieve R. Joseph, also referred to in the collection as Genny, was born in Poughkeepsie, New York on February 6th, 1963. Genevieve R. Joseph has three siblings, including an older sister Beatrice Ann Joseph (1947-2008) and two older brothers, one of which is Michael James Joseph (born October 16th, 1954). She earned an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts Honors and Communications and Media Arts in 1983, a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from SUNY Albany in 1985, and a Master’s degree in Sociology with a concentration in Race and Ethnicity, also from SUNY Albany, in 1988. She then <span>worked as a social science researcher for the State of New York. </span>Genevieve R. Joseph took up Middle Eastern belly dancing as a hobby and was a member of the </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Yallah Dance Ensemble based in Albany, New York in the early 1990s. In 1996 she moved to North Carolina and became involved with the Triangle Lebanese Association; she coordinated the first Lebanese Festival at the North Carolina state fairgrounds in 1999. In North Carolina, she <span>worked as a nonprofit program manager for global education and cultural exchange, and fundraiser for visual arts and conservation of nature. </span>Genevieve R. Joseph married Philip White in 200</span><span style="font-weight:400;">6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Genevieve Norman Joseph (1924-2011), Genevieve R. Joseph’s mother, was born in Poughkeepsie, New York to Sam Norman (1883-1972) and Rose Nader Norman (1889-1955). Rose Nader Norman ran a neighborhood grocery store and the couple managed their home as a boarding house. Genevieve Norman Joseph, also known as Gen, married Charles Michael Joseph (1918-2002) of Wendell, North Carolina on March 2, 1946. Genevieve Norman Joseph was a member of the Lebanese American Daughters, an organization closely related to the </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Lebanon-American Club of Poughkeepsie. She also </span><span style="font-weight:400;">worked as a Nursing Aide. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Charles “Charlie” Michael Joseph, Genevieve R. Joseph’s father, was born in Connecticut to parents Namy </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Yusef Becharra</span><span style="font-weight:400;"> and Julia Asmer in 1918 and was raised in Wendell, North Carolina from the age of eight months. He had nine siblings: Lucy, Eddie (Naim), Mamie (Thmam), Charlie (Khalil), George (A'Eid, Geryus), Evelyn (Jamila), Helen (Thatla), Abe (Ibrahim), Joe (Yusef), and Dolores (Julia).</span><span style="font-weight:400;"> His father, Namy Joseph, ran a store on Main Street and another one beside the family home. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Charlie Joseph served in the US Marines during World War II and was honorably discharged in 1945 as a corporal. He was stationed in Recife, Brazil and Guam during the war. In Poughkeepsie, Charlie Joseph ran a luncheonette and was active in the Lebanon-American Club, serving as its president from 1962 to 1966. Upon their daughter Genevieve R. Joseph’s graduation from SUNY Albany in 1985, Genevieve and Charlie moved from Poughkeepsie to Wendell, North Carolina, Charlie’s hometown.</span></p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The Joseph Family papers contain materials related to three generations of the Joseph family as well as families related to them. The collection focuses on the lives of Genevieve Norman Joseph, her husband Charles Joseph, and their daughter Genevieve R. Joseph. The collection also includes materials related to Genevieve R. Joseph’s grandparents and their extended family, both in Lebanon and in the United States. </span><span style="font-weight:400;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Much of the collection consists of photographs from the early twentieth century to the twenty-first century. The photographs primarily include family photographs and portraits, as well as photographs from Charles Joseph’s deployment during World War II in Brazil and Guam. Also included in the collection are materials related to Genevieve R. Joseph’s dance career, newspaper clippings, articles from the </span><span style="font-weight:400;">American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, materials related to Charles Joseph’s time in the Marines, event pamphlets and flyers, prayer cards, obituaries, academic materials, correspondence, and some physical objects.</span><span style="font-weight:400;"></span></p>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Prayer Cap
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lebanese Americans
Description
An account of the resource
Black lace prayer cap with accompanying business card.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Genevieve Rose Joseph
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Physical Object
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0062_5_1_002
Business Cards
Religion
Textiles
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/8741429b7c94b33f506e6a5a2c7650ea.pdf
2168012645b225e8778753b67adbe3af
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Joseph Family Papers
Subject
The topic of the resource
Belly dance
Lebanese Americans
Marines
Photographs
World War II
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Genevieve Rose Joseph
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Genevieve Rose Joseph
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1931-2015
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Inventoried by Amanda Forbes and Celine Shay, 2022 May. Processed by Allison Hall and Rachel Beth Acker, 2023 April-August. Collection Guide created by Allison Hall, 2023 September.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Arabic
French
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0062
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
Digital material in this collection is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Physical material in this collection is also available to researchers. For questions or to access a collection, please contact us at kcldsarchive@ncsu.edu. Please give at least 48 hours for responses to any inquiries regarding the materials.
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Genevieve R. Joseph, also referred to in the collection as Genny, was born in Poughkeepsie, New York on February 6th, 1963. Genevieve R. Joseph has three siblings, including an older sister Beatrice Ann Joseph (1947-2008) and two older brothers, one of which is Michael James Joseph (born October 16th, 1954). She earned an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts Honors and Communications and Media Arts in 1983, a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from SUNY Albany in 1985, and a Master’s degree in Sociology with a concentration in Race and Ethnicity, also from SUNY Albany, in 1988. She then <span>worked as a social science researcher for the State of New York. </span>Genevieve R. Joseph took up Middle Eastern belly dancing as a hobby and was a member of the </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Yallah Dance Ensemble based in Albany, New York in the early 1990s. In 1996 she moved to North Carolina and became involved with the Triangle Lebanese Association; she coordinated the first Lebanese Festival at the North Carolina state fairgrounds in 1999. In North Carolina, she <span>worked as a nonprofit program manager for global education and cultural exchange, and fundraiser for visual arts and conservation of nature. </span>Genevieve R. Joseph married Philip White in 200</span><span style="font-weight:400;">6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Genevieve Norman Joseph (1924-2011), Genevieve R. Joseph’s mother, was born in Poughkeepsie, New York to Sam Norman (1883-1972) and Rose Nader Norman (1889-1955). Rose Nader Norman ran a neighborhood grocery store and the couple managed their home as a boarding house. Genevieve Norman Joseph, also known as Gen, married Charles Michael Joseph (1918-2002) of Wendell, North Carolina on March 2, 1946. Genevieve Norman Joseph was a member of the Lebanese American Daughters, an organization closely related to the </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Lebanon-American Club of Poughkeepsie. She also </span><span style="font-weight:400;">worked as a Nursing Aide. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Charles “Charlie” Michael Joseph, Genevieve R. Joseph’s father, was born in Connecticut to parents Namy </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Yusef Becharra</span><span style="font-weight:400;"> and Julia Asmer in 1918 and was raised in Wendell, North Carolina from the age of eight months. He had nine siblings: Lucy, Eddie (Naim), Mamie (Thmam), Charlie (Khalil), George (A'Eid, Geryus), Evelyn (Jamila), Helen (Thatla), Abe (Ibrahim), Joe (Yusef), and Dolores (Julia).</span><span style="font-weight:400;"> His father, Namy Joseph, ran a store on Main Street and another one beside the family home. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Charlie Joseph served in the US Marines during World War II and was honorably discharged in 1945 as a corporal. He was stationed in Recife, Brazil and Guam during the war. In Poughkeepsie, Charlie Joseph ran a luncheonette and was active in the Lebanon-American Club, serving as its president from 1962 to 1966. Upon their daughter Genevieve R. Joseph’s graduation from SUNY Albany in 1985, Genevieve and Charlie moved from Poughkeepsie to Wendell, North Carolina, Charlie’s hometown.</span></p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The Joseph Family papers contain materials related to three generations of the Joseph family as well as families related to them. The collection focuses on the lives of Genevieve Norman Joseph, her husband Charles Joseph, and their daughter Genevieve R. Joseph. The collection also includes materials related to Genevieve R. Joseph’s grandparents and their extended family, both in Lebanon and in the United States. </span><span style="font-weight:400;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Much of the collection consists of photographs from the early twentieth century to the twenty-first century. The photographs primarily include family photographs and portraits, as well as photographs from Charles Joseph’s deployment during World War II in Brazil and Guam. Also included in the collection are materials related to Genevieve R. Joseph’s dance career, newspaper clippings, articles from the </span><span style="font-weight:400;">American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, materials related to Charles Joseph’s time in the Marines, event pamphlets and flyers, prayer cards, obituaries, academic materials, correspondence, and some physical objects.</span><span style="font-weight:400;"></span></p>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Prayer Cap
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lebanese Americans
Description
An account of the resource
Black lace prayer cap.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Genevieve Rose Joseph
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Physical Object
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0062_5_1_001
Religion
Textiles
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/349657f3f77f22eee361c44d8705a832.pdf
84c41f2bcc8eed83b868c78b87f6fc21
PDF Text
Text
t
'
t c
JI as
a '2
•
f
lt,.,.,- ---
---
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The World of Kahlil Gibran Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Brochures
Drawing
Letter writing
Photographs
Poetry
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Robert Sarofeen
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-1973
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Nay Ackhar, 2022 and Sarah Bernstein, 2023. Collection Guide created by Sarah Bernstein, 2023 October.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Arabic
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0057
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
Digital material in this collection is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Physical material in this collection is also available to researchers. For questions or to access a collection, please contact us at kcldsarchive@ncsu.edu. Please give at least 48 hours for responses to any inquiries regarding the materials.
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical note</h4>
<p>Gibran Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), or Khalil Gibran, was born on January 6, 1883 in Bsharri to a Maronite Christian Family. In 1895, he immigrated with his mother and younger siblings to the United States and his name was Anglicized to Kahlil Gibran. He attended a public school in Boston, Quincy School, and took drawing classes at Denison House. While there he eventually met the Boston artist, photographer, and publisher Fred Holland Day, who used Gibran as a subject in his photographs. Day became Gibran’s first patron, supporting his creative education.</p>
<p>Gibran returned to Lebanon to attend the Collège de la Sagesse in Beirut from 1898-1902. Following his return to Boston, Gibran’s artwork is first publicly shown in an exhibit at Wellesley College due to the efforts of Bostonian poet and dramatist Josephine Preston Peabody (1874-1922). During this time, he was supported by his sister Marianna and her work at a dressmaker’s shop.</p>
<p>At his first solo exhibition in Day’s studio in 1904, Gibran met Mary Haskell (1873-1964), an educator and principal at a girl’s school in Boston who became one of his lifelong supporters and patrons. Gibran also met Amin al-Ghurayyib that same year, who was editor of the Arab American periodical <em>Al-Mohajer</em>(The Immigrant). Gibran’s first writing, "A Profile of the Art of Music," was published in 1905 in <em>Al-Mohajer</em>. Through his work with the newspaper, Gibran developed his unique style and voice which reflected influences from the informal language of rural Lebanon, Boston’s South End, and Syriac.</p>
<p>Haskell’s financial support enabled Gibran to attend <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acad%C3%A9mie_Julian" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span>Académie Julian</span></a> in Paris, France to study art in 1908. He left the academy the following year to study with the French Symbolist painter Pierre Marcel-Béronneau (1869–1937). While in Paris, Gibran became acquainted with Syrian politics through involvement with the New York-based journal <a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/71" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Mir’āt al-Gharb</em></a> (Mirror of the West) and Lebanese American intellectual and political activist <a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/104" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ameen Rihani</a>, who informed Gibran’s views on Arab Nationalism. After returning to Boston in 1910 and establishing a studio in New York, he joined the Boston chapter of the Golden Links Society, an Arab American intellectual and literary society. </p>
<p>Gibran published many books of poems, novellas, drawings, and short stories throughout his career. Gibran's best-known work, <em>The Prophet</em>, was published in 1923 and was informed by Gibran's meeting with Abdu'l-Baha (1844-1921), then leader of the Baha'i faith. He also contributed to multiple Arab American periodicals, including <em>Al-Funūn </em>and<em> Al-Mohajer</em>, as well as an Egyptian cultural and literary magazine <em>Al-Hilal</em>. In 1920, Gibran re-formed The Pen League, an Arab-American Mahjar literary group, with its original founders Nasib Arida and Abd al-Masih Haddad.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content note</h4>
<p>The World of Kahlil Gibran Collection is a selection of excerpts, drawings, and manuscripts of Kahlil Gibran that was produced and edited by Farid Salman and Elaine Gebara, and issued by the Gibran National Committee on August 13, 1971.</p>
<p>The collection includes a brochure on Gibran and his hometown of Bcharre, reproductions of his art, and letters and manuscripts written by Gibran.</p>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Gibran National Committee
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
gibran_folio_prayer
Title
A name given to the resource
Written prayer by Kahlil Gibran
Description
An account of the resource
Reproduction of a prayer written out by Kahlil Gibran reading, "We all pray. Some of us pray with -- and others pray without --- for this human heart though seemingly silent, is -- quivering with songs (is ever singing its holy song before the holy --"
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
National Committee of Gibran
Subject
The topic of the resource
Prayer
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Robert Sarofeen
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
1970s
Kahlil Gibran
Lebanon
Religion
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/23d6180f95bd69028789bb1f9ce95bf6.pdf
1828a31081f29dcba858a9db84aaad11
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Rabil Family Papers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Edward George Rabil (1897-1974) was born in 1897 in Hammana, Lebanon. He immigrated to Smithfield, North Carolina from Lebanon in 1909. At least one of Edward’s brothers, Abdallah George Rabil, also immigrated; the brothers lived in Smithfield for most of their lives. In 1921, Edward married Mary Farfour Shelby (1892-1986), who had also been born in Hammana. Edward and Mary owned and operated Ed’s Café in Smithfield for many years; Abdallah opened a department store in Smithfield.</p>
<p>Edward and Mary had two children, Edward George Rabil, Jr. (1923-2007) and Mitchell George Rabil (1924-1987). Edward Rabil Jr. married Cecil Mae Bradley and Mitchell Rabil married Gertrude “Trudy” Marie Carter. Carter and Stephen Rabil were among their children. This generation of Rabils pursued sports at the collegiate level.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains official documents, newspaper articles, and photographs related to the Rabil family of Smithfield and their extended family throughout North Carolina. The collection has an emphasis on athletics.</p>
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Mitchell Carter and Stephen Carter Rabil
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Relation
A related resource
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/39">Safy Family Papers</a>
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/16">Mansour Family Papers</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Certificates
Correspondence
Obituaries
Philanthropy
Photographs
Sports
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1927-1986, undated
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Program staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0029
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0029_004
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
Holy Sacrament of Confirmation
Title
A name given to the resource
Carter Rabil's Confirmation Certificate
Subject
The topic of the resource
Certificates
Description
An account of the resource
Mitchell Carter Rabil's confirmation certificate, received on March 23, 1966 at the Church of St. Ann in Smithfield, North Carolina.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Benzinger Brothers, Inc.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Carter Rabil
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1966 March
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
1960s
Catholic Church
Catholicism
North Carolina
Religion
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/d38a74e5ad07754aeef746a1aa55dd40.jpg
840f886c27e928edb7af223d0ecb5ad6
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Khalifah Family Papers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Raja Khalifah was born in Lebanon and attended the American University of Beirut, where he played tennis and earned a BS in Chemistry. After his graduation in 1962, Khalifah immigrated to the United States to continue his education. In 1967, he obtained a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Princeton University. He then held a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard University before moving to Stanford Medical School to conduct research in pharmacology.</p>
<p>Though he initially intended to return to Lebanon upon completion of his advanced education, the violence of the Lebanese Civil War foreclosed this opportunity. Khalifah facilitated his mother's immigration to the United states during this period. Khalifah belongs to the American University of Beirut Alumni Association and the Triangle Lebanese Association.</p>
<p>Between 1993 and 2000, Khalifah served as a Research Professor in Biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. In 2000, he shifted to the sphere of public pharmaceutical research, working for Biostratum and then NephroGenex. In 2009, he started his own consulting firm, Raja G. Khalifah Consulting, where he provides consulting related to scientific research, clinical trials, development, and pharmaceuticals related to diabetes. Khalifah holds numerous patents related to the pharmacological treatment of diabetes.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection is composed primarily of photographs. Images include Raja Khalifah’s family members and ancestors in early-twentieth century Lebanon, biomedical pharmacology and research, the Triangle Lebanese Association, and tennis.</p>
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Raja Khalifah
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1914, 1960s-2008
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Program staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Education--Lebanon
Medicine--Research
Portraits
Social groups
Tennis
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0027
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Raja_Khalifah_Book_wm
Title
A name given to the resource
"Silver Chimes in Syria"
Description
An account of the resource
A photograph of the front pages of Silver Chimes in Syria
Glimpses of a Missionary's Experiences, a 1914 book by W. S. Nelson about missionary work in Syria.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
W. S. Nelson
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Raja Khalifah
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1914
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/jpg
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
1910s
Pennsylvania
Religion
Syria
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/0db34d800cb4a1709ad9bb52483ca053.pdf
e92cfe4a20a3064c047f749e25b64387
PDF Text
Text
Jerusalem, the Holy City of Jews, Christians and Moslems, in Palestine, Syria, viewed from the mount of Olives.
Photo by Brown Bros.
�_
———
Damascus, Capital of Syria, the oldest city in the world.
The famous river Barada flanked on both sides by palatial homes.
Photo by Brown Bros.
�00*
-
The
glory
that
Facade of the great temple of Bacchus in Baalbek.
was
once
' —-.
,
Syria's.
Photo by Brown Bros.
«* *
'r
�College
r
Hall,
American
University
of
Beirut.
�The
SYRIAN WORLD
VOL. I.
JULY, 1926.
NO. 1.
FOREWORD
of this publication was conceived in the spirit of
service to the Syrian-American generation. The somewhat anomalous position of the young Syrian in America constitutes a genuine social problem pressing for a solution, and it is both to his
own interest and to that of the country under whose flag he was
born that the correction of this condition should not be further
delayed.
The underlying cause of this problem is the fact that Syrian
emigration in its inception was not intended to be permanent.
Only men endowed with an extraordinary boldness of spirit could
at first muster sufficient courage to sever the strong ties binding
them to home and country and to seek better fortunes in a foreign
land. But the men went forth alone and with the fixed resolve of
an early return. Economic interests, however, soon demonstrated
to them the impracticability of such a course with the result that
the family reunion took place abroad instead of at home.
By degrees, the first immigrants and those who followed in
their wake came to reconcile themselves to the idea of permanency of sojourn, so that now naught remains of the one-time fixed resolution but the memory^
But this memory lingers, and it is doubtful if ever it will
be effaced from the minds of the first-comers or cease to be a
part of their lives. We can plainly discern its manifestations in
the "Old Folks' " tender reminiscences of their mother-country j
THE IDEA
�2
_
THE SYRIAN WORLD
in their genuine solicitude for its welfare ; in their eagerness to
be continually posted on its political and economic developments.
Also in the manner thus far prevailing in their homelife in America — how they instinctively cling to segregation in their settlements, show preference for their native music and food and adhere to many of the social customs obtaining in their motherland. All of which is responsible for the creation of an atmosphere that, although not objectionable in itself, still gives rise
to a sense of embarrassment and a consciousness of an anomalous
state on the part of the American-born Syrian children.
It therefore becomes patent that the conditions giving rise
to such a situation call for active and urgent methods of correction, and to strive for the attainment of this end is the immediate
objective of this publication. We are starting from the assumption
that lack of sufficient knowledge on the part of the Syrian-American generation of their racial traits and historical background
renders them somewhat unsympathetic with their parents' attitude, and inasmuch as it is our conviction that the younger generation lends itself more readily to appeals of reason as opposed
to sentiment, the problem is to be attacked from its most vulnerable side.
Thus it shall be our aim to have this publication serve as a
forum for the discussion of existing problems among Syrians in
America in an effort to arrive at their best solution, while striving, on the other hand, to give a judicious and adequate presentation of conditions of life as they exist in Syria; a comprehensive
analysis of Syrian political and economic affairs, and of Syrians'
achievements in the fields of art, science and literature; an account
of their commercial activities which are now attaining stupendous
proportions practically throughout the world and which bid fair
to gain for them that position of eminence which was once their
forefathers', the Phoenicians, in past times;and, finally,-to publish
interesting and illuminating bits of history which will give them
a broader vision of their racial heritage; and all this to the end
that our Syrian-American generation will come to better understand the country of their parents and appreciate more fully
their racial endowments which constitute a valuable contribution
to the country of their, birth.
We earnestly hope that in our pursuance of this policy we
would be furnishing not only wholesome and profitable reading
to our Syrian-American generation,but also a means fqr the Amer-
�JULY, 1926.
3
ican people at large to come to know us more intimately and appraise us at our true worth.
For be it said here most emphatically, that not only is it
farthest from our intention to alienate Syrian-Americans from
their American allegiance, but that one of our chief objects in
helping Syrian-Americans discover themselves is to breed in
them a consciousness of appreciation for their racial qualities and
inheritances so that they may comport themselves with a befitting sense of honor as citizens of this great American nation.
It is, then, in such a spirit of service that this publication was
conceived, and it is with a sense of reverence that we dedicate it
to the memory of a race whose contributions to the progress and
well-being of mankind shall ever be valued as of paramount
importance, and whose descendants should feel proud of keeping forever alive their sacred memory. With an equal sense of
devotion to a worthy cause, we now present this publication to
our rising Syrian-American generation and to our appreciative
friends among the general American public of whatever racial
extraction.
PROVERBS
Patience is the key to deliverance.
The misfortunes of some are the blessings of others.
Don't taunt the coward for he may turn brave in desperation.
If you give, give aplenty; and if you strike, strike hard.
Remonstrance is the cleanser of hearts.
Have a baker bake thy bread even though he eat half of it.
Every goat is hung by its own hoof.
�am
•
- "
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Jl
To Young Americans of
Syrian Origin
Cl
ce
T
By G. K. GIBRAN.
w
I believe in you, and I believe in your destiny.
I believe that you are contributors to this new civilization.
I believe that you have inherited from your forefathers an
ancient dream, a song, a prophecy, which you can proudly lay as
a gift of gratitude upon the laps of America.
I believe you can say to the founders of this great nation,
"Here I am, a youth, a young tree whose roots were plucked
from the hills of Lebanon, yet I am deeply rooted here, and I
would be fruitful."
And I believe that you can say to Abraham Lincoln, the
blessed, "Jesus of Nazareth touched your lips when you spoke,
and guided your hand when you wrote; and I shall uphold all
that you have said and all that you have written."
I believe that you can say to Emerson and Whitman and
James, "In my veins runs the blood of the poets and wise men
of old, and it is in my desire to come to you and receive, but I
shall not come with empty hands."
I believe that even as your fathers came to this land to produce riches, you were born here to produce riches by intelligence,
by labor.
And I believe that it is in you to be good citizens.
And what is it to be a good citizen?
It} is to acknowledge the other person's rights before asserting your own, but always to be conscious of your own.
It is to be free in thought and deed, but it is also to know
that your freedom is subject to the other person's freedom.
It is to create the useful and the beautiful with your own
hands, and to admire what others have created in love and with
faith.
It is to produce wealth by labor and only by labor, and to
spend less than you have produced that your children may not
be dependent on the state for support when you are no more.
�'5
JULY, 1926.
It is to stand before the towers of New York, Washington,
Chicago and San Francisco saying in your heart, "I am the descendant of a people that builded Damascus, and Biblus, and
Tyre and Sidon, and Antioch, and now I am here to build with
you, and with a will."
It: is to be proud of being an American, but it is also to be
proud that your fathers and mothers came from a land upon
which God laid His gracious hand and raised His messengers.
Young Americans of Syrian origin, I believe in you.
THE TOMB OF MANO.
By
HASSAN ALASADY.
Translation from Arabic by J. D.
CARLYLE.
Friends of my heart, who share my sighs!
Go seek the turf where Mano lies,
And woo the dewey clouds of spring,
To sweep it with prolific wing.
Within that cell, beneath that heap,
Friendship and Truth and Honor sleep,
Beneficence, that used to clasp
The world within her ample grasp,
There rests entomb'd—of thought bereft—
For were one conscious atom left
New bliss, new kindness to display,
'Twould burst the grave, and seek the day.
But the' in dust thy relics lie,
Thy virtues, Mano, ne'er shall die;
Tho' Nile's full stream be seen no more,
That spread his waves from shore to shore,
Still in the verdure of the plain
His vivifying smiles remain.
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
Syria's Place in the History of
the World
BY PROF. PHILIP K. HITTI, PH.
OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY,
D.
FORMERLY OF THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT.
The land of Syria occupies a strategic place in the geography
of the old world. A glance at the map would suffice to show you
that it is a connecting link, a bridge, if you please, between the
three great historic continents—Europe, Asia and Africa.
Syria has had a unique history in the annals of the world.
Situated, as it is, between the early seats of civilization, it provided the ancient, as well as the medieval, world with its battlefield
in time of war and market place in time of peace.
The military history of the country has been rightly pictured
as the procesion of nearly all the world's conquerors. From the
time of Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar down through
the ages to the time of Napoleon, all those who dreamed of a
world empire found themselves, sooner or later, fighting for the
possession of that neck of land on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Thothmose the Egyptian, Sennacherib the Assyrian, Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian, Cambyses the Persian,
Pompey the Roman, Khalid ibn-al-Walid the Arabian, Saladin
the Kurd, Tamerlane the Tartar, Selim the Ottoman, Napoleon
the Frenchman, Ibrahim Pasha the modern Egyptian, and Allenby the Englishman—these are a few of the names whose military records are linked up with the history of Syria. Nothing
perhaps could bring this picture more vividly before our mind
than the recital of those inscriptions carved on the mute rock near
the Dog River mouth in the environs of Beirut. There stands
until the present day an egyptian inscription in hieroglyphics
referring to the campaigns of Rame^es (early part of thirteenth
century B. C), a number of Assyro-BabyIonian inscriptions in
cuneiform dating back to the 6-9 centuries B. C. and immortalizing the names of Shalmaneser, Tiglath-Pileser and Nabuchadnezzar, a Latin inscription by Marcus Aurelius, an Arabic inscrip-
•^ -
�JULY, 1926.
7
cion of al-Amir Bashir, and a French one commemorating the
1860-61 expedition. Where else in the world could one find a
parallel array of military records?
Surely, more historical events have been squeezed into that
narrow strip of land on the eastern shore of the sea than into
any other country of equal size.
The people of this storm center of the Ancient East, this
debatable land between rival and clashing neighbors, could have
;*ever achieved national or political unity. How could they?
Throughout their long drawn and checkered history their country has presented the aspect of a museum of nationalities and a
Babel of tongues rather than a unified, homogeneous homeland.
But, nevertheless, those people have contributed, along their lines,
to the imperishable heritage of the race more than any other
people. In the words of Sir George Adam Smith, "Syria, chiefly
because she includes Phoenicia and Palestine, has been of greater
significance to mankind, spiritually and materially, than any other single country in the '"orld".
The ancient Syrians \\ ere the carriers and the disseminators of
t!ie products of the early Mediterranean culture. The Phoenicians may not have been the originators of the alphabet, but they
certainly were the ones who gave it to Europe and to the rest of
the civilized world. We hardly ever stop to think of the significance of the discovery that by means of 22 simple signs, called
consonants, one could express all words and consequently convey
to others all ideas that could occur to him. .The Chinese are a
great people, but the Chinese have not until the present day been
able to free themselves from a system of ideograms similar to
that of the pre-Phcenician world. Long before the Christian era,
Phoenician galleys laden with the wares of Sidon and Tyre, the
two mistresses of the ancient Mediterranean, had made their way
through the straits known today by the name Gibraltar into the /
Canaries and had sailed along the east coast of Africa.
Palestine, as we all know, is the birthplace of two monotheistic religions—Judaism and Christianity—and is closely related
to the growth and development of the third, Islam. The eye ox
the Christian, of the Jew, and of the Moslem wherever the
Christian, the Jew or Moslem may be today, is turned to some
place in that Holy Land for spiritual inspiration and guidance.
The principles of our moral philosophy, the elements of all
what we consider high and noble, go back to origins planted for
the first time on the soil of that land.
�8
THE SYRIAN WORLD
China has had a glorious past, and so has India. Both had a
culture of their own going back to remote antiquity. But the Far
Eastern culture seems to belong to a humanity other than ours.
The culture of the Near East, on the other hand, has been handed down to posterity, our posterity, and continues to form an integral part of the heritage of the civilized world. Our humanity
would be much poorer but for that narrow strip of the Near East
which we call Syria and which is not larger than the State of
Maine, 500 miles in length by an average of 50 miles in width.
The two outstanding facts in the history of the Syrian people
are their unparalleled contribution to the imperishable heritage
of the world, and their vitality and survival* in the face of all
the vicissitudes of time.
After the battle of Issus, near modern Alexandretta, in the
year 333 B. C, Syria, which then formed a satrapy of the Persian
Empire, became a part of the domains of Alexander, the great
Macedonian, whose successors held it until 64 B. C. In that year
Pompey wrested Hellenistic Syria from the Seleucidae hands
and incorporated it in the newly rising Roman Empire.
Though conquered in a military sense by the Greeks and the
Romans, the East was in a spiritual sense the conqueror. Eastern
religions, eastern philosophies, and eastern ideals of life penetrated into the West, and got hold of the minds of the people.
Men born in Hums and 'Arqah (Lebanon) became emperors
and installed themselves on the throne of the Caesars. No wonder the Latin satirist, Jouvenal, had this remark to make, "Behold
the Orontes has changed its course and is now pouring its water
into the Tiber bringing in Syrian customs and manners!"
After the rise of Islam, Byzantine Syria was the first country
to fall as a prey to Moslem hands. In the caliphate of 'Umar
and under the leadership of Khalid ibn-al-Walid, <Amr ibn-al'Asi and abu-'Ubaydah ibn-al-Jarrah, Arab invaders overran the
whole country (634-640). Soon after that, Damascus became
the seat of the brilliant Umayyad Dynasty (660-750), and as
such the center of the whole Moslem world. The founder of this
Dynasty was the illustrious Mu'awiyah second to none in the history of Islam but the Prophet himself. It was during this period
that the Moslem sword was carried triumphantly to the shore of
the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the confines of India and
China on the east. The Khalifah in Damascus was the master
of an empire greater than that of Rome at its zenith.
The twelfth and thirteenth centuries marked the conflict
�SYR] HE NEAR EAST
1
AFGHANISTAN
INDIAN
OCEAN
LEGEND
International
Boundaries
Southern Boundary oj Mosul Vilayet
"**"** Leaau* /Ward-Turco-lraq^ Frontier
Indeterminate Section oj
jordania.
Nejd-Trans-
Frontier
Railways — Tr*nk Lines
Supplement to '
Courtesy Foreign Policy Ass'n. New York
�SYRIA and CONTIGUOUS COUNTRIES
Supplement to "The Syrian World
Courtesy Foreign Policy Ass'n. New York
�r
i
JULY, 1926.
9
between the east and the west known as the Crusades. The
Crusaders had little to teach to the Arab Syrians but many things
to learn from them. In science, particularly medicine and mathematics j in art, industry and in many other walks of life, the
Franks were the beneficiaries. There is no modern European
language which does not owe a debt to the Arabic language of
Syria and Andalusia. Algebra, muslin, damask, azure, taurus,
lute, sugar, sherbet—these words and many others bear testimony
to this fact.
The Ottoman Turkish period in Syria was ushered in by the
victory of Sultan Selim in 1516 over the Mamluk Qansawh alGhuri at Marj Dabiq in the neighborhood of Aleppo. This dark
and unproductive era in the history of the country was happily
brought to an end as a result of the Great War. But before it was
ended the people of Syria had already started on the path of modern progress.This recent renaissance,for it was in truth nothing less
than that, started with the invasion of Napoleon in 1799. As a
result of the influence of the many American and European institutions of learning established in the nineteenth century, a
general intellectual awakening took place. Emigration and the
press have also been among the great forces working for the uplift of the country.
The twentieth century found the Syrian the teacher and literary leader of the Arabic-speaking world. Thus throughout all
the ages, and in spite of the many handicaps and disadvantages
under which they labored, the people of Syria have always contributed their share to the civilization of the world and have
shown extraordinary vitality and power of adaptation.
A MATTER OF DIMENSION.
"A certain grammarian came to Al-Khalil Ibn Ahmad, the
most illustrious Arab Grammarian and systemizer of the Arabic
poetic meters, and found him sitting on a small mat. The visitor,
wishing not to embarrass Al-Khalrl, sat by his side on the floor,
but Al-Khalil, holding him by the arm, seated him on the mat
saying: "A needle's eye is not too narrow for two loving friends,
nor the whole earth spacious enough for two enemies."
Said Abu '1 Hassan Al Huzalli: "A man's education is not
complete until he knows the common proverb, the rare verse,
the Son mot and the wonderful accounts of the ancient ones."
�10
THE SYRIAN WORLD
THE PHOENICIANS
Ancestors of the Syrians
Ancient Phoenicia is practically what is known today as the Republic of Lebanon, one of the political divisions of Syria under French
mandate. It is the birth-place of the Alphabet and of the art of deep-sea
navigation. No better testimonial could be given of the lasting influence
the Phoenicians have exerted on our modern civilization, especially by
their discovery of the Alphabet, than that contained in the following
chapter by William A. Masson in his book "A History of the Art\ of
Writing" (The Macmillan Co., 1920.) — The Editor.
* * * Here on the shore of the Mediterranean, where the ancient world came in contact with the confines of the Western civilizations, v/e become acquainted for the first time with the true
alphabetic writing of the smallest nation of antiquity that has
left any footprints along the great highways of world culture,
or made any lasting impression upon the material agencies of
chilization.liQrc we encounter a nation of very limited geographical extent but powerful in the influence it exerted over other
nations with which it came in contact. The Phoenicians were not
a numerous people, but they possessed that high degree of intelligence, energy, skill and craftsmanship, that made the products
of their civilization desired by many other nations. For over one
thousand years, from about 1500 B. C. to 500 B. C, the Phoenicians maintained more or less undisturbed a small, compact, but
powerful monarchy whose temporal boundaries were barely more
than two hundred miles in length along the eastern shore of the
Mediterranean Sea and but thirty-five miles in greatest width
to the lofty mountains of Lebanon on the east. The present city
of Beirut is on the ancient soil of Phoenicia.
Beyond the ranges of Lebanon lived the Israelites, closely
allied by racial affinity with the Phoenicians, and in the time of
David and Solomon bound to them by national ties and the sympathies of an almost equally advanced civilization. Both nations
originally had emigrated from lower Mesopotamia early in the
third millennium B. C. Abraham, according to biblical account
(Genesis xi, 31), led the Hebrew race out of "Ur of the Chaldees" to the land of Canaan; and we have it on the authority of
�JULY, 1926.
11
Herodotus that the Phoenicians themselves record that their ancestors originally came from the Erythraean or Southern Sea,
that is the Persian Gulf. This is believed to have been about 2200
B. C. North of Phoenicia extended the mighty empire of the
Hittites from Lydia and Dardania on the west to the Euphrates
on the east, where it touched the equally puissant civilization of
the great Assyrian monarchy in Mesopotamia. Far to the south
of Phoenicia and Palestine lays the sunny land of Egypt from
which the Israelites had journeyed to the land of Canaan sometime in the fourteenth century B. C.
In comparison with the powerful monarchies of the east and
south, whose influence affected them in many ways, the civilization of the Phoenicians at their principal cities of Tyre and Sidon,
situated only twenty miles apart on the Mediterranena Sea coast,
may seem from a political standpoint insignificant indeed. Yet
these two Semitic nations, the Phoenicians and the Israelites,
have influenced more profoundly the western civilization and the
culture' and refinement of Europe than all the civilizations that
had preceded them. The one, through the incomparable literature of the Hebrew Scriptures, has established the underlying
basis of all the religions of Europe, while the other has given
the basic forms for the written languages of all the nations of
Europe and central Asia.
The Phoenicians undoubtedly were the cleverest people of
their age, and their fame, like their markets, was worldwide.
Long before the time of Homer they bore the reputation of being
the world's artificers; excelling in the weaving and dyeing of
fine textiles, as skillful carpenters and masons, and adepts in the
fabrication of articles of iron, copper and precious metals. Theirs
was the first merchant marine of history. Their ships rode every
sea and visited every coast and mart from the Euxine to the Atlantic. The shores of Cornwall, where they mined minerals, were
almost as familiar to them as the Isles of Greece and Italy, the
Delta of the Nile, or other Mediterranean ports where they distributed their wares. In I Kings v, we read that Solomon contracted with Hiram, king of Tyre, to assist him in the building of the
Temple, as "there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians." Also in II Chronicles ii, 14, we read:
"The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father
was a man ofTyre, skillful to work in gold, and in silver, in
brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in
fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving,
�72
THE SYRIAN WORLD
and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy
cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David, thy
father." Considering the confidence placed in the superiority
of the handiwork of the Phoenicians by the people of Israel and
their dependence upon them in many ways, it is not surprising
that the Hebrews eventually should have adopted from the Phoenicians their alphabet, which early Hebrew coins show to be but
slightly modified from the original, though they did so far depart
from it in their later script. It is a commentary on the forceful
influence of these Orientals that the Greeks, with whom the
Phoenicians traded, and who probably were illiterate when these
clever traders first visited them, also should have adopted their
alphabet.
There are two important and rather well-defined types of the
Phoenician alphabet. The Moabite or Tyrian, the older, dates
from about the 9th century B. C. It developed at Tyre and was
used during the ascendancy of that city. It later was employed
chiefly by the inland Semitic tribes in Moab and Syria, and was
used by the Jews down to the time of the Captivity. The Greek
alphabet came from this type, early traders having introduced
it into Greece shortly after the time of the Trojan war. The other type, known as the Sidonian, dates from the 6th century B. C,
and was in use at Sidon and the principal cities in Phoenicia and
at Carthage in Africa immediately subsequent to the conquest of
Phoenicia by Nabuchadrezzar. The two varieties of alphabets
were used side by side in different sections of Phoenicia, Judea
and Syria for centuries. It would appear that the earlier Phoenician traders used the Moabite form. The Israelites and Jews both
continued to use this variety of the Phoenician alphabet, but the
Phoenicians themselves, after the destruction of Tyre by Nebuchadrezzar, used the Sidonian script.
Abdullah Ibn Marzook was a companion of the Caliph AlMahdi. One day when he had gotten drunk and missed the Friday prayer at the Mosque, a slave-girl came and put a live coal
on his foot. He jumped up frightened and pained.
"If you cannot tolerate a little pain like this," remonstrated
the slave-girl, "how can you tolerate the eternal fire of hell hereafter?"
At hearing these words, the pleasure-loving companion of
the Caliph left all behind, distributed his money to the poor and
became a vegetable peddler.
I
'
�f
JULY, '1926.
13
Uncle Sam and his Syrian Cousins
By
ALBERT
W.
STAUB
American Director, Near East Colleges.
A well known American writer recently called at the office
of the Near East Colleges, and asked for information about
the American University of Beirut. Having just returned from
an extensive trip abroad, he was trying to decide how he might
make the best use of the material he had collected. He hit upon
the happy idea of a series of articles called: "Trailing Uncle
Sam Around the World."
His idea turned out to be very fortunate indeed, for he sold
it almost immediately to one of the leading weeklies and soon
the American public will be told about the activities of Americans in all parts of the world — how they chanced to settle in
particular spots — what they are doing there — and why!
After his numerous questions had been answered (he understands very well how to get the most out of an interview) I was
greatly pleased to learn that it, was his visit to Beirut last winter
which gave him the inspiration for his articles. He was more
impressed, he saidy by the American atmosphere which has been
created by the University, than by what he saw in any other
foreign port. And so he was determined to make a careful analysis of the cause of this interesting situation.
Ever since 1862 when Daniel Bliss founded the Syrian Protestant College, a long succession of Americans have maintained
a special interest in Beirut, — many of them prominent men and
women who have served as members of the Board of Trustees
established by the Board of Regents of the State of New York.
With the possible exception of the Colleges at Constantinople,
probably no other American institution in a foreign country has
had better leadership. When one recalls the names of Bliss,
Dodge, Jessup, James, Kingsley; and when one reviews the
names of hundreds of devoted teachers who passed through the
best colleges and universities in the United States and then shared
their educational training through life-long service with the
Syrian people, one realizes how rich Syria has been in American
friendships.
�14
THE SYRIAN WORLD
It is not strange that the motive of these unusual friends was
discounted by the peoples of the Near East, especially during
the early stages of the development of the College. Not understanding American idealism, how could they help being suspicious? The war has done much to clarify the atmosphere.
Not only is the object of the University better understood, —
its work is also greatly appreciated. There are abundant evidences of this. No one now questions the prestige of the American University among the peoples of the Near East — least of
all, among the Syrians.
There are several angles to the present situation which are
exceedingly interesting, and these I should like to point out.
When 1 went to Syria seven years ago, the late Howard Bliss
told me that there was one special problem which should be
studied, namely: Syrian leadership in the University. At a time
when the theory of self-determination among the smaller nations
was being aired, Dr. Bliss realized the desirability of securing
as much participation as possible on the part of the local people.
His father as the pioneer had laid solid foundations for a permanent institution that was destined to influence that whole part
of the world. Howard Bliss as his successor had the genius for
securing new buildings and additional equipment, so that the
College under his direction expanded rapidly into a full fledged
University.
Both presidents realized that the ultimate goal was a cosmopolitan institution adapted to the needs of the country, that would
become indigenous and self-supporting, rather than remain forever a foreign enterprise for the purpose of exploiting Americanism abroad.
The principle of increasing native responsibility and participation in the affairs of the University and at the same time gradually withdrawing American leadership was thouroughly recognized by Dr. Bliss and is being carried out under the regime of
President Dodge. The idea of working with the Syrians and not
for them has revolutionized the spirit of the University.
It is this feature of the work that should be easily understood
by the Syrians living in America, because they have ample opportunity of sizing up the situation from this end. They know
America and ought to be able to diagnose the motive of the
Trustees, the Americans who go out to serve on the Faculty,
and the thousands of people scattered throughout the United
States who contribute voluntarily to the annual operating budget.
�JULY, 1926.
15
They must realize by this time that the University is not a
money-making concern, that it is not an agent of propaganda of
any kind, and that every student is a financial liability, for even
though he should pay the fees in full, this would not cover half
the cost of his education.
The Americans living in Syria and the Syrians living in the
United States have much in common. Both groups are interested
in the welfare of Syria. By co-operating closely together in a
sympathetic and intelligent manner, much good can be accomplished.
Annual reports of the University which include an audited
financial statement are available for any one who may desire
them. Those responsible for the administration of the work
invite constructive suggestions from every source. In order to
help this particular group of Americans in their task of sharing
American ideals that will result in a natural self-expression
on the part of the peoples of the Near East, there must be complete confidence on every side. It is particularly important to get
rid of all suspicions of ulterior motives.
The work of the American University of Beirut is non-sectarian. It is non-political. It is exclusively designed for the welfare of the various national groups who live in the Near East,
and not for the benefit of America in a selfish sense. The policy
that governs the institution is frank and open. It adjusts itself
readily to changing conditions. The relationship suggested in the
title of this article is misleading. The Americans and the Syrians
concerned with this common enterprise are more than cousins.
They are brothers in the deepest sense of that term. American
citizens of Syrian parentage should be particularly conscious of
this relationship, and should realize that they are peculiarly qualified to make this bond between the two peoples even more
worth while in the years to come.
"The best of worship is humility." — Mohammed.
Said AH, "Happy is the man whose faults occupy him from
finding faults with others!"
�16
THE SYRIAN WORLD
WHO ARE THE DRUZES
But fifty miles southeast of the gurgling waters of Barada
and the scented orchards which gave the ancient city of Damascus the enviable reputation of "Paradise on earth", lies a barren,
rocky country of bleak, black basalt, around which the burning
sands of the Syrian desert whirl and eddy, as would angry waters
around a rugged island in a surging sea.
In vain have past civilizations tried to gain a foothold on this
island of the desert. One human wave after another alighted
there for a while, only to be swept again into the lethal desert,
to be swallowed forever into the abyss of oblivion leaving behind it, here a desolate temple and there a ruined castle, monuments of its valiant but hopeless struggle.
Such is the land which was known to the ancients by the
name of Aurentes and now called Jebel ud-Druze.
As the last of the human waves which had repeatedly assaulted this land of hardened lava, spewed from the bowels of the
earth, the Druzes are no less enigmatical and strange than the
land that has come at last to be known by their name.
Few people in history have aroused as much curiosity, few
people are known as vaguely even among their own kinsmen,
as are these people whom the present revolution in Syria has suddenly thrust into the limelight of publicity and interest.
Who are the Druzes? One hears asked on every side.
Readers of Robert Browning, that great English wizard of
the human soul whose subtle ability to penetrate into other
peoples' minds and feelings, however strange, has never been
excelled, may remember a dramatic poem of his, little read or
known, in which the Druzes are the subject of his sympathetic
and genial analysis.
In his "Return of the Druzes", Browning makes mention
of "Hakeem", the founder of the Druze sect, who is impersonated by a certain Djabal, a shrewd impostor who bids to lead in
revolt a colony of Druze exiles on the little islet of Southern
Sporades, where the poet tells us:
�JULY, 1926.
if
"In this dim islet's virgin solitude
"Tend we our faith, the spark, till happier time
"Fan it to fire; till Hakeem rise again,
"According to his word that, in the flesh
"Which faded on Mokattam ages since,
"He, at our extreme need, would interpose,
"And, reinstating all in power and bliss
"Lead us himself to Lebanon once more."
Hakeem is not a mythical character. In his correct and full
name, Abu Ali al-Mansur al-Hakim Biamrilla? (ruler by the
will of God) he comes down to us as the sixth Caliph of the
Fatimide dynasty, depicted as a cruel and eccentric despot, a
combination of the egomanic and the buffoon.
Al-Hakim conceived the idea, by no means novel in the East,
but- repulsive to Islamic instincts and traditions, of proclaiming
himself as the incarnation of the Deity.
He found a ready supporter and instigator to his claims in
a certain Mohammed Ibn Isma'il at-Tahrani, more commonly
known as Bashitkin ad-Darazi (the; Persian word for tailor).
This man who came from Teheran, Persia, in the latter part
of the 1 Oth century A.D. was a sectarian Moslem of the extremist Shiites, known as the Batinites, esatoricists, closely related to
the Isma'ilites and Nusayrites.
No sooner had ad-Darazi entered into the service of alHakim, than he won his confidence by ingratiating loyalty. He
wrote a book in which he taught that the spirit of Adam transmigrated to Ali, and from Ali to the ancestors of al-Hakim, until
it rested in him.
This book was read in al-Azhar Mosque, the oldest university in the world, and the chief center of Mohammedan lore
today, but the effect of its reading was contrary to what the Caliph and his sycophant prompter had anticipated. A riot broke
out against the new heresy, and al-Hakim was forced to send adDarazi secretly to Syria, where he became a missionary, "da'i",
of the Hakim heresy in Wadi-t-Taym, around Mt. Hermon.
Ad-Darazi's teachings fell on receptive ears. In Wadi-t-Taym
and Lebanon the Batinite heresy had already made a strong foothold. The ruling Tanuchite princes, who had recently come from
Irak, were also followers of the Batinite sect.
After the death of al-Hakim, his followers were persecuted
in Egypt and many of them fled to the Higher Mountain, al-
�18
THE SYRIAN WORLti
Jabal-ul-'Ala, in the environs of Aleppo, from whence they dispersed, some going to Hauran, some to the southern part of Lebanon, Shoof, and some to Wadi-t-Taym. Among those who migrated to Hauran were the ancestors of the Atrash family, one
of whom, is today the chief leader of the1 Syrian revolutionists
against the French mandate.
While nominally ad-Darazi was the founder, the spiritual
progenitor of this strange sect was a contemporary missionary of
al-Hakim called Hamza, who, it seems, was steeped with gnostic
Manichean and Neoplatonic doctrines.
It was Hamza who made of the Druze sect a secret order,
by "closing the door to Druze conversion". To him also is ascribed the present division of the Druze into "the knowing ones"
and "ignorant", (cf. doctrine of gnosis among Christians, Veda
among the Hindus and 'urfan among the Sufis). The former
group was again subdivided into chiefs, 'ukkal (knowing ones)
and ajaweed, the latter of whom being the only group, a very
small one, who are thoroughly acquainted with the tenets and
mysteries of the Druze religion.
Among the doctrines taught by the Druzes, according to Dr.
Frederick Bliss in his book, "The Religions of Modern Syria and
Palestine", is the Hindu doctrine of metempsychosis. Like Origen
and some Gnostics, the Druze teach that God created a definite
number of souls from the beginning. Hence, to them, the death
of one person simply means the birth of another.
The Druzes played a conspicuous part in the, history of Lebanon and the regions of Mt. Hermon, but were always in the
minority and more or less circumspect in the practice of their
religion. They often aligned themselves with the Mohammedans,
openly avowing Islam, while secretly observing their own tenets.
Partly to escape persecution and partly to enjoy a greater
measure of seclusion and isolation, many of them began to migrate to Hauran in the latter part of the 17th century.
The Hauran mountain which they settled and came to be
known by their name as Jebel-ud-Druze is a barren, mountainous
region, but around it extend fertile lands which gradually merge
into the sands of the Syrian desert. Altogether it is 7920 square
kilometers, bounded on the north by the Ghutah (Orchards) of
Damascus; on the west by the Lajah, a labyrinthian, treacherous
region, and the plains of Hauran Mutasarifiyah; on the south by
the barren "Jabbanah" plain, and the border of the trans-Jor-
�JULY, 1926.
10
dania Government j and on the east by the Hara Mountains and
the Syrian desert.
It is approximately 120 kilometers long and 60 kilometers
wide not including the "grazing grounds" attached to Jebel-udDruze, which stretch 48 kilometers south and 90 kilometers east.
According to the census of 1925, the total population of
Jebel-ud-Druze is 52,064 of which 44,344 are Druzes, 4,659
Christians and 725 Moslems.
The Christians in Jebel-ud-Druze and Hauran go back to the
days preceding the Islamic invasion, when the Mundhirite Kings
of the Ghassanide Christian Arabs ruled as liegemen of the
Persian kings. Remains of a palace of Na'man Ibn al-Mundhir
belonging, it is claimed, to the 5th century A.D. stands today in
al-Sueida, the capital of Jebel-ud-Druze attesting to their
ancient glory. Hauran is still the seat of a Greek Orthodox
Bishopric.
Long before the Christians, Hauran, including what is known
now as Jebel-ud-Druze, was colonized by the Romans. Almost
every town or hamlet in Jebel-ud-Druze contains mute mementos
of the days when Roman legions flanked the borders between the
"Barbarians" and the citizens of the Roman world. One of the
towns of Jebel-ud-Druze, Kanawat, is one of the "ten towns",
Decapolis, a colony of Greeks and Romans across the Jordan,
which Christ visited in His ministry. This town had a temple of
Bacchus, later a cathedral of the Greek Orthodox Church, and a
Roman amphitheatre. It contains remains of the Sun Temple
built by Herodos Agrippa. Today, Kanawat is the seat of the
Druze supreme religious authority, vested in the Shaykhs of the
al-Hajri family.
For a period of time Hauran was overrun by nomadic Bedwins. Some of the Druzes who migrated from Egypt in the 11th
century, it is related, went to Hauran, but must have either been
assimilated with the Bedwins or have moved to other quarters.
The first effective settlement of the Druzes in Hauran was
in the year 1685, when the emir Alam-ud-Din Ibn Ma'n from
Lebanon, with 150 bold horsemen, attacked al-Jebel and occupied
it. Alam-ud-Din left his right hand man, Hamdan, in charge in
all al-Jebel and returned to Lebanon where he urged many of
his coreligionists to leave Lebanon and settle in the newly conquered territory. Among the inducements which the Druze emir
offered them was confiscating the properties of the Bedwins and
�20
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Christian Hauranites and aportioning them among the settling
Druzes.
From that time on the Druzes held down to their Jebel with
a tenacity that has no parallel in history.
The consciousness of their separateness, of their segregation
in an isolated and almost inaccessible country, their secretiveness,
implying implicit obedience to their religious leaders, helped
make of the Druzes a warlike and heroic people. Their Jebel
was their castle which they vowed to defend with the last drop
of their blood.
In the last century, several attacks on the Druzes to bring
them within the jurisdiction of the realm only accentuated their
separateness and the impregnability of their homeland. They
also helped to spread the fame of the Druzes of Hauran, who
up to that time were little known.
The first of these wars was waged on the Druzes of Hauran
by Ibrahim Pasha, son of Isma'il Pasha, first; Khedive of Egypt
in the year 1836.
Ibrahim Pasha had conquered all Syria and driven the forces
of the Ottoman Turks beyond its borders. No sooner had the
Egyptian general established himself in Syria than he proceeded
to impose compulsory military service and levy taxes on the subjugated people. Ibrahim Pasha had far-reaching visions of
reforms. He was one of those "benevolent tyrants" for whom
Syria was longing, as it is claimed by some Western writers.
But like so many benevolent tyrants, Ibrahim Pasha went on with
his methodic reforms with no anticipation of the impredicability
of human nature, and its love of liberty above justice or order.
It is significant, in the light of recent events, that the "causus
bellum" of that war of 1836, was an affront to the dignity of
the Druzes, who had sent a delegation of. their shaykhs, headed
by Yahya Hamdan, to negotiate with Ibrahim Pasha. In front of
the assemblage, Ibrahim Pasha struck Yahya Hamdan a blowacross the face. This blow cost Ibrahim Pasha thousands of his
men in the treacherous windings of al-Lajah and brought his
dream-castle of a Syrian kingdom tumbling to the ground. In
1838, Ibrahim Pasha had to stop his war with the Druzes to
face another attack of the Turks, who had gathered up their
shattered forces and advanced on Aleppo.
The Hamdanites remained the titular heads of the Druzes
in Hauran where they ruled the peasant classes as serfs, up to
'"
"
;
'
�JULY, 1926.
21
>
the latter half of the 19th century when they were replaced by
the Atrash family.
It is said that the last of the Hamdanites, who lived in 'Urah,
was an insolent tyrant who took pleasure in humiliating his subordinate chiefs. One day a peddler selling razors passed through
Sueida, capital of the Druzes. The Hamdanite accosted him and
said, "What sellest thou?" "Razors, my lord," timidly replied
the peddler. Whereupon the Hamdanite laughed out loudly saying, "Go to Kurayyah, to the mansion of the Shaykh Isma'il
and he will buy of your wares." The peddler went to Kurayyah,
the town of the Atrash family, not aware that he was being used
as an unwitting medium for a grim, practical joke.
Like other people of the Near East, the Druzes had a special veneration for beards. An oath by one's beard was as
binding as an oath by one's honor. In fact, the beard was regarded by the Druzes5 as by other peoples of the East, as a symbol
of honor and manliness.
When the peddler reached Kurayyah and made his errand
known, Shaykh Isma'il's wrath knew no bounds. He called to
him the Shaykhs of his district and when they were all gathered
in the guest-salon, he offered each a razor.
They looked at each other in surprise and asked him what
he meant by his act. Thereupon Shaykh Isma'il related to them
the story of the peddler and the razors* adding: "Shall you allow this Hamdanite to threaten us with shaving our beards? By
Allah, we shall not rest till we sleep tonight on his bed in
"Urah"!"
"To Urah, to Urah," they cried with one accord.
In this wise did the dynasty of Hamdan fall, and the Atrash
dynasty succeed it.
It was in the days of the Atrash dynasty that the bloody conflicts between the Druzes and the Ottoman Empire fell. In one
year (1894-1895), six major battles are recorded.
More than once, the wily Turks would grant the Druzes a
truce, and when the chiefs had come to negotiate the terms of
peace, the Turkish general would arrest them and carry them
with him as war hostages to Constantinople.
The last time this was done was when Sami Pasha Al-Faruki,
in the year 1909, a year after the Constitutional Revolution in
Turkey, moved against them. After treacherously arresting the
Druze leaders, Sami Pasha executed a number of them, among
�---
22
THE SYRIAN WORLD
them Zukan Bey Atrash, father of Sultan Pasha Atrash, the leader of the present Syrian Revolution.
Of special interest is the account of a "Socialist Revolution"
which broke out in Jebel-ud-Druze, in the year 1886.
Up to that time the Druze farmers and laborers were nominally and virtually vassals of the land owners, who were also
Shaykhs and "leaders". To gain the loyal support of these vassals against the nomad tribes, Shibli Atrash went among them
preaching those disturbing and novel ideas of equal rights and
liberty. That these ideas proved disturbing, Shibli Atrash soon
found to his own rue. For no sooner had the tribesmen been
subdued, than the "common people" rose in revolt against their
own Shaykhs who fled to al-Mazra'ah. The "common people"
won the fight against their leaders, but not for long. The Druze
Shaykhs soon reasserted their authority and the feudal system
regained its grip in Jebel-ud-Druze.
In the great war, the Druzes played a magnanimous role. Not
only did they open their arms to the Syrian refugees and sell
them all the wheat they needed, but refused to sell any of
their wheat to agents of Jamal Pasha.
In their political allegiance the Druzes were divided, some
sided with the Allies, under the leadership of Sultan Pasha Atrash, fighting under the banner of Shereef of Mecca, and some
took the side of the Turks, under the leadership of Selim Pasha
Atrash, whom the French later appointed head of the semi-independent state which they had set in Jebel-ud-Druze.
Whatever might be said about the secret doctrines of the
Druzes, their ethical code must be very high. The conduct of
their 'Ukkal is indeed a model of exemplary self-control. It is
not permitted them to drink, smoke nor swear. The conduct of
the Druze women is above reproach.
Such are the strange Druzes, whom recent events in
Syria have brought so vividly and picturesquely to our attention,
only to find that they do not, after all, differ much in human
qualities from the rest of the human race, and are not so strange
as their secret doctrines would lead one to suppose.
"Beware of greed, for it is the ever present poverty." — Mohammed.
•
'
�JULY, 1926.
23
The Grumbler
-
By M. J.
i
(
NAIMY.
I sat upon the ocean shore close by a rock shaped like a cross.
And as I watched the waves and mused I heard the rock conversing thusly with itself:
"How burdensome is life! Seasons are ever crowding seasons,
and generations madly press upon each other's heels. Yet Heavens are still Heavens, and Earth is everlastingly the same. Oh,
the weariness of it! This Sun—the plaything of the space—who
never tires of rising and of setting; the Moon who, like a shuttle
cock, is tossed across the face of Night between two nothings —
Life and Death; the Stars that blink so foolishly by night and are
so blind by day; the Earth who, pregnant, lies in frosty Winter's
lap; who is delivered in Spring; who rears her young in Summer
only to take them back into her greedy bowels in the Fall, and
then to lie once more as pregnant and as listless in Winter's frosty
lap; the Sun, the Moon, thej Stars, the Earth — how I dislike
them all!"
"And weary, oh, how weary, of the Wind am I. It blows
incessantly its venom in my eyes. And when, its mischief spent,
it turns into a breeze, it sighs its silly sorrows in my ears. I'm
weary of the Mist spreading its shrouds about me; and of the
Clouds shedding their tears upon me; and of these winged creatures of land and sea. Of all the things impertinent and insolent
I think they are the most impertinent and insolent. My very head
they've made a place for rendez-vous, for battle, for love-making, for funerals and wedding feasts. My share of all that is
their filth. Are they ashamed?—Not in the least."
"And these ungainly trees, whose roots entwine about my
feet; whose trunks bow humbly to the wind and rub against my
ribs; who stand stark naked all the dreary winter long, — what
joy have they in living? Of them also I'm weary and of their
stupid joys and sorrows."
"Nay, nay! This life is but a chaos which the weak and ignorant have made still more chaotic. Let them be wedded to their
chaos. I will have none of it, O merciful Abyss, take me into thy
bosom!"
�jMBMMUOMb
24
THE SYRIAN WORLD
That very moment Mother Earth shook gently in her sleep.
The Ocean slightly yawned, and the cross-shaped rock went
tumbling to the bottom. The merry waves closed in upon it and
instantly resumed their mad and endless race.
And the Evening and the Morning were the following day.
And I betook me to the sea in search of precious pearls. And from
a point near the very spot where the cross-shaped rock once stood
1 plunged into the waves. Anon I found me near a rock covered
with weeds and lichen. Its shape was like a cross. Around it and
above it swarmed droves of creatures of the sea. And in the folds
of its weedy garments pearls hung in clusters. As I approached
to pick the precious pearls I heard the rock conversing thusly
with itself:
"How burdensome is Life! Nothing but mud and weeds.
Nothing but waves and fishes. They come and they go and ever
are the same. The things I yesterday beheld, these very things
do I behold to-day and will behold to-morrow. The very din
that fills to.day my ears will fill them ever after. What can be
more monotonous and boring! Would I were blind, and deaf,
and dumb. If this be Life, let silly weeds and stupid fishes live it.
I will have none of it. O Death, deliver me from this dungeon
of the living fools!"
The breast of Mother Earth heaved gently in her sleep. The
waves retreated helter-skelter ceding to Land a goodly strip of
their immense, race-track whereon lay scattered many weeds, and
shells and rocks including one shaped like a cross. The Sun smiled
down upon those outcasts of the sea.
And the Evening and the Morning wrcre the following day.
And to the shore I went in search of restful peace. And there I
found the self-same cross-shaped rock facing the tireless waves.
Around it stately trees stood green and radiant and proud. Before
it spread' a carpet of spring flowers such as no magic hand could
ever weave, nor daring fantasy design. Upon it swarmed a host
of gulls basking, in peace and warm contentment. When I approached I heard the rock conversing thusly with itself:
"How burdensome is Life! Seasons are ever crowding seasons, and generations madly press upon each other's heels. Yet
Heavens are still Heavens, and Earth is everlastingly the same.
''
�25
JULY, 1926.
Accursed be this life. It's but a chaos which the weak and ignorant have made still more chaotic. I will have none of it. O merciful Abyss, take me into thy bosom!"
And hardly had the rock uttered its whithering curse when
out of the space a meteor came crashing swifter than a thought
of vengeance. It crushed the rock to atoms. And then, looking
about, it lifted up its voice and spake in this manner:
"Behold! A new abode and with it a new lease. Ah, blessed
be Life who tosses me with one hand only to catch me with the
other. Whichever way I fall, I find me ever in her spacious lap.
And there shall I remain till she become a nursling at my bosom."
Saved !
Abu Hanifa was a learned and righteous cadi who lived in
Kufa in the days of Haroun al-Rashid. He had a neighbor, an
humble street cleaner who, on returning from his day's work,
would bring home meat, fish, vegetables and wine, and after
supper drink until he got drunk. Then, he would start singing two
lines from an ancient Arab poet:
"They have lost me, what a man they've lost
In time of battle or in day of need."
Day after day this went on until, one day, Abu Hanifa heard
no more the singing of his neighbor. He inquired after him and
was told that the night watchman arrested him on a charge of
drunkenness and carried him to prison where he had been for
the past three days. On hearing this, Abu Hanifa mounted his
mule and proceeded to the court of the Caliph who received him
with great honor.
"What is the wish of the honorable Imam?" asked the Caliph.
Abu Hanifa made known his wish and interceded for his
neighbor, the street-cleaner.
"Let him free," commanded the Caliph, "and for his sake let
free all those who were caught on the same day with him."
Then, Abu Hanifa, followed by the street cleaner, went back
to Kufa. When they reached home, Abu Hanifa addressed the
street-clearer saying:
"Thinkest thou we lost thee, now, O good neighbor?"
The street cleaner knelt down and thanked Abu Hanifa profusely and promised him never to drink again as long as he
lived.
�. irr- —
26
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Famous Arab Lovers
* Urwa and ' Afra
'Urwa Ibn Hazzam is introduced to us by the author of
Al-Aghani, as "one of the lovers whom love destroyed."
He would have been one of the nameless many who are
thus "destroyed" had he not modulated his ardent passion in undying poetry of rare tenderness and pathos. Coming in the rise
of Islam from the tribe of 'Uzra, one is prepared to hear about
his passionate love and sad end. For this tribe distinguished itself in Arabic love and history as the tribe of true and passionate
lovers. " 'Uzrite Love" was proverbial. It was synonymous
with the highest and truest in love. An, Arab poet, most likely
a 'Uzrite himself, had adequately described this in one line,
famous in Arabic literature:
i
"If a 'Uzrite dies not of love,
He is a stranger, by Allah, above."
The woman whose name 'Urwa immortalized was 'Afra, a
cousin of his. The two had been raised from childhood together
and were, consequently, very fond of each other, a fondness
which with years grew into ardent love.
'Urwa's father had died and left him in charge of an uncle,
'Akkal, who looked favorably at the budding love of his daughter and 'Urwa, "Be of good cheer, my nephew," he would say,
"when thou growest up 'Afra will be thy bride."
One day, when the two young lovers had reached the age
of adolescence,! he going his way with the company of men and
she going with the company of women, 'Urwa came to an aunt
of his called Hind, and shyly imparted to her his heart's burden:
"O Aunt Hind, he pleaded, "I had wanted to speak to you
before, only shyness deterred me. But my heart can no more
bear my secret."
Hind understood and was not lax in conveying her nephew's
love for 'Afra to her brother 'Akkal who assured her that he
would prefer no one to 'Urwa, but he added that since 'Urwa
was still young and poor, there was no hurry about his marriage.
«c
�JULY, 1926.
27
But 'Akkal was not the only one who had a say in the matter. He had a wilful wife who had other designs for her daughter. She was a "socially ambitious" mother, as we say today —
one of those solicitious matrons who are more concerned about
their daughter's comfort, and we may add, their own, than her
happiness. In short, 'Afra's mother had set her heart on some
gallant young Bedwin who would bring her daughter a dowry
and many camels and horses.
When 'Urwa learned of this and realized that neither love
nor relationship would avail him, but only wealth which he did
not possess, he resolved to leave his tribe and seek the help of
a rich cousin of his in Rai — a district in Persia.
He made his resolve known to his uncle and secured from
him a pledge that he would not give cAfra in marriage to anyone
until he came back from Rai. Thus assured, 'Urwa took two of
his intimate friends as companions for the road and set on his
journey. On the way 'Urwa thought of nothing else but 'Afra.
When his companions conversed with him, he was silent and
answered only when a question was repeated to him two and three
times.
Would they keep their promise to him? Would 'Afra remain true and loyal, or would she yield to her parents' importunities and pressure? He never doubted her love, but he was
not quite sure of her ability to resist very long. Somehow, he
never liked his uncle's wife. His uncle was a good fellow but
he was a henpecked husband. Indeed, he was the talk of the
tribe of 'Uzra, for a henpecked husband was a rarity even in
the tribe of the chicken-hearted 'Uzrites. What if 'Afra had
inherited her father's meekness and a little of her mother's grasping ambition? No! no! that can not be! He waved the wicked
thought aside. For had he not heard it said in the Koran that
"some suspicion is sin," how much more the suspicion of one's
beloved?
Then his thoughts turned to his cousin in Rai. He had
heard much about his great wealth and generosity. But suppose
his cousin mocked his love? He frowned as he thought of that
and clinched his fists.
But how soon were 'Urwa's misgivings and fears dispelled
when he reached his cousin's home in Rai! For, no sooner had
his cousin learned of Urwa's message, broached after some hesitancy and much trepidation, than he showered him with gifts of
money, clothes and a hundred camels in excellent condition. It
�28
THE SYRIAN WORLD
was more than 'Urwa ever expected, even more than 'Afra's
parents asked for her dowry.
Merrily and full of high hopes and good spirits did 'Urwa
set on the return journey with his companions back to the camping ground of 'Uzra where in a tent dearest to him than any
spot on earth, yea, even dearer than paradise itself, he expected
'Afra would be i anning the horizon, anxiously waiting for his
return.
Alas, how far v re 'Urwa's buoyant hopes from the treacherous reality which was lurking for him! 'Urwa had not left his
uncle's tent very long when a gallant, debonair son of Isma'il
from the powerful tribe of Umayyad, in the environs of Damascus, stopped in the tents of 'Afra's father as his guest. He was
rich beyond the dreams of the 'Uzrite nomad and his shrewd
wifq who, as her eye; fell upon him, made up her mind that he
was the long-wished-for match for her darling daughter 'Afra.
The young Umayyad made a good impression, with his cityacquired clothes and manners, not only with 'Afra's parents but
with the whole tribe of 'Uzra, for he was a generous and goodnatured fellow. He slaughtered of his choice camels and invited
one and all to his sumptuous repasts.We may surmise that his generosity was not prompted by a mere motive of hospitality. He
had seen 'Afra and his heart warmed up to her. He had not stopped to think that she may refuse him. Such a thing was not conceivable to him or to any other Arab! Was he not good-looking,
brave and rich 5 what else would any girl in her right mind wish
for? Straightforward he went to her father and asked him for
her hand, but 'Akkal turned him down saying that he had promised her to his nephew and would not break his promise to him.
But while 'Urwa was still nearby, 'Akkal was half inclined
to be swayed by his wife's persuasions, how much more when he
was far away in distant Rai?
'Akkal's wife, from whom the Umayyad found a more sympathetic response, did her reputation justice in this instance in
pressing her viewpoint. Day and night she kept dinning in her
husband's ears, saying: "What good can we expect from 'Urwa
that you should bind my daughter to him, when, behold, this
rich young man has come to knock at her door?By Allah,you know
not even now whether 'Urwa is dead or alive, or whether he
would come back with the dowry or come empty-handed."
'Akkal did no withstand his wife's assaults very long, and
his consent was given to 'Afra's marriage to the rich Umayyad.
�JULY, 1926.
29
It was a happy and joyous wedding to all but 'Afra, whose love
for 'Urwa was still as ardent as ever, but who was powerless to
resist. Before she was put in her howdaj on the back of a graceful dromedary, to be carried to her husband's home near Damascus, she wept copiously as she sang: "O, 'Urwa, the tribe has dealt
treacherously and abjured their oath to Allah."
As soon as 'Afra had gone away, her father sought an old
tomb and after renovating it, gathered his tribesmen together
and pledged their secrecy to the perforced marriage.
Upon 'Urwa's return, he was accosted by his uncle, who,
leading him to the renovated tomb told him that 'Afra had died
in his absence. 'Urwa's sorrow was great beyond compare. For
days he would sit long hours by the tomb and mourn his beloved
'Afra, until one day a servant of the tribe came and secretly
whispered to him the true story of his uncle's treachery. 'Urwa
would stay no more after this with his people.. Taking with him
a few camels and carrying a supply for a long journey, he set
his face towards the Syrian Desert. When he reached 'Afra's
dwelling, he went to her husband and introduced himself as a
man from 'Adnan. 'Afra's husband showed him every consideration and hospitality due to a guest. After a few days, during
which 'Urwa had not had even a glimpse of his cousin 'Afra, he
approached a maid in her service and said to her:
"Would you lend a stranger a helping handr"
"With pleasure," she replied.
Taking a ring from his hand which 'Afra had given him,
he asked her to drop it in Afra's bowl of laban. The maid frowned at him and scolded him saying: "Fie on thee to ask me to do
such a dishonorable act and betray my master!"
'Urwa replied: "Take no offense, my good lady, 'Afra is
my cousin. Do as I tell you and throw this ring in her bowl, and
if she protests, tell her your guest took his breakfast before you
arose and this ring must have dropped from his hand." He pleaded with her in a piteous voice.
The maid took compassion on him and did as he requested
of her. The next morning, when 'Afra drank her laban, she
found the ring in the bottom of the bowl, and recognizing it to
be the ring that she had given 'Urwa, she uttered a loud cry,
and said to her maid: "Tell me the truth about this ring." The
maid then told her all that had taken place.
At evening, when 'Afra's husband came back she came up
to him and said: "Know you who our guest is?" "Yes," replied
�30
THE SYRIAN WORLD
her husband, "he is a man from the tribe of 'Adnan." "Nay," retorted 'Afra, "he is none other than 'Urwa, my cousin, who had
kept his identity secret in shame of you."
The story goes on to say that 'Afra's husband not only did
not go off in a rage against 'Urwa, but treated him kindly and
allowed him to meet and speak to 'Afra as often as he desired.
Then, leaving them alone, Afra's husband set a servant to spy
on them and report to him what he would see and hear.
There the two sat, 'Urwa crying like a little child and 'Afra
comforting him with words of solace. Then, bringing him some
wine she asked him to drink. "By Allah," he swore, as he looked up to her, "nothing unlawful has ever entered my lips. You
had been my share in this world, and you have passed from my
hands. Your husband has been generous to me, but I cannot remain, even if my going away would mean my death."
When 'Afra's husband heard what had taken place between
his wife and 'Urwa, he went to him and urged him to stay, but
'Urwa would not listen to it.
Early next morning, well supplied with provisions for the
road, 'Urwa bid 'Afra und her husband farewell and left them
never to return.
For 'Urwa, as the author of Al-Aghani intimated to us,
did not live long after this. His heart was too heavy with sorrow
and disappointment.
la his wanderings, it is said, he met a certain wizard medicineman, of Yamama who stopped him and asked him what ailed
him. 'Urwa replied:
"I said to the wizard of Yamama, treatest thou me?
If thou healest my ill, then art thou a healer indeed.
For my heart to tatters has been reduced
Should thou touch it at any spot, it would bleed."
More touching than 'Urwa's death is that of 'Urfa's who,
it is related, when informed of his sad end, sought permission of
her husband to visit his grave. Her husband consented, and the
story goes on to say that she kept up her lamentation until she
died, and was buried at his side.
Thus, at last, were the two lovers joined, never again to be
disturbed by cruel fate and unsympathetic man.
�)ULYt 1926.
j/
Westward Ho! Eastward Ho!
By
HAEIB IBRAHIM KATIBAH.
He would be a blind man indeed who, below the surface of
the tumultuous disturbances that are raging now between West
and East, breaking into threatening waves of unbridled lust and
ungoverned passion, does not see forces far more stupendous,
substantial and imperious in their persistency which are inevitably
drawing the two together.
One hardly opens a newspaper but finds evidences of this spirit of reconciliation, "at-one-ment", between two halves of a
far-from-perfect universe, which after ages of blind blundering,
and groping in the darkness of ignorance, prejudice and fanatical
self-content, have found each other, much like the two halves of
the spheroid souls about which Diotema discoursed to Socrates
in that inimitable gem of ancient literature—the Symposium of
Plato.
Only the other day the writer listened to a group of young
Demostheneses orate om the profound problems which confront
this much troubled world of ours, perhaps because much doctored, and was amazed at the selection of subjects. Two spoke, on
China, and one on Ghandi. The fact that the range of subjects
was limited to the relations between the "Christian" West and
the "heathen" East, does not lessen the significance of the choice
but rather heightens it. And what a difference there was between
the attitude of these red-cheeked, bright-eyed youngsters and
that of their elders! One would suspect, listening to them, that
they do not draw the water of their wisdom and inspiration from
the ever bubbling well of editorials of a certain brand of newspapers which speak so knowingly and prophetically of the "Yellow peril" and the "inevitable clash between East and West",
nor evidently listen with any respect to the profound wisdom
of some of their Solons in Washington.
For these young boys and girls, all in their teens, spoke of
China as though it were populated with fellow human beings who
have the same emotions, sensibilities and potential worth as any
white-skinned, blue-eyed descendant of the proud Vikings of
�32
THE SYRIAN WORLD
the North. A young man who spoke on Ghandi actually had the
audacity of comparing him to Christ! But the future world belongs to these youngsters, and they are taking no orders from
their elder superiors as to how it should be fashioned.
One wishes to know, however, in passing, if the World War
had a share in this sad disregard of the youth of today of their
elders' wisdom and authority. Men whom our fathers used to
consider "clever" diplomats are today looked upon as contemptible tricksters and poor, deluded fools by a second and much wiser generation.
Equally in the East one could point to decided movements
of reconciliation with the West to which many a wise elder there
shakes his head in consternation and dismay. A notable example
is the Chinese Students Movement in which thousands upon
thousands of the earnest youth of China, who had a foretaste
of Western culture and education, are mercilessly hammering
down the massive wall of ancient traditions which had isolated
China from the world and made it an easy prey to the gluttonous pirates of Western commercialism.
We need hardly point also to the Kemalist movement which
has left the world agape with the swiftness and completeness
of its sensational and cataclysmic changes -y with its basic reforms
by which the Young Turks have reached way down and uprooted
some of the most age-honored, albeit, to our minds, adventitious
traditions of Islam.
But it is a mistake to think that this spirit of reconciliation is
confined to the youth of our world. Rather is it the accumulating
and gathering up of thousands of little streamlets of ideas and
emotions that extend at least two hundred years back. Today it
numbers among its great leaders such illustrious names as that
of the Hindu poet, Tagore, the German philosopher Keyserling
and the American educator, Charles Eliot — all old in years,
young in spirit.
In the past, beginning with what is popularly known as the
age of enlightenment in the latter part of the 18th century, when
this movement began to take form, the list would include some
of the greatest names in literature, philosophy and scholarship.
We now begin to surmise where our high school orators and
bespectacled Chinese students, with their book bags slung over
their shoulders, got hold of their disturbing wisdom.
Just how this movement came about, and what are some of
its antecedents is one of the most fascinating chapters in the spi-
:~»
�JULY, 1926.
Ml
33
ritual history of mankind. It is a cosmic romance of such thrilling
charm that one in reading it is willing to forget the bitter tragedies and heartrending miseries which went hand in hand with it.
Perhaps it would not be amiss to take a sweeping view of
history which wrould furnish us with a mental stage, a background,
against which this greatest of all human dramas was enacted.
Long, long ago, as story tellers would say, when the ancestors
of the civilized Western nations roamed the dark primeval
forests, skin-clad, hunted the mastadons, and slept in dark,
rough-hewn caves, there flourished under a more clement weather and the caresses of a more gentle mother-nature, a group of
nations which, from days immemorial, have come down to us as
the founders of our modern civilization.
So small and circumspect was the world then, that the narrow
strait of Gibraltar, then known as the Pillars of Hercules, marked the farthest limit of the navigable seas, beyond which none
but the most daring sailors ever ventured to sail. The sea, but
a little lake compared with the great oceans later discovered,
around which these nations settled and built their cities, was
known as the Mediterranean Sea, i. e., the sea at the middle of
the world! This sea, which a mail steamer of today could cross
between its farthest two points in about a week's time, Homer
makes the hero of his Odyssey cross in ten long, treacherous years.
Around this sea ranged the ancient civilizations of Egypt,
Phoenicia, Greece, Palestine and Rome. What a colorful and
glorious panorama to conjure from the dreamy, distant past!
What a roll of achievements to unfurl before the eye of imagination! What an endless drama of human love and suffering, of
victory, anguish and folly — tears of sorrow mixed with tears of
rejoicing!
For while these ancient nations lived, figuratively speaking,
at a stone's throw from one another, they were always at daggers'
points and were ready at a moment's notice, or no notice at
all, to pounce at each other's throats.
That was the age, long, long past that we can but vaguely recall it, of local patriotism and petty narrow nationalism. So narrow, indeed, that within the small confines of Greece, about halfa-dozen separate and independent states flourished, and two great
cities, Athens and Sparta, fought to exhaustion for supremacy.
Similarly we read in the Bible of "nations" such as the Ammonites, Moabites, Jebusites, Amalakites, etc., who all lived and
fought bitterly with one another in a country that is hardly con-
�M
THE SYRIAN WORLD
sidered now-a-days large enough to form one nation. This narrow
provincialism is no better illustrated than in the fact that these
"kingdoms" often consisted of walled cities, with a few dependent and tributary villages in their environs. Hence the names of
Athens, Rome, and Carthage stood not only for cities but
for whole kingdoms and civilizations which sprang from them
and with which they were identified.
It was the age of mutual exclusiveness and suspicion. The
Greeks called all those who lived beyond the Agean Sea "barbaro?\ the Egyptians disdained the Greeks and all others besides,
and the Hebrews, in the consciousness of their being the specially
chosen people of Jehova, called all other nations "the gentiles>\
It was not until the Roman Empire came into its own that
something of a "world community" and world citizenship began
to assert themselves. All national boundaries were demolished
and obliterated before the victorious march of the Roman legionaries. Something of a world peace, "the Pax Romana", gleamed
from beyond the horizon of a war-ridden world. Something also
of a cosmopolitan culture began to evolve, as all roads of commerce and all currents of thought lead to Rome, while in the
Pantheon of the proud mistress of the world the gods and
goddesses of all nations were held as hostages of goodwill and
propitiation.
Two worlds, one of the extreme East and one of the extreme West, remained until then relatively unknown.
For a brief period only was India discovered and invaded by
the Greeks under Alexander, while the interior of Gaul and
Petionia and the shores of Cornwall were later penetrated by the
brave Roman warriors.
Of the former invasion the German scholar, Oldenberg, in his
Life of Buddha rightly remarked that it was "too late". For
India had long ago evolved its pessimistic philosophy, the reflection of its sombre and merciless environment.
Before Alexander's time, a faint and hazy trace of this philosophy rambling its way through Persia and Syria found its way
into Greece, and echoed itself in the fantastic teachings of the
Greek philosopher, Pythagoras. Its influence, however, was practically negligible, and India as well as China and the Far East
in general remained a closed book to the world till the time of
the Arab invasions and expansions, beginning with the 8th century A. D.
It was the Arabs who discovered the Far East, long before
.
�-
JULY, 1926.
35
Marco Polo and Vasco Da Gama, and in a more thorough and
practical way. Not only did Mohammedan travelers and Mohammedan geographers write lengthy books describing the wonders
of the East, but Mohammedan merchants founded colonies on
the shores of the Indian and Chinese Seas. Later, in the 1 Oth century Mahmoud al-Ghazni conquered India for Islam, and the
horizon of our knowledge of the Far East was extended a little
further.
Hindu philosophy had a far greater influence on the Arabs
and Mohammedans than it ever had on the people of Greece and
Rome. Mohammedan mysticism known as Sufism, bears many
marks of this influence. Arabic literature also is indebted to the
land of the "Budd". One of the most popular Arabic books,
"Kalila Wa Dimna", translated in the 9th century into Arabic
through the Persian by Ibn ul-Mukaffa£, is none other than the
Hindu Panchatantra. The rosary, an inseparable part of the
rubrics of Mohammedan pietism, is believed to have come originally from India. Not till the age of modern scholarship do
we come across a more informing and accurate description of
India, its social and religious institutions than the "Indica" of
al-Beiruni.
Coming Westward down through the "Dark Ages" and the
period of the Crusades, which in their way, though roughly and
rudely, brought East and West together; down through the Reformation, down through the Age of Discoveries and Colonization,
we come at last to the age in which, we may rightly say, the world,
especially the Western world, attained its spiritual adolescence.
In the latter part of the 18th century a new spirit, an awakened
and vigorous self-consciousness swept over the common people
like an electric current, or like a refreshing breeze of life and
energy from another world.
It was the age in which experimental science began to assert
itself; it was the age of agitation for equal rights, the age in
which Rousseau wrote his "Social Contract", and the American
Revolution was given birth; it was the age of bouyant, quickened
feeling and critical thinking; the age of great poets and great
thinkers. Such names as Goethe, Kant, Hegel, and later, in
England, Coleridge, Browning, Tennyson, Wadsworth, Matthew
Arnold and Carlyle adorn this period.
One distinctive feature of this age or period was a keener sense
of, and joy in life, a sort of natural mysticism, so beautifully reflected in Wadsworth's poetry and Emerson's prose. Another was
�36
THE SYRIAN WORLD
a deeper and more genuine sympathy with one's fellow-man, near
and far. This also had. its prophets in such names as Robert
Browning, Victor Hugo, and in the great English and French
novelists.
It was in the midst of this period, and extending to the present day that the Orient began to be rediscovered, or rather discovered truly and spiritually. Max Mueller came with his translations of the Sacred Books of the East, Legge with his translation
of the Chinese Classics. Hammer Purgestal, Welhausen, Renan,
Lane, Burton and many, many others, who faithfully, passionately
and sympathetically studied the East — each and all helped in
this great discovery.
It is an amazing but nevertheless true fact that while this
penetrating study of the East was being pursued, and great books
of our ancestors were being studied, by recluse professors in Universities, or robust excavators and travelers, trudging the deserts
in Oriental disguise, the people of the East were oblivious to their
own history and literature.
Side by side also with this "spiritual conquest" by Western
writers and scholars another conquest, ruthless and bitter, was
going on. Proud and ancient rulers of the East bent the knees and
salamed to foreign conquerors whom they had always considered,
in the pride of their hearts, their inferiors.
The modern colonial conquest of the East had two unexpected
results which brought East and West still closer together. In the
East it aroused, through emulation and a sense of wronged dignity,
a keener interest among the youth for modern education. The
East began to send thousands of its most brilliant and promising
sons to Western Universities.
These young aspirants to knowledge and intellectual freedom
came in contact with learned professors who knew and loved the
East. They began to discover friends among writers, preachers,
and liberals of all kinds, and their bitter chagrin and sweeping
denunciation of all things Western toned down. They came to receive power with which to fight their enemies and oppressors at
home, and went away endowed with charity, insight and sympathy. Those of them who caught the true spirit of Western
civilization, went home preaching, not a gospel of hatred and
retaliation, but one of co-operation and amity.
The World War has given us many valuable lessons, but none
more valuable than a feeling of genuine humility and shame.
�JULY, 1926.
37
It has chastised West and East alike and shown humanity in its
stark nakedness and utter helplessness.
And it is this spirit of humility, this sense of our smallness
and incompleteness which is driving East and West together.
The brilliant American editor of Kansas City, William Allen
White, brought out this helplessness and loneliness of man very
beautifully in an editorial of last Christmas. We find it expressed with a tinge of pessimism in a learned study by the German
philosopher, Oswald Spengler. We find it in the writings of the
English liberal and thinker, Bertrand Russell, of H. G. Wells
and many others on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
"Wise men of the East" are beginning to look to the West
for knowledge that makes men free, and "wise men of the West"
are looking to the East for wisdom that makes men kind and
magnanimous.
Westward Ho! Eastward Ho! The East and West move to.
meet again now in a spiritual sense, and on a higher level,
around the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
But, miracle of miracles! as they move this time, there is
no more a Mediterranean Sea, no boundries of land or water.
The mind of man has conquered Space and Time, and brushed
aside all physical obstacles in its way. We doubt not, that with
the reconciliation of Heart and Mind, of East and West, a far
greater conquest awaits man on Earth, a spiritual conquest, whose
fruits are only peace and joy and happiness. Then indeed we
could say with the ancient Seer:
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were -passed away"!
WHEN ALL FAILS.
Buzurjumhar, he wise vizier, of Anushurwan, a famous
Persian Shah, was asked: "What things are best for a man?" He
replied: "A mind wherewith he makes his living." — He was
further asked: "What if he had not that?" "Then," he replied,
"Brethren to cover his defects." Again he was asked: "What if
he had not these?" "Then," he replied: "Wealth wherewith he
could win the favor of men." And if not that?" He was pressed.
"Then good behavior wherewith he enhances his station," he replied. "And if not that?" "Then," said the vizier, "Silence to
save himself." "And if not that?" "Then," replied Buzurjumhar, " death to relieve him and rid creation of him."
�38
THE SYRIAN WORLD
The Treasure of Hassan Taj
A New Arabian Nights Story
Once upon a time there lived in the city of Cairo a merchant
of great wealth by the name of Hassan Taj. But Hassan Taj
was as miserly as he was wealthy, and had grown to love his
riches so greatly that there was room for no other love in his
heart.
In order to save as much as he could on his food it was Hassan Taj's custom to buy all the provisions for his house in the
market himself. One evening, after coming home from his shop
in the bazaar he felt a great longing to eat fish for supper. So he
took; up his basket and went to the, street of the fishmongers to
see what they had to offer. But alas for his hopes, when he got
there he found that they had disposed of all their wares! With
a sigh Hassan Taj already had turned to go back to his home
when he caught sight of a fisherman holding up in front of a
woodcutter a big fish which the latter was about to buy. "Stop,
stop!" cried Hassan Taj, hurrying over to them, "How much did
the woodcutter offer you for your fish?" he asked the fisherman.
"Three dinars", was the latter's reply.
"Three dinars!" cried the wealthy merchant, in amazement,
"three dinars!" He turned to the woodcutter and said: "My poor
deluded brother, know you not that spendthrifts are children of
the devil?; Look at me! I am a merchant of great wealth. I own
a handsome palace and many slaves. I am the master of caravans
that cross the deserts and ships that ply the seas, yet never, never,
would I pay so outrageous a price for a fish, not if it were the
only fish to be had in all Cairo!"
The woodcutter answered very meekly: "Indeed, most illustrious of merchants, your words are wisdom itself. But I have
six children and the youngest is a daughter who is very dear to
me. This morning before I started out to work she begged me
�JULY, 1926.
39
to bring her a fish for supper, and I said to her: 'Pray to Allah,
daughter, that I may have a good day, and then I shall bring
you back your fish!' And, as you see, Allah heard her prayer,
and such being the case I cannot break the promise I made her!"
But Hassan Taj's heart was set on having the fish and in
order to get it away from the woodcutter he offered the fisherman
three dinars and a half for it with many a sigh. But the fisherman
looked at him with scorn and cried: "What, this poor woodcutter
offers me three dinars and you, a rich merchant with your palace
and slaves, your caravans and great ships at sea, only offer fifty
chitterlings more! By the beard of the Prophet, rather than
haggle with you I will sell it to the woodcutter for three dinars!"
When he heard this and saw that he would have to pay a good
price for the fish, Hassan Taj had a bright idea. He stepped over
to the woodcutter and said: "My good fellow, do you buy the
fish! I shall not rob you of it, but if it please you I will be your
guest at supper this evening!"
The woodcutter, happy to think that he need not disappoint
his little daughter, told Hassan Taj he would be welcome to
come to supper. When the woodcutter went home, his little
daughter beamed with joy, as she saw the big fish dangling from
her father's hand. The woodcutter told his wife to prepare it
as tastily as possible since Hassan Taj, the rich merchant, was to
be their guest that night. And his wife bustled about and prepared a supper worthy of so distinguished a guest. At the appointed
time Hassan Taj appeared in the woodcutter's home, and all sat
down to table and ate heartily of the delicious fish. When it came
time for the merchant to leave he thanked the woodcutter for
his hospitality and said to him: "This night you were my host,
but to-morrow night I shall be your host!"
So the next night Hassan Taj sent a slave to ask the woodcutter to come to his house, and when his guest arrived, ordered
supper to be set on the table. But it was no such supper as he had
enjoyed in the woodcutter's cabin. A black slave appeared and
set before him a large bowl of fattah, crumbs and crusts of bread
soaked in gravy, with bits of meats and various relishes, and that
was all there was to eat; though the woodcutter at first hesitated
about eating much, thinking this was only the first course and
there would be more to come. But when they had finished the
fattah, coffee was served, and the woodcutter knew that supper
was at an end. After they had sipped their coffee, Hassan Taj
took the woodcutter by one hand and a candle in the other, and
�40
THE SYRIAN WORLD
t0
m WM< he kept his treasure There
wetk!?'
J^°°
1 £"count the chests on your
' " right,»then
W
weal h said the merchant,
count the ones on your left!" The woodcutter did so and found
kL ofXr6
g at CC
r Chests in d1 fifteen
'T^ S
t
'
°» each
of thi!» T Jhe\Hassan T*J ^id to him: "Open any one
of them!" and when the woodcutter obeyed and lifted the lid
he
t0 th b
"Tr
°theh?wenty-nine
f ^ i0Uchests
f '* fiHed
" like
with"oins
The oother
are all exactly
the one vou
have opened", said Hassan Taj, as he led the woodcutter out
of the room again. When the poor woodcutter left the rich merchant's house he was dejected and downcast, for he could iSt
help bu. Wonder why Allah should allow such a miser as Hassan
hSJS. CUm"hte/° Vf* a treasure whose possession did not
benefit himself and which he did not use to benefit others.
In fact, the woodcutter took to brooding over the great treasure of which he had had a glimpse until the temptatioHme to
him to steal some of Hassan Taj's store of gold. First of all
he argued to himself Hassan Taj never will miss it and t would
ertv Thap £ST,t0 himSdf Th his kr^e &nily »d his pov
P
retUr ed ag
a ain and fina
Sdded
u- mindrto and
§ evil deed. So
% one
^
yielded to
to T
it andr",
made up his
do the
^St' P1Ckxe,m ha!ld' the woodcu«er stole from home,
entered Hassan Taj's garden and when he came to the wall behind which he knew the miser's chests of gold were kept hTslowfrucl ^ " ]J b,£gan f°/Ut his Wa^ throuSh * At b* his ale
struck the wood of one of the chests, and he already had thrust
his hand through the opening to catch the gold which wasfailing down, when it suddenly was clutched in a great hair^ paw
In another instant a huge black marid, a jinni, appeared before"
the terrified woodcutter and said: "I am the Lrid who stands
guard over this treasure! And who are you that come in the dark
and silent night to steal it away?" The woodcutter murmured
I his is the treasure of the rich merchant-Hassan Taj'" «Ha'
ha , chuckled the mvrid and shook his head, "this treasure no
more belongs to Hassan Taj than it does to you. For Hassan Tai
also is no more than a watchman set to guard it, though he is
not aware of the fact. Know that the true^of£t^
is a certain poor cobbler of Damascus named Ali Bagdadi If you
Wish to obtain any of this gold you must go to him^nd get hTm
to give you a written order signed with his name. If you do £
I will let you have any amount which has been set down on the
paper. But without a written order such as I have described you
t
'
�^
JULY, 1926.
41
shall not have a single gold coin!" Thus saying the marid disappeared and the woodcutter, half-dazed and still trembling, hurried out of Hassan Taj's garden.
When he got home again he told his wife the whole tale and
in the morning said farewell to her and to his children, and set
out on the long journey from Cairo to Damascus. When he at
length reached Damascus the woodcutter inquired after Ali Bagdadi and was told to seek him in the street of the cobblers. And
there he found him, a handsome youth, sitting in a small shop
and, singing merrily over his last as he worked. The woodcutter
told Ali that he was a stranger from Cairo and knew not a soul
in the town of Damascus, and before he could say more Ali cried:
"You are welcome to my house, O brother!" Then for three
days and nights the woodcutter was the guest of Ali Bagdadi, and
at the end of that time the Cairoeen thanked him for his hospitality and said: "My friend, you took me in without asking why
or wherefore, and now I am ready to return to my own town.
One boon I shall ask of you before I go. Let me have a written
paper signed with your name, in which you say that you willingly bestow on me fifty thousand pieces of gold!"
Ali smiled as he replied: "May Allah preserve your sanity, O
brother of mine! During the three days you have spent with me
I had not noticed that there was aught amiss with you. Now I begin to fear you are mentally unbalanced. Where would a poor cobbler like myself find fifty thousand gold pieces to give you? And
of what use would my order be to you when I myself can hardly
make a living cobbling shoes?"
But the woodcutter insisted and at last, to humor him, Ali
Bagdadi, the poor cobbler, granted his request, seeing that no possible harm could result from his so doing. Armed with his written order, which he concealed in his breast, the woodcutter thanked his host and made his way back to Cairo again. When he
reached his native town he at once hurried home, told his wife
the glad news, and assured her that in a short time they would be
rich.
The woodcutter could hardly wait for night to come so that
he could tak0 his pickaxe and steal away again to Hassan Taj's
garden. At last, when the city lay shrouded in darkness, he went
to the very spot where he already had pierced the wall of the
treasure-chamber, which the marid had restored to its original
shape, and there he once more went to work, cutting his way slowly and carefully until he had removed the stone which separated
�/
42
THE SYRIAN WORLD
him from the chest of gold he coveted. And sure enough, the
maridys great hairy paw again grasped his hand when he thrust
it into the opening. But this time the woodcutter did not tremble.
He drew his signed order from his chest and handed it to the
jmniy and once the marid had read it and seen Ali Bagdadi's signature he kissed the latter, and at once counted out fifty thousand
gold pieces into a heavy bag which the woodcutter had brought
with him to hold them. Then the woodcutter bought merchandise
of various sorts with his newly gained wealth, and since he was
industrious and honest, before long he had become one of the
richest of Cairoeen merchants.
One day, as he was sitting cross-legged in his shop, who should
he see pass the bazaar but Ali Bagdadi, ragged, worn and walking wearily. At once the ex-woodcutter sent one of his clerks out
to invite him in, saying, "My master desires to see you!" And
when Ali Bagdadi entered the shop the former woodcutter —
much to his surprise, for he did not recognize him — fell on his
neck, kissed him and said: "Welcome, dear friend! You shall be
my guest and my home shall be your home for as long as you may
stay in Cairo!" Then whispering to one of his slaves, he bade him
take Ali to a public bath and buy him fine clothes, worthy of a
well-to-do merchant, before he brought him home. In the meantime he closed his shop, hurried to his house and told his wife
that their benefactor,A.ti Bagdadi of Damascus,had come to Cairo,
and would be their guest in a few hours' time. At once the slaves
were ordered to prepare the house for the reception of this guest
whom their master delighted to honor, and a splendid feast was
made ready for him. In addition, rooms were set aside for his
exclusive use and slaves ordered to do his bidding. When Ali
finally reached the former woodcutter's home he was welcomed
in princely fashion and led to the quarters sumptuously prepared
for him. The poor cobbler could make neither head nor tail of
it and did not know whether he was awake or dreaming!
Now the very day that Ali Bagdadi had reached Cairo, hoping to find work there, for times had grown so hard in Damascus
that he could not find enough soles to stitch to keep his own soul
and body together, a strange thing had happened to the miser
Hassan Taj. That day, as was his custom, the rich merchant had
gone to visit his treasure. But when he opened the first chest to
delight his sight with the gold which filled it — lo and behold,
the gold pieces it held all had turned into dust! He opened another, and another chest} he opened all the chests and all were the
�43
JULY, 1926.
same. Instead of shining yellow gold they were filled with dust.
Then, since his gold was the only thing that Hassan Taj loved on
earth, he was stricken with such a mighty sorrow that he lay down
on his counch, and, refusing to be comforted, died of grief. The
news of Hassan Taj's death and its cause became known throughout Cairo and the next day the ex-woodcutter bought in the house
cheaply from Hassan Taj's heirs, who were glad enough to sell
it for what it would bring.
Then when Hassan Taj's house was duly and legally his,
the ex-woodcutter one day led Ali Bagdadi to it and when they
entered the gate, he said to him: "Behold this is your own house,
bought with your own money!" And then he told him the whole
story of the bewitched treasure which a marid guarded in his,
Ali's name. And he told him how he had travelled to Damascus
to ask him for the signed order, and how his own wealth and
prosperity were founded on the fifty thousand gold pieces Ali's
signature had caused to be paid out to him. And when they entered the treasure-chamber of Hassan Taj and Ali Bagdadi opened
one of the treasure chests and touched the dust in it, the dust
straightway turned into gold again. So Ali Bagdadi entered into
possession of all the vast treasure of the miserly Hassan Taj
and the ex-woodcuttcr gave him his daughter — the little girl
who had once begged her father to bring home a fish for supper,
and who had by now grown up into a maiden as lovely as one
of the houris of Allah's paradise — in marriage, and they all
lived happily together for many, many years.
Long after, Ali Bagdadi once said to his father-in-law, as
they sat together in the cool of the evening in the gardens of
the house that once had been Hassan Taj's: "Now it all comes
back to me as in a dream. I remember that when I was a very
little lad my father, who was a rich merchant, suddenly became
bankrupt one day and soon after died of a broken heart because
of his loss and the poverty into which his family had been plunged. And I recall that people said my father had been in partnership with a Cairoeen merchant named Hassan, in whom he had
put all his trust. And they also said that this same Hassan had
deceived my father and brought about his ruin. I firmly believe
that Hassan Taj was the man who once was my father's partner
and betrayed him* How strange it all is! Truly nothing is lost
with Allah who moved in a mysterious way to punish the deceitful, and to restore to the orphan the- heritage of which he had
unjustly been despoiled!"
I-IIIIWHIWI*
�44
THE SYRIAN WORLD
The War in Syria
By SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL.
The present insurrection in Syria has so many contributing
causes that it would be quite impossible to deal with them here
in detail. These causes spring from European intrigues and rivalries in the scramble of the powers for political ascendancy in
the East, both of past and of recent origin, as well as from the
conflicting and almost irreconcilable views of the natives themselves, and the ambitions and caprices of their leaders. All these
different phases of the Syrian question will be dealt with later
in a more detailed and comprehensive manner, as it is the purpose in this article to give only a general outline of the main
facts of the present Syrian insurrection.
EARLY MANIFESTATIONS.
Early in the spring of 1925, the French authorities in Syria
became aware of secret preparations for an armed uprising on
the part of the Druzes of the Hauran mountain and took steps
to localize it and prevent reinforcements reaching the rebels.
As a means to this end, they first strove to discourage the return
of Syrian emigrants to their country in an effort to limit the
sources of the insurgents in man-power, but they did this in such
an awkward manner as to arouse a chorus of bitter criticism in
the Syrian press in America of what appeared to them a rash
and misguided policy. This took the form of a general order
promulgated through French Consular officials abroad to the
effect that no Syrian emigrant returning to his country would be
permitted to land unless he had first secured a permit of entry
from the French High Commissioner in Syria before sailing.
The order came at a time when the tide of Syrian emigrants'
bookings for home was at its height, and created consternation
among those who had either sold their property, closed out their
business or terminated their employment in the enthusiastic hope
of going back to help rebuild the motherland. It was only later
that the true significance of this move on the part of the French
authorities in Syria became understood, when it was discovered
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JULY, 1926.
45
that these orders were promulgated in South American countries
fully two months before the date of their publication in the
United States, simply because of the fact that the proportion of
Mohammedans and Druzes among the Syrian emigrants is larger
in the former countries than in the latter.
It was on July 7th, 1925, that these orders were published
and, incidentally, immediately enforced in the United States,
and with the following mail from Syria came reports of there
being a strong undercurrent of discontent rv.ining in the Druze
country of the Hauran mountain. It was in the latter part of
that same month that the Druzes appealed to arms and opened
hostilities.
What is apparently the outstanding reason for this revolt is
the obdurate, uncompromising policy of the then French High
Commissioner in Syria, General Sarrail. He had been petitioned
by the discontented element among the Druzes of Hauran to remove Capt. Carbillet, the French Governor of their state, but
refused. He aggravated matters by subsequently refusing to receive a delegation composed of the highest Druze dignitaries in
an endeavor to lay finally before him their grievance. Observers of events in the World-War recall this characteristic of General Sarrail both in his action on the Western front as well as
in the Allies' military operations in the Balkans, and although
Capt., Carbillet was not his appointee to the governorship of the
Hauran, he refused to remove'him on principle.
But the personality of Capt. Carbillet was but a cloak, the
outward excuse for the real motives actuating the Druzes to revolt. It is undeniable that this French governor was arrogant,
domineering and severe in his visitations oi punishment j but it
is equally true that he was honest and just, and an indefatiguable
worker in the interest of his stewardship, and to his initiative
may be traced most of the judicial, educationl and civil reforms
inaugurated in that section of Syria.
Tq even the casual observer of events in Syria, especially in
the immediate period following the World-War, the true causes
of revolt lay far deeper than the disappearance of the pet cat of
Capt. Carbillet, the sentencing of a Druze notable to hard labor
as a common criminal and such other puerile and fantastic reasons
of like nature, notwithstanding the assertion of some American
tourists who visit the country for a day or a week and take their
observations with an eye to the romantic and bizarre. If the origin
of the revolt were to be traced to its proper source, it would lead
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
us directly to the ambitious designs of the Arabs to create out of
the wreck of the old Turkish Empire a federation of Arab States,
with Syria as the leading constituent part, and the reestablishment of the Caliphate in Arabia. The assumption of King Hussein of the title of Caliph and his attempt at coercing other independent rulers of Arabia into acknowledging him as such; the
procJaiming of Syria as a kingdom in 1920 with Faisul, one of
the sons of Hussein, as king; and later the installation of Amir
Abdullah, another of Hussein's sons, as the ruling prince of
Transjordania, all have but one significance long and loudly proclaimed by proponents of the Pan-Islamic movement, and the
Syrian revolt is but one phase of this general scheme.
OUTSTANDING EVENTS OF THE WAR
At the outbreak of hostilities, France had altogether scarcely
10,000 effectives in the whole of Syria. The French forces of
occupation under General Gouraud in 1920 h.ad been at one
time no less than 70,000, but after the defeat of the forces of
King5 Faisul in the decisive battle of Maisaloon in July of that
year, in, which Joseph Bey Eladmi, Syrian minister of war, was
killed, and the French forces marched triumphant on Damascus,
occupying by degrees the whole interior of Syria, France began
reducing the numerical strength of its Army until by 1925 it
had but a mere skeleton of a military organization hardly able to
cope with an armed insurrection of any magnitude.
It was at such a time that the admitted blunders of General
Sarrail fanned the smouldering spirit of rebellion among the
Druzes into flame, and their first trials of arms with the French
were attended with so much success that they were not only steeled in their resolve to carry the war through, but emboldened to
enlarge their field of operations. They had taken possession of
Sueida, the mountain capital of their country outright and besieged the French garrison of some five hundred men in the citadel, formerly the old Turkish military barracks. A relief column
of about 3,000 men hastily organized under Colonel Michaud
was surprised by the Druzes and about completely annihilated.
The besieged French garrison was subsequently relieved, but
the French forces of occupation found their position so precarious
that they evacuated the country completely and fell back on
Damascus. It was at this juncture that the Druzes, in an attempt
to follow up their success, made common cause with the Mohammedan Nationalists in Damascus and stormed the city. The
r
�JULY, 1926.
47
French garrison at the time consisted of but 1,000 men of all
arms, it having been depleted to swell the numbers of the relief
column launched against Sueida. It could not quell the disturbances within the city and repel the attacks from without. Consequently, acting on orders from General Sarrail, it retired to
the fortress and began the famous two-day bombardment of
October 18-20, the first reports of which shocked the civilized
world.
Looking back now at those events after the lapse of nearly
a year, and analyzing the earlier and the later reports in the
light of cool reason unaffected by the heat of passion, it would
appear that the first reports of the bombardment were grossly
exaggerated, both as to the extent of material damages and
to loss of life. It is even the French claim that this energetic act
of General Sarrail, contrary to his former vacillating policy, not
only saved the prestige of the mandatory power, but spared the
country an appaling catastrophe such as would have befallen it
had the mob succeeded in overpowering the small garrison and
were left to follow the impulses of its seething passion in wreaking vengeance on the Christians who were accused of favoring
French occupation.
But if the French succeeded in subduing the outbreak in Damascus, they appeared powerless in pacifying the rest of the country,
even after the French Government had recalled General Sarrail
and sent as High Commissioner to Syria, Senator Henri de Jouvenel, the first civilian appointee to the office. De Jouvenel exhausted every means in his efforts to placate the insurgents: he
invited Syrian nationalist leaders to meet him, both in Egypt and
in Syria itself, in the hope of bringing the war to an end, but
in all these attempts at conciliation he failed. What, however,
amounted to an open challenge to France in the security of her
position, not only in the interior of Syria, but in the avowedly
pro-French coastal regions as well, was an attack by the Druzes,
coming on the heel of the apointment of De Jouvenel as High
Commissioner, on the territory of the independent State of
Lebanon, which they had hitherto held inviolable. They burned,
pillaged and murdered ruthlessly. It was then that the Christians of Lebanon, who had so far adhered to strict neutrality,
clamored to volunteer for the defense of their frontiers. They
succeeded in holding the Druzes in check until spring, when it
became possible for the heavy reinforcements dispatched byFrance to launch on the operations which culminated in the
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
crushing defeat of the Druzes in their stronghold of Mejdel
Shams and the victorious march of General Andrea on Sueida
in April.
SOLUTION OF THE SYRIAN PROBLEM
Among all the mandated territories, competent authorities
are in agreement that Syria is the most advanced and the one
coming nearest to the achievement of the national aim of political independence. The term Syrian being here used in the all-inclusive geographical sense which would embrace Palestine,
Transjordania and Mt. Lebanon. But these same authorities also
agree that for Syria to embark on the hazardous undertaking
of full independence under existing conditions would only mean
exposing itself to the certain danger of losing the little that it
now possesses and retarding its progress along these lines for an
indefinite time. For Syria is beset with grave dangers both from
within and from without. It is still the unhappy prey of the fiercest internal dissensions arising from both political differences and
religious cleavages, and the chasm between the inhabitants of its
different sections in social conventions, education and political
viewpoint is so deep and vast as to preclude any possibility of
unanimity on any one issue. Principally, the greatest ground for
difference is the advanced condition of Mt. Lebanon, which had
enjoyed a certain form of autonomy for seventy years preceding the World-War, and was, consequently, in a more favorable
situation for cultural development, as compared with the condition of the masses of the interior of Syria who had been held in
an abject state of subjugation by the old Turkish regime. Such
differences, as long as they exist, will bar any possibility of complete unity in the country.
On the other hand, it can never be hoped that Syria will be
capable, unaided, to withstand an attack by a foreign enemy.
Syrians were never a militaristic people, and their numerical inferiority as compared with their covetous neighbors' would hold
their country open for invasion at any time. The Turks on the
north have not fully reconciled themselves to the loss of Syria,
and the Arabs on the south hold that, they have a valid claim on
the country which in the early rise of Islam was the pivot of
the Islamic Empire at the period of its greatest splendor in the
reign of the Omayyad dynasty. And what chance would Syria,
independent, alone, relying on its own resources, have in defend-
J
�Beirut, Capital of the Republic of Lebanon,
and the
"City
of
Universities" of the Near East,
View from the Campus of the American University, showing the range of the Lebanon Mountains, with snow-capped
Sannin in the background.
�The "Rock of Ages" at the mouth of the Dog River in Lebanon.
Les ports du ffeuve du Oiesi
The Bridges over the dog-river
This was the point of passage of all great military movements between East and West. On the upper
right hand corner is the Roman Uridge
Assyrian inscription on the Rock at the mouth of the Dog River, commemorating the victory of Nabiichadenczzar.
�Assyrian inscription on the Hock at the mouth of the Dog River, commemorating the victory of Nabuchadenezzar.
Photo by Brown Bros.
�A c!ose-up view of the mouth of the Dog River in Lebanon.
Photo by Brown Bios.
�—
JULY, 1926.
49
mg itself against an invading Arab army under such a leader as
Sultan Ibn-Saoud, who humbled even King Hussein with all
what he had in material resources and the prestige of the Sheriflan house, or against Mustapha Kemal Pasha?
Realizing this situation, it would seem that the salvation of
Syria lies in its complete trust in the League of Nations which,
realizing its capabilities, and at the same time its limitations'
placed it in class A mandates. As to France being the holder of
the mandate is a subject which appears now to be past the range
of discussion. France is there by a mandate from the League under
the same conditions, and undeniably with the same right, as that
of England in Palestine and Iraq. To attempt to eject France
from Syria by force of arms is not only a futile, but a disastrous
undertaking for the Syrians. Spokesmen of the Syrian nationalist movement themselves admit that the security of their country
lies in a defensive treaty with France and imply thereby that
complete independence for Syria is beyond the range of possibility, at least under present conditions. Besides, we have the defacto situation of France already being in occupation of Syria
and having undergone so much military and other expenditures
as to constitute a certain claim on the country. Moreover, it has
its investments of long standing representing railroads, docks,
port improvements, educational establishments, etc., which, seemingly, the League of Nations has taken into consideration in
granting it the mandate. What is more, France, according to its
own spokesmen and to the statements of European diplomats of
other nationalities, cannot afford to have its military prestige
suffer by evacuating the country under duress. All of which indicates that a policy of conciliation attended by gradual education in the art of self-government under the tutelage of the
mandatory power, would prove to be the sanest and safest course
and the one most fruitful of salutary results for Syria in its
present stage of national development.
"Contentment is an Inexhaustible treasure." — Tradition of
Mohammed.
!
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
Adaptation of the Linotype to the
Arabic Language
A few months ago there appeared in the "Brooklyn Daily
Eagle", an article by a Syrian reporter which revealed for the
first time a movement of the first magnitude to win the Moslem
world to Bolshevism by a concentrated propaganda. Incidentally,
it proved the potential value of the Linotype as it is now adapted
to the Arabic language.
The Soviet authorities had planned to distribute among the
Moslem natives of the Near and Far Easts literature printed in
their own language to propagate communistic ideas and make
common cause with Asiatics in their gigantic struggle with the
"Capitalistic" nations of Western Europe.
It was realized that to make it effective, this propaganda
must be centralized and controlled from Moscow, the capital of
the United Soviet Republics of Russia. This meant a publishing
house, well equipped with modern machinery to cope with the
huge scale on which the plan of the propaganda was conceived.
The field of their proposed activity was so immense that it would
stagger the imagination.
There are no less than 220 million Moslems in the world
scattered over countries several times larger than the United
States. In China there are thirty millions and in India there are
almost seventy-five million Moslems; then moving westward,
we have Afghanistan, Beluchistan, Turkistan, Persia, Turkey,
Syria, and the countries in the north of Africa—Egypt, Tunis,
Algiers and Morocco.
And now comes the amazingly audacious feature of the
Soviet's plan. Not only all these countries with their conflicting
races and heterogeneous languages were to be reached from one
center of distribution, but it was thought sufficient to have practically one man who would serve as the medium of distribution.
One Linotype with one operator constantly under their patronizing eyes was the distinctive feature of this daring plan.
It did not take the clever Russians long to discover that
while the Moslems of the world spoke about half a dozen major
languages—Turkish, Persian, Urdu (The language of the Mos-
�—
4"
JULY, 1926.
51
Jem Hindus ), etc., they all used one alphabet—the Arabic Alphabet One font, therefore, would serve these languages, which,
while differing sometimes radically in grammar and syntax from
one another, have much in common and have all borrowed freely
from the Arabic, the language of the holy Koran.
One would naturally expect the Russians to look for help to
Cairo, Egypt, the centre of Arabic culture, which for ages had
been famous for its Arabic publishing houses, and which today
boasts of no less than four enterprising daily papers; or to Constantinople, which vies successfully with Cairo in its bustling
publishing business; or to Beirut, the city of colleges and presses!
But strange as it may appear, it was to New York that the
Soviets cast their longing eyes.
A slender spectacled youth, a Syrian writer and Linotype
operator who lives in Brooklyn, was their choice.
Unfortunately for the Russians, this young man rejected
their offer, whimiscally explaining his rejection to his friend the
Eagle reporter, that he asked the Russians to insure his neck,
and as they were not inclined to do so, he, not having an extra
neck in case the Bolsheviks took a fancy to deprive him of the
only one^he had, flatly refused to proceed to Moscow.
The incident is a little amusing, but highly instructive.
It was about fifteen years ago that (through the efforts of
Salloum A. Mokarzel, the editor of this magazine) the Arabic
Alphabet was adapted to the I.
which, with successive improvements, has become an indispensable equipment in the establishments of th
nail but efficient daily Syrian publications, all
situated in the City of New York, the City of all nations.
Yet in all this period of time the slow East, even Cairo, the
most modern city of the Arabic-speaking world, has gone its tedious way, setting j:ype by hand, with some printing plants employing as many as fifty composers to produce a daily paper of eight
pages and one monthly magazine.
One stands astounded and speechless before such glaring evidence of the tardiness of the East, even in a profession which
is supposed to be in the lead of every intellectual and social reform.
There is here food for thought and cause for wonderment
for reflecting minds. How comes it that half-a-dozen Syrian papers published in New York with a combined circulation less than
that of a leading Cairo daily, have blazed the way in this cultured
profession for a country like Egypt, which had been in close
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
contact with Western civilization for well nigh half a century?
Undoubtedly one answer is that, living in a country which
has lead the world in business efficiency and mechanical progress,
the Syrian publishers could not but recognize the advantage of
the Linotype over the old hand composition. The adoption of
the Linotype by Syrian publishers as well as other foreign newspaper publishers in America, was an inevitable step.
But aside from this economic consideration which the Syrian
publishers of New York could not have escaped, there was a
higher, spiritual factor. The Syrian business men, including publishers in America, have caught something of that American
pioneering spirit, that daring vision and stalwart faith which in
the latter forties had sent brave men and women in covered wagons across dreary deserts and despite insurmountable hardships
to settle the virgin soil of the Western States.
It is this spirit of healthy, vigorous Americanism which Syrians in America are preaching through their papers, through
their flourshing business enterprises, through success in their professional careers, to the Arabic speaking world. The eyes of the
East have been opened as never before to America, and its ears
have become attentive to every shift that moves across the wide
stage, of the American Continent. Even Cairo publishers are
beginning to take the hint, and today many innovations in Cairo
newspapers and pictorial magazines attest to the influence of the
American and Syrian-American press.
KISMET!
On entering a Mosque, Ali, the son-in-law of the prophet
Mohammed, gave his horse to a man standing by to hold it for
him. The man, no sooner Ali turned his back, took the bridle
and left the horse behind. Ali came out with two dirhams in hand
to reward the man who held his horse, but on finding he had gone
with the bridle, Ali gave the money to his slave-boy and told
him to go out and buy another bridle. The boy went and, by
chance, bought the same bridle from the man who stole it, for
two dirhams.
"Praised be Allah," said Ali when he saw the bridle, "how
man denies himself an honest livelihood to run after a dishonest one for lack of patience, whereas he only receives what Allah
allots him."
�JULY, 1926.
53
Editor s Comment
AS TO POLICY
Every Syrian publication stands on a volcano. The bowels of
the earth — the Syrian earth — still seeth with fierce and conflicting passions, and it would be unnatural not to expect an eruption. But what may come cannot be worse than what has gone,
and it is our intention to make this publication shock and fireproof. Further, it is our confident hope that we will succeed.
Everyone who knows Syria must be conscious of the deeprooted, centuries-old feuds that rend the people of that unhappy
land into a thousand and one factions. Perhaps it is the geographical situation of Syria that first caused it to be fertile ground for
seeds of dissension and discord. Ever since the dawn of history
it has been the battlefield of nations, one overrunning it after
the other, and depositing in it a germ of bitterness ere it left.
This precluded any hope of national unity. If the cause of friction and strife was not racial, as it had been in olden times, then
it was religious, as it came to be in medieval and modern times.
But regardless of the variety of causes and their perpetrators,
the effect has always been the same, and the unfortunate victim
of it all has always been Syria.
Our present day is no exception to the ages past. Rather,
there seems to have come to be a multiplicity of causes unknown
to times gone by. We now have the unwelcome distinction of
being not only the most religiously divided people on earth,
but the one most politically divided as well.
In view of these conditions, a publication for the Syrians
cannot but tread on most delicate ground. What would, under
ordinary circumstances, be considered the most harmless comment, the most simple and straightforward statement of fact,
immediately finds objectors — and often of the unconscientious
type.
We regretfully feel bound to admit that even a publication
of the nature of "The Syrian World" may not be granted immunity. Natures bred in the soil of the old country hardly undergo a complete transformation when transplanted.
But with all due respect for the feelings of the older generation, we must make trie frank and unequivocal statement that
�54
THE SYRIAN WORLD
this publication is not intended for them. Rather, it is undertaken for the benefit of their off-springs born and bred on American soil and under the influence of the ideals represented by
the Stars and Stripes, and it is under that guiding princple that
it shall be carried on.
Be it therefore clearly stated at the outset that "The Syrian
World" will not be subordinated to any faction or party, whether
religious or political; that it will not lend itself to the dissemination or promulgation of principles, views, or other materials of
partisan propaganda in the interest of any one faction or party
and to the detriment of the whole; that it has no religiousbelief,
or political creed, or social tenet; that it strives to publish the
truth for its own sake without prejudice or malice; and all this
to the end that this publication shall not be the means of perpetuating in this new country the factional strife that has been
for ever so long the curse of the old country, and poisoning the
minds of our youth in America with the virulent potions of oldworld drugs.
The policy must conform to the principle, and inasmuch
as our principle is disinterested public service, so must our policy
be unbiased and fearless, and we trust that our American-born,
liberty-bred Syrian generation will appreciate our efforts as well
as our motives and place in us the confidence that is due all
honest public service.
APPRECIATION.
The generous and spontaneous response to our call tor subscriptions to THE SYRIAN WORLD, coming from all parts of the Unit' ed States and Canada, was most encouraging and gratifying, and
we would feel amiss in the performance of a pleasant duty if
we failed to register in this first issue of the publication a word
of thanks and appreciation to our multitude of friends who have
made their wishes of god-speed so effectively heartening at the
commencement of our arduous task.
We are taking the liberty of publishing some excerpts from
letters received from appreciative subscribers who realize the
immense benefits accruing to our race in America from the publication of a magazine of the nature of THE SYRIAN WORLD, and
it: is with a genuine feeling of satisfaction that we admit that
some of our correspondents have discovered many more advantages resulting from such a publication than have come within
our scope of reasoning.
�JULY, 1926.
55
Especially do we feel indebted to our two leading Arabic
papers, the daily Al-Hoda and the semi-weekly Al-Sayeh, for
the generous attitude of approval they have displayed towards
THE SYRIAN WORLD. Al-Hoda, in particular, not only has given
us librally of editorial comment but has devoted many a column
to the publication of articles and commentaries on the necessity
of a magazine in English for the Syrians in America.
As to our remaining papers, we believe they have witheld
their comment until the magazine had made its appearance, and
we have a strong premonition that they, too, will agree that this
English publication is as necessary in its mission of service to the
younger Syrian generation as their Arabic publications continue
to be a necessity in catering to the older generation.
WILL YOU HELP?
Now that the Syrian World is an actuality, may we not count
on the active support of our subscribers in the way of promoting
its circulation among their friends so that it may come nearer
to fulfilling its mission in proportion to the extent its voice carries:
The enthusiastic reception with which the announcement of
our intention to publish a magazine of this nature was received
prompts us to conclude that our thousands of friends feel the
urgency of this medium as keenly as we do. It is obvious that
not only do we need to acquaint ourselves more intimately with
our past history which, to say the least, is as replete with causes
of pride as that of any other race, but that only through a publication in English is it possible for us to enlighten the general
American public as to our racial qualities.
For us to hope, in the present initial stage, for anything in
the nature of a general circulation among the American public
is too daring. What we strongly believe possible, however, is
that THE SYRIAN WORLD will find its way to every Syrian home
in America, and it is for the materialization of this belief that we
solicit the active co-operation of all friends of the cause.
Then it shall be that when the Syrians are acquainted with
themselves they would be able to enlighten those of the Americans with whom they come in contact out of their accumulated
wealth of knowledge.
It is incumbent upon us to know more about our countrv
of origin than strangers, and inasmuch as THE SYRIAN WORLD is
the only publication extant that supplies the Syrian-American
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56
THE SYRIAN WORLD
generation with the necessary information, should we not co-operate in seeing that it reaches every Syrian-American so that each
and everyone of them will feel proud of himself and become a
credit to his race?
Towards the accomplishment of this object we would ask
each of our subscribers to send us a list of those of his friends
who have not subscribed so that we may attempt to arouse their
interest. We believe every Syrian-American is a potential subscriber, considering the worthiness of the cause, but that Syrian
who is not a subscriber must be reached, and that can only be
achieved through the co-operation of those who have already
subscribed.
May we then hope that everyone of our friends will act
on the suggestion and constitute himself at champion of the cause
which should be close to the heart of every Syrian-American?
OUR CONTRIBUTORS.
GIBRAN K. GIBRAN is in the van of our thinkers and
authors in America. For inspirational writings it is difficult to
find his peer. The subtlety of thought and charm and lucidity
of expression pervading all his works are his racial heritage
from the East accentuated by his thorough accomplishment in
the finer arts of the West. Not only is he an author, but also an
artist. W"e lack the proper qualifications as art critics to make the
bold statement that his art bears the stamp of genius as showing
originality of the first order, but! such a statement was made by
no less an authority than Rodin. And he is a no mean linguist.
His Arabic works show that same perfect mastery of language
as do his works in English, and one can find some of his original
compositions in beautiful French. But what may be cause for
greater gratification, and may we say pride, is the fact that his
latest book, "The Prophet", has already been translated into
fifteen languages, while of his former works, "The Madman"
was translated into nearly every language and "The Forerunner"
into no less than eight. His original contribution to "The Syrian
World" gives a portrayal of his interest and faith in our rising
generation in America,
�JULY, 1926.
57
PHILIP K. HITTI, PH. D., is our foremost educator in the
United States. At present he is connected with Princeton University, having been formerly a lecturer at Columbia previous
to his departure for Syria in 1921, where he occupied for four
years the chair of Professor of Oriental history in the American
University of Beirut. He is the author of "The Syrians in America", in English, and of a large number of Arabic books published
both in the United States and in Egypt. Not only does he enjoy
recognition as a historian among his own countrymen, but among
Americans and Europeans as well. He is a member of the Arab
Academy of Science in Damascus and of the American Oriental
Society and many other scientific bodies. To his initiative may be
traced many beneficial educational movements, principal among
which is his founding of the Syrian Educational Society of New
I ork. His outstanding distinction is that of a historian, and we
are sure our readers will share with us the keen satisfaction of
having him prepare the remarkably concise article on the historical background of Syria which appears in this issue of "The Syrian World".
ALBERT W. STAUB is the American director of the Near
East Colleges of which the American University of Beirut is
one of the principal units. No other person in America could
speak on the purpose and the policy of the great educational
institution which has been reared by American philanthropy on
the famous promontory known as "Ras Beirut" with as great
authority as. can Dr.. Staub. We are sure our readers will fully
appreciate the sympathetic spirit with which his message to Syrian-Americans is written, and when we learn that the American
University of Beirut was formerly known as the American Protestant College we can readily understand the full meaning of
Dr. Staub's reference to the fact that the University is now nonsectarian. For the same reason we can appreciate the high ideals
actuating the American founders in inviting the Syrians to assume a greater degree of leadership in the affairs of the University.
M. J. NAIMY is one of those happy and rare combinations
of brain and soul. In his original writings he is capable of imparting the most soulful feelings, and then as an analysist and critic,
he is able to perform the operation of dissection in such a matterof-fact fashion as to give one the impression that he is all fact
.
:
:,
—
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
and no; fancy. One would find difficulty in rendering judgment
as to when he .is at, his best, whether in writing in Arabic or in
English, and he is a poet of worth in both languages. Perhaps
he owes his analytic power to his legal training, but one can
discern in his writings a tendency to imaginative creations rather
than pursuance of defined and trodden paths. He is a member
and one of the moving spirits of Ar-Rabitat-ul-Kalamiat, an exclusive Arabic literary circle in New York of which Gibran K.
Gibran is the 'Amid, or, in more understandable language, the
Grand Chief, and which has contributed much towards gaining
for America the, appellation of being the modern Andalusia in
the Arabic literary world.
HABIB I. KATIBAH is one of our promising young writers who has a wealth of material to draw on. He is a graduate
of Harvard and is well versed in Arabic literature. At present
he is a writer on the "Brooklyn Daily Eagle" and an occasional
contributor to the "Detroit News" and withal he finds time to
indulge in the unprofitable pastime of contributing to Syrian
newspapers and periodicals. It gives us pleasure to announce
that he has accepted a position on the regular staff of "The Syrian World", and to the extent that we value his assistance we
feel certain that our readers will profit thereby.
WHAT YOU SHALL READ
And now, dear reader, we ask you to pause for a moment
and consider the general make-up of this number of "The Syrian World". We are sure, or so we hope, that your conclusions
will be favorable. Our contributors are legion and their subjects
are most interesting and varied. But we want to promise you
more. We shall give you more of entertaining history and timely discussions. Further, we shall enlarge greatly on the news
section as the space in this number proved to be totally inadequate.
We shall give you all that is of interest not only of the news of
Syria, but of Syrians in all parts of the world. Still further, we
shall continue the series of the New Arabian Nights and the
Famous Arab Lovers as permanent features. And we shall have
bits of Wit, Wisdom and Humor of the East, but no dress
patterns.
�am
! ]
"m
.m.
JULY, 1926.
59
Commentaries
WHAT THEY THINK OF "THE SYRIAN WORLD"
AL-HQDA, (Arabic daily, New
York City), in its issue of April 16,
^26, published an editorial on the
subject of "The Syrian World" of
which we cite the following:
" * * * * Salloum Mokarzel realizes
the needs of the Syrian-American
.generation and strives to serve
them in meeting those needs. He is
convinced of the fact that the Arabic language has but a short lease of
life in America in view of the present immigration restrictions, hence
his attempt to create a medium in
English which will hold the younger
generation together in racial rather
than linguistic bounds... We believe the project to be most vital
and trust that the publication will
not confine itself to literary topics
but will invade the realm of politics
so that the Americans will come to
understand the actual conditions
that govern our political situation.
... Most Americans between th«
North and the South Poles know
hardly anything about us, and "The
Syrian World" is bound to prove a
potent medium for creating a better understanding of us on the part
of Americans, and it is our sincere
hope that some similarly able Syrians in Latin America will emulate
the action of the publisher of "The
Syrian World" and gain the moral
reward that such public service entails."
AS-SAYEH, (Arabic semi-weekly,
New York), in its issue of April
20th, 1926, made the following editorial comment:
****** The step which Salloum
•
A. Mokarzel is about to take is not
premature, even though it is not yet
time' to sound the death-knell of
papers1 published in the Arabic language in this country.... Americanborn Syrians are much more numerous than Syrian-born immigrants
and, inasmuch as the former do not
read Arabic, a magazine in English
dealing with Syrian topics is as neccessary to them as home and school.
Unquestionably American-born children of Syrian immigrants are anxious to study thg conditions of
their country of origin and to be
posted on the evolutionary changes
of their race. This is made available
to them only through the medium
of a publication in English.. . We
presage for the English magazine,
"The Syrian World", a roseate future and wish to congratulate its
publisher on being the first amongst
us to undertake this laudable step
in this country."
THE REVEREND PETER ASIIKAR, pastor of the Maronite Congregation in New Bedford, Mass.,
published a lengthy article in the
daily Al-Hoda of May 14, 1926, in
which he discussed interestingly the
necessity of publishing a magazine
in English for the Syrian-American
generation. He wrote of his personal experience in Chicago, 111.; Detroit, Mich.; Buffalo, N. Y.; Cleveland, Columbus and Cambridge,
Ohio; Zanesville and Wheeling, W.
Va.; as well as in New Bedford,
Mass., and the surrounding cities
where he found the American-born
Syrians helplessly deficient in the
�J
60
knowledge of both their mother language and the' history of their country of origin. He states that he has
often urged the necessity of issuing
a publication in English to deal
with Syrian topics so that every
American-born Syrian may learn
therefrom the worthiness of his racial stock and be' enabled to speak
with that consciousness of pardonable pride of his contributions to
America.
Continuing along this line of reasoning, he said that history is but a
record of the achievements of a
race, and the Syrians have such a
glorious record as to make them
hold their heads high among other
races and nationalities, and they
should be fully acquainted with it.
Finally, he exhorted the clergy, asso-iations and individuals to promote the circulation of "The Syrian World" so that it may achieve
its worthy object in full.
S. G. KADAIR of Pittsburgh, Pa.,
has shown such enthusiasm over the
idea of a publication for the Syrians in the English language that he
has proposed that Syrian organizations throughout the country make
special appropriations for presenting public officials in their cities
with complimentary copies of the
magazine. The suggestion is most
opportune and we believe it should
be given due consideration by organizations and individuals. Mr. Kadair,
moreover, has beenl helpful not only
with his suggestions, but with the
spirited manner in which he has
helped circulate the magazine in
Pittsburgh and its vicinity. So far
he has been instrumental in procuring thirty-six subscriptions.
JOSEPH SAKER of Warren,
Ohio, writes in the following encouraging terms: "...We are all
THE SYRIAN WORLD
awaiting wth great expectations the
appearance of your magazine which
we confidently feel is to fill a longfelt want for Syrian-Americans. We
want to assure you, Mr. Mokarzel,
of our undivided support for this
unselfish and patriotic service you
are rendering the race. Herewith
you will find ten subscriptions for
myself and friends."
JOSEPH E. ISAAC, Captain in
Command Q. M. C. Ky. National
Guard, at Cumberland, Ky., a Syrian from Zahle, Mt. Lebanon, sends
us such an enthusiastic letter of
approval and commendation that it
is with a good deal of effort that
we are able to resist the temptation
of publishing it in full. Captain
Isaac puts in his letter the characteristic military punch which spells
action, and in action he was not
found wanting. Not only did he
subscribe himself, but he sent in a
list of fwenty-seven of his friends
whom he asked us to send circulars
to, with the injunction that " a copy
of "The Syrian World" be sent to
those who do not subscribe before
publication date and billed to me",
because "I think you are filling a
long-felfi want, and I hasten to offer my sincere wishes for your success in such a worthy and noble
endeavor."
MRS. GEORGE AZIZ of St.
Thomas* Ont., Canada, writes that
the idea of "The Syrian World" is
"admirable, and being myself born
in America, and having a son and
a daughter attending college, both
they and I will heartily welcome
your magazine because it will bring
us in closer touch with our original
country, Syria."
0
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1*1
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JULY, 1926.
61
About Syria and Syrians
MT. LEBANON A REPUBLIC
One after another of the peoples
of the Near East is adopting the
republican form of government.
Armenia found in the republic a
panacea' for its governmental ills
after its secession from Turkey following "the defeat of the central
powers in the World-War. Then
Turkey took the radical step of
abolishing the Caliphate and establishing a, republic, with the national
hero, Mustap'ha Kemal Pasha, as its
first president. And now comes Mt.
Lebanon, a subdivision of Syria under French mandate, to swell the
ranks of republican governments
in the Near East.
Arabic newspapers published in
Beirut, Capital of Mt. Lebanon, and
reaching the United States with the
mid-June mail, describe with great
detail tne deliberations of the council of representatives of the country
as a result of which it was decided
to adopt the republican form of government along the lines of the
French Republic.
The French High Commissioner
for Syria, Senator Henri de Jouvenel, approved of the decision of
the Lebanon Council and made formal declaration of the Republic before safTng for France on May 24th.
The independence of the new Republic is, however, subject to limitations embodied by the mandatory
power in four cardinal clauses or
reservations which the new Republic
accepted in toto and which read as
follows:
1.—The foreign relations of the
Lebanon Government, and the approval of consular representatives
of foreign governments are, in accordance with the mandate- convention, the sole concern of the government of the French Republic.
Lebanon subjects outside the
boundaries of their country who
come under the articles of this constitution are referred for their political and consular protection to the
French Republic. But in French
lands, they come under the jurisdiction of the ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
2.—The Government of the French
Republic has the right to intervene
for the safety and execution of the
mandate, the respect of this constitution, the integrity of the country,
and the establishment or restoration of the legal authorities in case
they are put down by revolution.
For this reason the French Govsrnment retains its immediate authority over the police and gendarmerie of Lebanon, and shall have permanent supervision over them and
full authority in guaranteeing the
safety of the military forces left,
in accordance with the mandate1, in
the country.
3.—The High Commissioner has
the right to annul any measure emanating either from the government,
or the upper and lower houses, if he
finds it contrary to the interests of
the mandate, the safety of the
country or international conventions.
�62
The House of Representatives may
not be dissolved, nor the president
deposed without the approval of the
High Commissioner.
4.—The High Commissioner shall
be represented by a delegate to the
government.
The High Commissioner assigns
the officers and departments in
which there must be French advisers.
The actual declaration of the Lebanon Republic took place amid manifestations of much joy and oriental
grandeur on the followng afternoon,
Sunday, at 4 P.M. Flags waved and
guns boomed as the French High
Commissioner, in reply to a speech
by the president of the Lebanon
Council of Representatives, declared
that "you have placed before your
country a ladder which will lead it
to the level of constitutional governments."
Following the declaration of the
Lebanon Republic, M. De Jouvenel
announced the names of the members of the Senate who are appointed
for life. They are:
For the Maronites: Joseph Istphan,
Emil Edy, Albert Kashou', Joseph
Namour, Habib al-Sa'd.
For the Mohammedan Sunnites:
Mohammed al-Jisr, Mohammed alKasti, Abdullah Bayhum.
For the Mohammedan Shiite's:
Hussein al-Zain, Fadl al-Fadl, Ibrahim Hayder.
For the Greek Orthodox: Nakhli
Twaini, Jibran Na'hhas.
For the Greek Catholics: Salim
al-Najjar.
For tne Druzes: Sami Arislan.
For the minorities, (Protestants,
Jews, etc.): Dr. Ayyoub Thabit.
Mohammed al-Jisr is President;
Habib Pasha al Sa'd, Vice-president;
and Fadl al-Fadl Bey and Jibran
Nahhas, Secretaries.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
LEBANON STREET
In the city of Rio de Janeiro, the
Capital of Brazil, is a street which
was recently named "Lebanon", in
commemoration of the splendid reception which was accorded a Brazilian Commission setit last year to
Lebanon (Syria) to study the conditions of that country and strengthen
the bonds of friendship between the
two countries.
There are thousands of Syrians,
mostly from Lebanon, in Brazil,
many of whom have attained a high
degree of success and proved useful
and loyal citizens to the land of
their adoption.
A PHOENICIAN QUEEN OF
BEAUTY
In a recent carnival, "Battle of
Flowers", held in the City of St.
Louis, Cuba, the first prize for the
best float went to a Syrian girl from
Lebanon, Senorita Victoria Ganem,
who was represented as a Phoenician Queen surrounded by ten maids,
five of whom were of her own nationality.
•A JUNIOR NOAH WEBSTER"
In a special dispatch to the "New
York Times" from Cedar Rapids,
Iowa, a Syrian boy, Joseph Abraham, nine years of age, is described
as a "wonder speller", who is not
only the champion speller of his
school, but "spells better than the
average adult with higher education."
The dispatch further states that
"Joseph Abraham has spelled every
word in the Ayres Scale Test of 1000
words, the test of the Russell Sage
Foundation, the Packer, Horn and
Thomdike lists prepared by the University of Iowa, and the' hardest
words in the dictionary."
�JULY, 1926.
A SYRIAN CONSUL
The Argentine Government announced the appointment of Dr. G.
S. Sawaya, a Syrian resident of
Buenos Aires, and formerly of the
United States, to the post of Argentine Honorary Consul of Beirut.
No sooner was Dr. Sawaya advised of the appointment than he' hastened to tender his resignation for
fear that he would be persona non
grata with the French authorities by
reason of his having been active in
opposing the' French mandate in
Syria.
A SYRIAN BOY MAKES RECORD
The "Birmingham News" of Birmingham, Ala., in its issue of May
29, 192G, published the following on
the signal scholastic honors achieved
by a young Syrian, Leo Alexander
Elkhourie, son of Dr. H. A. Elkhourie, who on several occasions played
a prominent part in national Syrian
affairs :
"Leo Alexander Elkhourie, who
has just graduated at the University
of Alabama as B. S. in medicine,
and who is commonly known among
his friends and fraternity members
as Leo, the scholar, rather than the
student, is now home for the Summer season. He will return to the
University of Alabama next year
to do some research work and receive a M. S. degree.
"Perhaps on account of the fact
that Leo's middle nama. starts with
an A he wanted to vindicate his
middle name and therefore in his
studies last year he had seven subjects and he made' seven "A's,"
"that's all." He heads the list of the
honor roll, having made the fellowship in the Gorgas Medical Society.
Socially he was equally prominent,
being a member of the' Forensic
63
Council and* chief officer in the Phi
Beta Pi Fraternity.
"He also received the lifesaver's
medal from the Red Cross because
of his thorough knowledge of lifesaving as a swimmer. He also received a lieutenant's commission in
the Reserve Corps of the U. S.
Army.
"Young Elkhourie' is an unassuming serious scholar who dislikes publicity."
DR. BISHARA A DELEGATE TO
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Rev. K. A. Bishara, Ph. D., pastor
of the Syrian Presbyterian Church,
and member of the Brooklyn-Nassau
Presbytery, attended the General
Assembly that met in Baltimore,
Md., May 25-June 2, in the capacity
of Commissioned Delegate representing his Presbytery. Apropos of the
contention between Fundamentalism
and Modernism, Dr. Bishara delivered a very strong address denouncing
both parties, affirmnig "that the
Bible is all Fundamental, and the
Gospel ever-modern in its principled."
Dr. Bishara declared that "the spirit
of Modernism is the same" spirit of
rebellious intellectualism that goes
back to Adam, and before him to
Lucifer, seeking independence of
God and all Authority." And when
he told the Assembly that "Intellectuals as a rule have very little intelligence," the applause lasted five
minutes. Dr. Bishara closed his
speech pleading for real peace, but
on the ground of loyalty to the
Apostolic Faith which is the only
lasting foundation of human life.
Dr. Bishara has distinguished himself as an orator on many other occasions.
�—_
r**
THE SYRIAN WORLD
64
THE PUGILISTIC CHAMPION
OF SYRIA
Here is a news item that will delight the' hearts of our Syrian-American pugilistic fans. It was published in an Arabic paper of Beirut, AlBalagh, under date of March 15th,
1926, and disclosed a strong tendency on the part of the rising East to
follow in the footsteps of the advancing West, not only in matters
of education and intellectual endeavor in general, but in body-building
athletics and sport activities as well.
The Beirut paper reports that on
that date there took place in an
open air arena in the suburbs of the
city a cosmopolitan prize fight which
was followed with great interest by
the diplomatic representatives of the
Turkish republic and the Egyptian
kingdom. The Syrian participant
was a certain Adib Bey who downed
all his adversaries and thereby proved his claim to the championship of
Syria. It is a matter of regret that
the paper's account gives only the
barest details, omitting even mention of the contestants' nationalities
' whom it simply calls foreign. A
point of interest, however, is the announcement by the paper that the
Syrian champion has organized a
troup cf pugilists to descend on
Egypt and try it out with its prizefighters.
Rihani from the United States, that
"Asia Magazine" has offered him
$300.00 for every article based on
his book, "The Kings of Arabia"
(Arabic) appearing in that magazine, with a provision for raising
the rate after the first four articles
in the series had appeared."
SYRIAN WRITES FOR
AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Under the heading "Three Hundred Dollars an Article", a Syrian
paper published in Zahleh, Syria,
quoting another Syrian paper, "AlAhrar" (The Liberals), published in
Beirut says: "We learn from a dispatch received by the author Ameen
FROM CAIRO TO BEIRUT
BY RAIL
A project the economic value of
which was long felt but the realization of Which had been always delayed
by political considerations, seems at
last to have come near fulfillment, according to an article appearing in
"Al-Ahram" (Cairo), which announces the formal agreement between the British and French Governments over the laying of a railroad from Cairo to Beirut (Syria).
At present, one riding in Cairo at
6 P. M. and changing trains at Kunaitera—on the borders of Egypt and
Palestine—would reach Haifa between 9 and 10 A. M.
The proposed extension between
Haifa and Beirut would make the
same traveler, without change of
train, reach the latter city about
noontime... The same distance by
Caravan would consume two weeks!
AMERICAN VINES FOR SYRIA
An announcement from the Lebanon ministry of Agriculture states
that 50,000 vine slips were received
from America to be transplanted in
the
Government's
Experimental
Station in Tyre. It is claimed that
the American vine is immune from
the phylloxera pest which has beSet
the Syrian variety.
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THE MOSQUE OF OMAR. JERUSALEM.
Brown Bros.
Said to be built on the spot where once stood the Temple of Solomon, and held in especial reverence by Mohammedans.
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JAFFA. THE SEAPORT OF JERUSALEM.
Brown Bros.
One of the beautiful Hties dotting the Syrian shore on the Mediterranean
THE TERMINUS OF THE HEDJAZ RAILWAY IN DAMASCUS
�THE TERMINUS OF THE HEDJAZ RAILWAY IN DAMASCUS
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One of the beautiful new landmarks of the oldest city in the world, built by Sultan Abdul Hamid.
Courtesy F. Askar.
�MOHAMMED, PROPHET OF ISLAM.
A conception by G. K. Gibran.
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Newspapers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Salloum Mokarzel, a Lebanese American intellectual, founded<em> The Syrian World</em> in 1926. Salloum Mokarzel was the younger brother of Naoum Mokarzel, the publisher of the Arabic-language newspaper <em>Al-Hoda. </em>Together, the Mokarzel brothers ran Al-Hoda Publishing, and in 1909, they published <em>The Syrian Business Directory.</em> </p>
<p>Mokarzel created <em>The Syrian World</em> in order to document and celebrate the culture and history of "Syria." At the time, Syria referred to the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. The publication was primarily aimed towards second-generation children of immigrants, but Mokarzel hoped that it would also appeal to the general American public.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><em>The Syrian World</em> was published between 1926 and 1932 as a journal. In 1932, the format was changed from an academic journal style to a newspaper style, which continued until the periodical's end in 1935. After the death of his brother Naoum, Salloum took over the publication of <em>Al-Hoda.</em></p>
<p>The articles in <em>The Syrian World</em> cover a variety of topics spanning from the practical to the theoretical. Practical subjects include international and domestic travel, historical and contemporary Arabic and Arab-American art and literature, and the mental and physical health and hygiene of immigrants. More theoretical, philosophical, and ideological subjects include ideologies of race, the changing role of women, the formation of Syrian and Lebanese-American societies, and the political and psychological relationships between immigrants and their countries of origin.</p>
<p>All issues of <em>The Syrian World</em> are available, along with full indexes for the first four volumes. For volumes five and six, there are tables of contents at the start of the issues.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabs--United States
Arabic periodicals
Newspapers
Arab American Newspapers
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926-1935
Relation
A related resource
<em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mokarzel Family Papers</a>
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11299/175685" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annotated Index to the Syrian World, 1926-1932</a> at the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center Archives
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Al-Hoda Newspapers</em></a>
Language
A language of the resource
English
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Claire A. Kempa, 2015-2017. Collection Guide written by Claire A. Kempa, 2017.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 August.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings.
Identifier
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NS 0002
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
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TSW1926_07reducedWM
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Volume 01, Issue 01
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926 July
Description
An account of the resource
Volume 1 Issue 01 of The Syrian World, published July 1926. This first issue begins with a foreword by Salloum Mokarzel and a poem by Kahlil Gibran stating the purpose of the journal to educate both Syrian-Americans and a broader American public about Syrian history, literature, and current events
it closes with an editorial policy of political and religious neutrality. The issue focuses on history. In addition to Syrian history, it has articles about the Druze and the relationship between East and West which give context to its reporting on current events, especially the Great Syrian Revolt and the French Mandate. It also includes excerpts from classic Arab literature and proverbs. It closes with calls for subscriptions, translated excerpts from the Arabic-language press, and letters from readers. The issue is illustrated by various places in historical Syria (modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Israel).
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals
Arabs--United States--Periodicals
Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals
Language
A language of the resource
English
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Syrian-American Press
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Coverage
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104 Greenwich St., New York, NY
Format
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Text/pdf
Type
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Text
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
1920s
Druze
Great Syrian Revolt
Kahlil Gibran
New York
Poetry-English
Religion
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/a468355ce21ab07a2e10397c31645cf4.pdf
2353e1270bdae4134c9481e3847bd941
PDF Text
Text
�THE
SYRIAN WORLD
l
VOL. I. No. 4.
OCTOBER, 1926.
Near East Relief in Syria
By
i ! I
CHARLES
V.
VICKREY
The value of the humanitarian work being carried on by
the Near East Relief in Syria has just been accorded unique recognition by the French government. It is the first time in history that Paris has stamped a foreign charitable organization
with its official approval.
This signal favor takes the form of a governmental order
that the Near East Relief shall be permitted "to import, duty
free and without limitation, everything necessary to the maintenance and administration of its orphanages, training schools
and relief work in Syria, where it maintains fifteen humanitarian institutions, including hospitals, trade schools and orphanages."
Since nearly a million dollars are spent each year for the
care and instruction of orphans in Syria, the French action will
result in a large saving which can be used in expanding the work
in the Beirut and Damascus areas, where warfare carried on by
Druse tribesmen has aggravated complications which grew out
of the World War. Several thousands of orphans and refugees
are under American care in these districts.
The Near East Relief activities in Syria, under the direction of CharlesW.Fowle of Bethlehem, Pa., now embrace, among
other institutions, three large orphanages at points on the Mediterranean coast all within a few miles of Beirut.
At Antilyas, north of Beirut, an old silk mill, put out of
business by the World War, was converted into a home for larger
boys and girls under the care of the Near East Relief. Here a
number of trades are taught by competent instructors, both na-
�2
THE SYRIAN WORLD
tive and American. The boys of the orphanage are being developed into first; class shoemakers, tailors and cabinet makers, and
a ready market is found in nearby Beirut for the products of
their growing skill.
In the beginning the old mill was crowded and crudely furnished, affording little more than mere shelter from the weather. Comfort was but a dream of the future. Hungry orphans
made up their beds in whatever odd corners they could select
upon a littered floor, with bedding of sack material which had
come wrapped about the food-stuffs shipped from America.
Guided by their American guardians and teachers, however, the boys soon learned to use their hands and the tools
which had been placed at their disposal by charitable-minded
persons. They were taught how to make tables, chairs and
beds. Eventually they were sleeping in the beds, and comfortably
eating from the tables while sitting upon the chairs fashioned by their own eager hands. The crowded condition was alleviated by the construction of a large building, an object of much
pride, for it was built by the boys themselves.
Located close by the shore of the sea, Antilyas Orphanage
includes in its grounds an excellent beach, which affords bathing
and water athletics to help conserve the health of the youngsters
living, learning and working there.
South of Beirut, high on a wooded hill where the breezes
play, is located the Bird's Nest Orphanage, one of the most enchanting places in all the Near East. But if enchanting, it is
also pathetic, for Bird's Nest is in actuality a large nursery, filled
with babies who have never known a mother other than Miss
Maria Jacobsen, under whose tender care they are becoming
robust youngsters with- hardy foundations for the struggle which
will confront them later on in their lives. Some of the youngest children confined] in any orphanage are here in Miss Jacobsen's care.
A little distance back from the Mediterranean, on a hill
which shadows the biblical town of Sidon, stands the Hilltop
Orphanage, in which older girls are learning to work with materials close to hand. As Sidon is the center of an orchard region, the girls in the Hilltop are being taught to convert the
perishable raw fruits into marketable foods.
Tons of marmalade and jams are produced here each year,
with a proficiency that is known and respected at distances. Pre-
�L?
OCTOBER, 1926
3
serves and conserves of many kinds go out from Sidon Hilltop
to the cities north and south, where they find a large and eager
market in the hotels' and steamship lines identified with the region.
Until a year ago the Near East Relief maintained five orphanages in Syria. At Jubeil, where activities were suspended
in the summer of 1925, boys were taught the intriguing mysteries
of metal work. Brass and bronze were their raw materials, and
even silver. In a setting where metal work has long been a native art, some of the most beautiful silver filigree work ever
produced has taken shape under the deft fingers of the boys of
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Orphans from this station not yet old enough to go out into
the world and make their own way, have been transferred to
other orphanages; some to Antilyas, others to stations in Palestine. The very young children have been received by Miss
Jacobsen at Bird's Nest.
Ghazir Orphanage, closed only within the past summer,
was the rug-weaving center of the Near East Relief Educational system. In teaching this peculiarly Near Eastern craft, rather depressing handicaps had to be overcome. At first the only
raw material that could be found was in the form of burlap
strips, torn from the sacks in which American foods had been
shipped into the country. A few other rags were gathered and
shredded, and the rag carpets of New England were introduced
to the land where the weaving of rugs had for centuries been
one of; the world's finest arts.
As time passed materials of an order more suitable to beautiful rug work were secured, and the training continued on a
higher plane. Before Ghazir was closed the children there had
learned to make, and were! making, some of the most beautiful
oriental rugs ever fashioned by modern hands.
The young rug weavers are carrying on their work in other
orphanages, some of them as teachers of those just beginning.
A number have "graduated" from their Near East Relief school,
and ,are making their own way at the ancient profession taught
them by modern teachers*
Two young Armenian girls who learned their artistic craft
in Syrian Near East Relief schools recently were engaged to
weave rugs in the Palace of Education at the Philadelphia Sesquicentennial Exposition. Although only twelve years old, these
�4
THE SYRIAN WORLD
two children from Beirut directed the weaving of the oriental
rug which now has a place of honor on the floor of the east room
in the White House. It was presented to President Coolidge
last year m token of the gratitude of the children of the Near
East for American help.
The life stories of these little girls are tragic. Vartouhi
Hovsepian, who is slightly the *lder, was deprived of her father when she was six years old by the thrust of a Turkish sword,
and soon afterward she witnessed the slaying of her two young
brothers by native troops in Asia Minor. Vartouhi was carried
to Dr. Henry Riggs of Boston, director of the Near East Relief
Orphanage at Harpoot, and following the Smyrna disaster, she
was one of the 20,000 children removed to Syria and other
countries.
Her companion, little Gulenia Kehyayan, was five years
old when her father, who had been forced into the Turkish
army, was killed. When her mother's death followed soon afterward, Gulenia was taken to Marsine by an aunt, who was
forced by poverty to place her with the Near East Relief in
Ghazir.
Both of these girls have been fed, clothed and housed by
the Near East Relief for six yearsj they have received an elementary school education} and they have been trained as experts
in one of the oldest and finest crafts in the world — rug weaving — traditionally an art of their people for centuries, whose
extinction had been threatened during the terrible days of massacre and deportation.
At Philadelphia their setting is like a bit of their adopted
Syria transplanted, for the architecture of the booth is in Syrian
style, yellow stucco stencilled in blue and gold, with oriental
archways decorated with stripes of brick red.
When their work is done at the Exposition, Vartouhi and
Gulenia will return to Syria to help in the teaching of young
folks the ancient calling which they have mastered so early.
The social life of the Near East orphans is not neglected.
Through the Near East League the children are learning quickly the lessons of fellowship and co-operation. The league's
membership is open to all children who ever have been admitted to a Near East orphanage, and chapters are located not only
in the orphanages, but in some of the Syrian cities, including
Ueirut and Damascus, and even in distant countries to which
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�OCTOBER, 1926
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"graduates" have migrated. The influence of the league is
growing rapidly, and children outside the orphanages are seeking to gain admittance to the organization.
The league in Syria publishes and circulates a monthly magazine, "The Star of the Orphan World", which is read by
young people in and out the Near East Relief. This publication enhances the influence of the league to a marked degree
by carrying its ideals to children who are not members.
The development of literature, music and the arts is earnestly sponsored by the league and its magazine} the scope of
the organization is such that it has been called "the one bright
spot in a sordid life".
Musical studies are carried on in all the orphanages of the
Near East Relief. Even in Bird's Nest, the babies raise their
shrill little voices in simple folk songs and the music of kindergarten. Visitors have declared that the brightest period of the
day at Bird's Nest is the singing hour, when the babies sing their
little songs so joyfully and so earnestly.
At Antilyas is a boys' band which has been pronounced one
of the most remarkable musical organizations in the world.
Led by an Armenian graduate of Geneva Conservatory, the
lads have learned music, and their instruments, although in the
beginning none of them knew a note of music.
The boys' band has many opportunities to rehearse under
practical conditions, for field meets and scout stunts on the beach
are numerous, and at all of these the musicians play. The effect
is startling, and aboard steamers anchored off Beirut, the passengers hang over the railings, drinking in the sweet strains from
Antilyas's shore.
The work of the Near East Relief in Syria, as in all its
sphere of action, is a building for the future. Training in the
trades and crafts insures an economic independence} schooling
in the arts presages an upward step in culture. A care entirely
parental in selecting husbands for the orphaned girls promises
a rebuilding of a once hardy race, and a rigid attention to health
and sanitation is designed to keep it hardy.
Girls are being trained as nurses — a radical step in the
Near East — and they will take their American knowledge
into the hospitals and classes of the coming day.
Health experts from the western world are engaged in a
bitter fight against existing diseases, among which tuberculosis
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
long has been a serious problem. Marked success has recently
been attained in the treatment of this disease by three American
nurses, Miss Lillian Sewny of Tenafly, N. J., Miss Agnes Evon
of Pittsfield, Mass., and Miss Doris Stevens of New York City.
Dr. Albert Dewey of Denver, overseas medical director
of the, Near East Relief, wrote enthusiastically of their work:
"It is no mean achievement that the ferocious Syrian sun
has at last been put to work for tubercular, war orphans in the
American hospitals here. For a long time we have been following every development of heliotherapy, especially in Switzerland, and experimenting carefully on suitable application of this
technique to conditions in the Near East.
"Our experiments with sun treatment began at Brummana,
a town 3000 feet above the humidity and heat of Beirut. Miss
Stevens, the nurse in charge, began the sun baths with a group
of children suffering from tuberculosis of glands, bones and
joints. Their response inspired a decision to apply similar treatment to all-pulmonary tuberculous children in our orphanages.
"Our treatment in each case is to begin gradually and vary
according to the reaction of the patient. The plan usually followed is to expose the feet on the first day and for five minutes
only; the second day the exposure is five minutes for the feet
and from the knees down another five, making ten minutes; the
third day the feet five minutes, five more from the knees, and
five more from the hips; and so on until the sixth day, when the
full exposure is thirty minutes. The length of exposure is carried through the fifteenth day, when the patient is ready for
the full two and a half to three hours' treatment.
"It is the hope of the medical staff that some good friend
will give us a special gift of enough money to put up a sun
treatment pavilion at Hamana, which is 4000 feet above sea
level and an ideal spot for our most serious cases. The cost of
such a solarium for fifty child patients will be only about $3000.
"Treatment for tuberculosis is undertaken with the full
knowledge that it must be carried on for months, usually one
and a half to two years, and in tuberculosis of the spine even
longer. Neither can 100 per cent, results be expected, for some
cases are beyond cure. Yet the experiences of the past few months
among, these orphaned wards of America have proved the great
value of this form of treatment and have convinced the American nurses who have gone into the work with such earnestness
that a permanent solarium should be established."
II
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OCTOBER, 1926
i
The Modernization of The Arabic
Speaking World
By PROF. PHILIP K. HITTI, PH. D.
OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
FORMERLY OF THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT
The hands of the clock are moving fast. They are covering
in years what it took our Semitic ancestors centuries to achieve.
In Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Mesopotamia people are resolutely striding ahead in their attempt to overtake western civilization.
Islam, which for the last few centuries has been only marking
time, has now folded its tent and begun its forward march. The
movement is fraught with danger, as well as good possibilities.
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Like a tidal wave the impact of the West upon the East has
been, such as very few could withstand. Every household bears
the mark of the conflict between the old and the new. Hardly a
person has escaped the touch of its influence.
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Among the agencies operating to produce the remarkable
transformation that is going on in the Arab lands, first mention
should be made of the increased means of communication and the
added facilities of transportation. According to recent dispatches
a mail air service between Beirut and Marseilles has just been inaugurated. Other dispatches announce an air passenger service
between Cairo in Egypt, Ramlah in Palestine, Amman in Transjordania, Basra in Iraq and Karachi in India.
In a Detroit made automobile one can now go from Beirut
through Damascus and Palmyra to Baghdad in 24-30 hours.
Teheran, the capital of Persia, can be reached in four days. The
writer once took an express train starting from Cairo at 6 P.M.
and made Haifa the second day at noon feeling just as comfortable in the pullman as in any American pullman. Beirut was made
by auto in five hours from Haifa. Thus the "milk and honey"
railroad crosses the Sinaitic wilderness in less hours than it took
the ancient Hebrews years to cross.
Surely Ford, Marconi and the Wright Brothers are doing
more for the modernization of the Arabic-speaking world than
hosts of spell-binders, article writers and sermon makers.
�8
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Another great factor is the emigrants, mostly of the Christian Syrian type. For the last half century or so these modern
Phoenicians have domiciled themselves in practically every goodsized city in Western Europe, North America and South America.
Their istory is too well known to be dwelt upon here. Through
their return visits, personal correspondence, and literary and journalistic output they have excercised an abiding influence over the
"old folks at home". They are good conductors for transmitting
modern ideas and ideals.
Another potent agency for promoting westernism has been
the educational institutions — French, English and American —
which for a century or so have made it their business to acquaint
the Moslem world with European languages and philosophy of
life and to familiarize it with the products of modern industry,
science and art. The literary renaissance thus produced resulted
in establishing printing presses, societies, native schools and other
agencies which have carried on the great process going on. Everywhere in the Moslem world today, young men and women, whose
fathers and mothers could neither read nor write, are studying
Rousseau and Renan, Darwin and Huxley.
And then came the Great War! The War introduced new
elements into the situation, and, what is more important, it accelerated the processes already in operation. It tied up the destinies of the Arabic world more closely with British and French
interests and made the East turn its face more to the West than
it ever did before.
No phase of modern oriental life has escaped the traces of
these westernizing influences. In the political, religious and social realms the changes have been dramatic and sudden.
When Egypt in February, 1922, was declared a free and
independent State, with King Fuad as its sovereign, she was given
a political status which she had not enjoyed since the Mamluk
forces were crushed in 1516-1517 by the Ottoman Sultan Selim.
When Ibn-al-Su'ud, the ruler of Nejd, succeeded in seizing alMedinah in December, 1925, after having crushed Ibn-al-Rashid
and signed friendly treaties with other Arab chieftains, he became
the master of a united Arabia that had never reached those proportions since the days of the Prophet and the early orthodox
caliphs. Ibn-al-Su'ud may do for the Arabian peninsula what
Victor Emmanuel and Cavour did for Italy, and what William I
and Bismark did for Germany. He may unify it all and bring it
under his one mighty rule. Iraq, the valley of the two rivers,
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^ S^NKIN AN* \.«EK1CAN NEAR* EAiST RELIEF'WORKSHOP IN* SY*tIA
Here the children, principally Armenian orphans, are taught useful trades which fit them for self-support. In this
photograph two boys are shown engaged in the weaving of a beautiful Oriental Rug in the Orphanage of Antilyas.
�MOM|L
A SCENE IN THE ARMENIAN REFUGEE CAMP NEAR BEIRUT
The Armenians here live under the most unsanitary conditions and constitute a grave menace
to the country. The American Near East Relief is doing much helpful work in alleviating
distress in this and similar camps.
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OCTOBER, 1926
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has also installed its own King, Feisal, and signed its treaties with
the British. Palestine is seething with anti-Zionistic nationalism.
Syria is m a state of open revolt. Lebanon, a couple of months
ago, by declaring itself a republic under the French mandate, became the first Arabic-speaking republic in the history of the world.
Who after this brief sketch of the post-war political situation in the Arabic-speaking lands could rightly claim that the
"East does not change"?
No discussion of the political and other changes in the Near
East could be complete without some reference to the phenomenal
and epoch-marking changes that are taking place in the non-Arabic
speaking part of it, particularly in Persia and Turkey. There, also,
time-honored usages and long established traditions are being
torn to shreds and scattered to the four winds. In Persia, last
April, a man from the ranks, in the person of Rida Shah al-Pehlevi, succeeded in destroying a long dynasty and establishing himself on the peacock throne.
But perhaps in Turkey, more than in any other Moslem land,
the forces of disintegration are working at their best and to their
utmost. Here Mustafa Kemal has introduced changes unparalleled in the history of the world except perhaps by those introduced
by Peter the Great into mediaeval Russia. The reaction of his
reforms is felt outside of Turkey and all over the Moslem world.
Kemalist Turkey has set up the first secular government in the
history of Islam, a government in which state and religion are
divorced. It has established a lay system of education. Only those
can appreciate the novel and heretical nature of these innovations
who remember that to the Moslem mind, religion, law and science
are different aspects of one and the same thing. Modern Turkey
has discarded the shari'ah and adopted the civil, European code.
' In March, 1924, it took the boldest step ever taken by a Moslem
nation — it destroyed the caliphate, the oldest and most revered
institution in Islam. New Turkey has abolished poligamy, emancipated womanhood, disbanded the Derwish orders, translated the
Koran — the Arabic word of Allah — into Turkish, doffed the
fez and donned the "headgear of civilization". A friend of mine
recently returned from Asia Minor described a ball held last winter in Angora under the auspices of Kemal and into which no man
was admitted who was not accompanied by a woman companion.
Surely no more staggering blows have been dealt Islam since the
crusading days.
The religious transformation in Islam has been no less as-
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
founding and phenomenal than the political one. Reference has
already been made to the abolition of the caliphate. If no other
change but this has been made it would be enough to mark the
present generation of Moslems as the most progressive generation
in history. The failure of the Cairo pan-Islamic conference last
July to appoint a caliph is indicative of the temper of New Islam.
The Mecca conference, though held under the auspices of the
most conservative and reactionary Moslem sect, the Wahhabi
movement headed by Ibn-al-Su'ud, resulted also in a dismal failure. The Wahhabi is the only cloud in the horizon of progressive, modern Islam.
Egypt for many years past has been treating us to new pieces
of literature representative of its young spirit and breathing the
same critical atmosphere as that of Western Europe. Consider,
for instance, the writings of Tah Hussein and others who bear
doctorate degrees from German, French, or English universities.
Only last year Egypt surprised the world by presenting on the
stage of modernism a turbaned sheikh from al-Azhar, in the person of Abd-ul-Razik the author of al-Khilafah wa-Usul al-Hukm
"the Caliphate and the Principles of Government". When the
Azhar ulema take up modernity one should stop and take note.
On a hot summer day in 1922, when I was "holding office
hours" on the open porch of the Continental Hotel in Cairo, a
Moslem lady who wanted to see me regarding the admission of
her little boy into the University of Beirut asked me to hold the
interview with her in the sitting room of the hotel where she
could remove her warm veil without flaunting public opinion.
Today the sight of unveiled Moslem women in the streets of
Cairo is something familiar. Early in September dispatches based
on a consular report from Port Said indicate that the Egyptian
men have followed the example of the Turks in giving up the
picturesque tarboosh in favor of the hat. What is coming next,
no one can foretell.
Of all Arab lands outside of Arabia proper, Syria is, in many
ways, the most Arabist. The Arabic-speaking peoples of northern
Africa have never figured in Arab affairs. Their Arab culture is
diluted with Berber semi-barbarism. For the last century Arabic
Egypt has been under the sway of a Turkish and Albanian aristocracy. The Arabian peninsula is still where Mohammed left it
in 632 A. D. Iraq, ever since the Abbaside period, has been more
or less under Persian influence. The Moslem Syrians have, on
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�OCTOBER, 1926
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the other hand, maintained the strongest pro-Arab sentiments.
The leaders of the pan-Arab movement, as well as the
movement for the decentralization of the once all-powerful Ottoman Empire of the Committee of Union and Progress, were
men of Syrian origin.
t
Nevertheless, conservative Arab Syria is today one of the
most modern lands in Islam. In Beirut I have intimately known
at least a score of young Moslems who neither pray five times
a day nor fast Ramadan. A Christian of the Unitarian type of
theology, would feel very much at home with them. To the
young generation, Islam is becoming more and more a racial
rather than a religious, bond of union.
A couple of years ago I called with some friends on the
highest religious Moslem authority in Beirut and heard him deplore in unequivocal terms the modern tendencies in Islam. He
was especially strong in his condemnation of the proposal to erect
in one of the public squares of the city a statue. It was the statue
of sheikh Ibrahim al-Yaziji. The Moslem shari'ah, of which
that man was the official guardian, is dead against all statues and
images. The day was the feast of Ramadan, and a few hours
later found us in the home of the highest civil authority, himself
a Moslem married to a brilliant Christian lady. The conversation
turned to the much debated question of raising statues, and the
Moslem civil head referred to the repeated religious protests
which his office! was constantly receiving and "putting under the
sofa mattress"—as we express it in Arabic. The statue of sheikh
Ibrahim today greets the eye of any visitor to Beirut.
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The battlefield between the old and the new, between conservatism and modernism, has been extended to all phases of Syrian life not excluding the linguistic realm. Here the champions
of puntanism and Koranism decree against the introduction of
loan-words from English and French—which naturally creep in
with the modern inventions and scientific discoveries—and insist
on the use of newly coined Arabic words. But the man in the
street heeds no more their protests than the man in the moon
does. To him the "automobile" is a "trumbeel" and not a "sayyarah", and the "telephone" is a «talfoon» and nothing else.
You can no more stand against modernism in language than you
can in politics or religion.
But perhaps the most significant and most important of all social changes are those relating to the position of Moslem women.
�12
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Both Turkey and Egypt have taken longer strides along
this line than conservative Syria, yet in Syria the ferment is working. I have known at least one Moslem young lady, a graduate
nurse, who was not afraid to lift her thin veil on the street and
greet me, especially when I was accompanied by my wife.
Of course the problem is much more complicated than it
looks on the face of it and when viewed with Western eyes. A
Moslem neighbor of mine, who occupied the office of chief of
police in Beirut, met me one day on the train and began to recite
in my ear a poem which he had composed entitled tahrir ulmar*ah. Before the poem came to an end my patience came to an
end, too, and I, was bold enough to tell the poet official what I
thought of his conduct and his poetry. (The week before I had
visited the man in his home on a formal occasion and was received
by him alone, his harem being invisible. Whereas whenever he
called he was received by all members of my family). His reply
was illuminating. "My wife", said he, "has lived all her life in
seclusion. It is the only kind of life she would want to live, and
to force her out into the light will be the unkindest act against
her. But wait until my little daughter is older! She is going to
America to study, believe me, and is coming back with a hat."
This summer a Beirut Moslem girl arrived in New York
to, study medicine. She is the first of her kind, but certainly not
the last, The daughter of the police official may be the second.
It should be remembered that we are treating in this discussion the Arabic world which is, in the main, a Moslem world.
The Christian element of the Arabic world, as to be expected, has
been the leader along the path of progress and modernism. All
the popular magazines in Syria are owned and edited by Christian women with the exception of two, one of which belongs to
an enterprising, bright Druze girl. The American University of
Beirut, which in 1923 opened its academic doors to the members
of the fair sex, has this last June bestowed its first co-educational
degree of B. A. on two women students and of D. D. S. on one
woman graduate in dentistry.
It is no exaggeration to say that almost all the charity work
in Beirut is carried on by women. Special mention should be made
of the "Ladies' Aid Society for the. Blind", the first and only
organization of its kind in Syria.
One of the most progressive schools in Beirut was founded
and is still run by a young Syrian lady. Her school competes suc-
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cessfullywith long established English and American schools
for girls in that city of schools—Beirut.
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Surely the hour has struck in the Arabic speaking world A
new era is dawning. As in the European renaissance so in "this
case, the march is from the medievalism of tradition and authority
into an age of discovery and progress. Secularization and modernization are the great ideals. Into the old bottles of Islam a new
wine is being poured a mixture of rationalism and nationalism—
the most dangerous liquors of the age.
Will the young East prove wise enough to preserve of its
past_ heritage those things that are worth-while? Will it be dis
cerning enough to absorb of the Western culture only those
things that will help it in its forward march? Modernization is
by no means an unqualified blessing, and westernization is not
necessarily a boon. And haying made all the progress possible,
will Christian Europe and Islamic Asia find enough ground to
stand together on an equal basis of mutual co-operation and fellowship or will they, through jealousy and rivalry, try to undo
each other?
All these are searching questions that cannot be answered
now or by any one man, but upon their final answer a great deal
of the future peace and prosperity of the world will undoubtedly
"Were I joined to people but by a hair it will not be broken.
*or if they pull I will let go, and if they let go I will pull."
Mu'awiyah.
"He who has a whole brother is fortunate."
Abu-1-Darda.
i
Said al-Ahnaf: "One must forebear from his friend three
things—the injustice of wrath, the injustice of familiarity and the
injustice of inadvertency."
"When worldly success the magnanimous ones achieve,
They forget not the lowly ones whom behind they leave."
Abou Tammana.
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
THE OBSTINATE LOVER
[A free translation of a modern Arabic poem by Tanious Abdou\
Under the dark wings of night, I paid a visit to my beloved.
With tears in my eyes, I forced myself into her chamber but
naught could melt her heart nor win forgiveness of my
audacity.
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Yet she consented to argue the situation — taking pity on my
ardent love.
,
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Said she: "If you do not desist in your temerity, I will throw myself despairingly into the sea.
"What then will you do?"
Said I: "I will dive after my pearl."
Said she: "But I will transform myself into a fish and slip from
between your hands!"
.
Said I: "Then I will catch you as fish are caught, with no more
hope of release."
Said she: "To escape you, I will mount to the firmament. How
then will you reach me among the stars?"
Said I: "Then I will become a dense cloud and envelop you so
that no eye but mine will gaze upon you.
"I will cover your face like a veil and through this proximity
win from you embraces and caresses."
Said she- "Then I will fly back to my garden and there transform
myself into a living flower, where I will water my roots
with my tears."
Said I- "Not with your tears, but with the blood 01 my heart.
"For I in turn will be transformed into the morning dew; gently
falling on my beautiful flower."
Said she: "I will then take refuge in a lonely convent and there
beg God's forgiveness for my sins."
\
Said I: "Then will I become a monk in that convent hearing the
confessions of my repentant nun."
Said she: "If this then be the case, no other recourse is left me
but to die and rid myself of the vicissitudes of life."
Said I: "Not even death will save you from me for I will be
transformed into earth!
"Where my ribs will enfold your beloved body and there I will
be forever happy in possessing you."
When finally she saw that from me there was no escape and that
persistency was one of my cardinal virtues,
She took compassion on my broken heart and gently bending over
me, dried my tears with her sweet kisses.
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OCTOBER, 1026
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The Mosque of Paris
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Among the myriad church steeples of Paris, rising in pairs
and in singles high above the uniform horizon of the beautiful
French capital,, as if they were symbolic hands outstretched towards heaven in token of the tenacity of the French to their
Christian faith, there rises today a different sort of steeple — a
minaret — different in architecture and purpose and patently incongruous with the rest of the skyward projecting turrets surrounding it on all sides.
It is a long time since Charles Martel crushed the invading
armies of the Saracens in the battle of Tours and forever rid
Christian Europe of the danger of Mohammedan domination.
Had the tide of that memorable battle turned otherwise, we are
assured by many historians that in lieu of church steeples we
would be witnessing all over Europe only mosque minarets. It
is for that reason that Christian historians hail the Tours melee
as one of the outstanding decisive battles of all times, in that <t
rid Europe of the Saracen host completely and forever.
That view, however, was inspired by the peculiar condition
or those remote ages. People were then fired by the most intense
religious zeal, a sort of uncontrollable religious mania which placed them outside of the pale of our modern reasoning. To them
religion was much more than a form of worship or a method of
belief} it was suppressing all other forms of worship to establish
their own, and we all know that feeling among followers of contending religions ran very high in those days.
But now, what a contrast? The very people who hailed their
repelling of invading Mohammedanism as the salvation of
Christianity are the ones who not only invite Mohammedanism
to come and dwell with them, but go even to the extent of actually helping to establish it. The cry of the muezzin does not
seem to modern Parisians as a discordant note among the chimes
of their church bells. Rather, some are inclined to look at it as
charmingly romantic} others view it in its true light as a move
in the political game of gaining the good will of the Mohammedan world for a colonial power.
Be the reason what it may, we are now envisaging the actuality of the existence of a Mohammedan mosque in Paris, and
�16
THE SYRIAN WORLD
an exceptionally beautiful one at that. It is described by one of
the Syrian delegation who attended its dedication last July as
being somewhat of the general appearance of the famous mosque
of Omar in Jerusalem, but the interior decorations follow principally the Moorish style, Moorish artisans skilled in the execution of delicate works of mosaic having been engaged to finish it.
Of the remote history of events leading to the erection of
this mosque in Paris, we are told that they date back to the time
of Louis XV when, in 1767, a treaty was concluded between the
French king and Mohammed Ibn Abdullah, sultan of Morocco,
giving the subjects of each sovereign the right to establish in the
domains of the other places of worship according to their own
faiths. The French, we are assured, have for long been taking
advantage of this privilege, but the Moslems availed themselves
of the privilege only now.
ON FRIENDSHIP
Said a caliph to his sons: "My sons, befriend men so that
when you are absent they will long for you, and if you die they
will mourn you."
"A true friend is like a spicer, if he gives you not of his spice,
you will receive something of his scent."
Anonymous.
"A thousand friends are none too many,
One enemy much, if you can avoid any."
Ali.
Said the Umayyad caliph, Suleiman Ibn Abdul-Malek:
"There is nothing more precious to me than a friend with whom
I may throw aside the provision of formality."
"Beware of the magnanimous if you insult him, the base if
you honor him, the intelligent if you exasperate him, the fool if
you make fun of him and the vile if you become intimate with
him."
(Arab saying).
He who raises himself as an Imam over others must first
begin by preaching to himself.
Ali.
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I
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1
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�THE PARIS MOSQUE IN THE COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION
'MAi
1
�THE MEETING OF KING AND WRITER IN THE DESERT
In the Shadow of an Aeroplane, His Majesty Ibn Saoud and his Retinue faced the Camera to oblige their Guest
Ameen Rihani. The King is the tall central Figure, while Rihani is the third from the left.
�__—__——
COMING DOWN FROM LEBANON
The Winding Road amid the Pines in the enchanted Hills of Lebanon Near Brummana Leading to Beirut.
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ft ft ft S' H» K* H tt&'c
�OCTOBER, 1926
17
Meeting an Arab King
in The Desert
By AMEEN RIHANI
It is the privilege of but a few to be able to travel in safety in the
heart of Arabia; to be on intimate relations of friendship with the
highest potentate of the region and the now commanding figure in
the Arabic world; and to come out safely to tell of the experience,
and to do so extremely well. Of those favored few has been our wellknown and able author Ameen Rihani whose informative and delightfully refreshing account of his experience is being published serially
in Asia. It gives us great pleasure to publish the masterly account
of Mr. Rihani's meeting with Sultan Ibn Saoud in the Arabian desert, together with the accompanying photograph, through the courtesy
of Asia magazine. — Editor.
r
My letter to Ibn Saud had been carried by«; najjab (a courier
on a fast zeluly or she-camel, broken exclusively for riding), who
started in the early dawn and came back the following morning
with a most gracious reply. The Sultan left the matter to my own
convenience and at the same time informed me that he would leave
al-Hasa on Thursday and would be at Ojair on Saturday morning.
I had been thinking of riding out to meet him ; and in his letter
to Seyyid Hashem there was a suggestion that decided me at once.
"It seems to me," said the Seyyid, trying to be subtle, "that His
Highness, the Sultan, would imply in his leisurely march a desire
to see you before he sees the High Commissioner."
"To the desert, therefore," said I, girding my loins.
And on the morning of Thursday, when the Sultan marched
out of Al-Hasa, we left Ojair> Seyyid Hashem and I, accompanied by five servants, one of whom had a donkey carrying our provisions and some firewood. My zelul, considering alone the
spangled breast-cloth, the saddlebag and the black sheepskin that
covered the rug in the, saddle, was the mount of honor. She was
also the best in point of merit \ for she tolerated no one ahead of
her, except the donkey, whose time-honored privilege it is to
lead the caravan. But that she was the best did not help me. I
was being rocked and shaken and pinched and scratched at every
step. There was something around me, I felt, and under me and
�M
J*
THE SYRIAN WORLD
before me and behind me that should not be there. And those
saddle-trees, wooden pegs a foot long, standing upright, knocked
me in the breast and in the back every time I swayed to and fro
in the saddle. I was held, as it were, by a pair of tongs. And
the saddle-frame itself did not seem to be adjusted rightly. It's
tipping to the side. It's slipping from the hump. It's pinching.
Why, even the girth is loose! "Seyyid Hashem," I cried, O
Seyyid Hashem!" "lbsher, ibsher, ya Ustaz" he answered: "at
your service, O professor, at your service." Alas! Every Mohammed, Mahmoud and Ahmed who knows anything is called "ustaz"
in Syria and Iraq as well as Egypt, and the questionable title here
bestowed by Seyyid Hashem stuck to me throughout Arabia.
Soon after ambling out of Ojair, we came to a nefud or a
sand desert, where the camels must walk very slowly, making
deep footprints in the shape of hearts with daggers in them;
for with their hoofs, as they drag them out of the sand, they
draw a long, straight line, which is the dagger. The dunes, in
their formation and their light and color — their undulating
lines, their slopes, smooth as rose-leaves and as soft, their summits so firmly etched against a shimmering sky, their shades of
gold and purple melting away on one side only to form on another — are bewitching. They shift and change — to all appearance, melt away. But they only move, carried higher and
yon by the winds. We meandered through them, passing a few
places that seemed to exist only in name. Jasrah, for instance,
is a spot distinguished by bare rocks, which are like little barren
islands in that sea of sand. And the bleached camel-bones that
I had frequently seen along our path brought us in the end to
the very thing they had suggested — to the tragedy of loneliness
and death! For there was a camel which had crouched but recently and for the last time — a ghastly sight. It had twisted
its neck in agony and stuck its head, dying, in the sand.
When we descended at a place about three hundred feet
above sea-level and half-way between Ojair and Hofuf, I for
one, praised Allah aloud. And Seyyid Hashem, hearing me,
thought that a six hours' ride for the first day was quite sufficient.
I even heard him say, "The zelul has killed him" — meaning
me. Had it not been for the flies, which had come with us from
Ojair, I might have dozed away my exhaustion. As it was, rest
came when the desert heat abated, between sundown and dusk.
At that hour, as the first star pierces the darkness and the arrows
of light follow one another, the desert begins to weave its spell,
m
�OCTOBER, 1926
19
and gradually the inward, exultation is exteriorized in a sensuous
joy. Charms crowd themselves upon sense and vision. The atmosphere, the vastness and the silence are scented messengers of
the infinitej and the world within reach of hand and heart is all
beautiful — beautiful to see, beautiful to touch, beautiful to
breathe.
After supper the servants all sat down to the usual evening
occupation of sipping coffee and telling tales. While they were
still around the fire, I went into the tent and threw myself on
the cot in softly enveloping joy. For have not the days
brought about the fulfilment of my heart's desire? Here is the
desert} here are the camelsj here are my slaves. And am I not
the guest of one of the great amirs of Arabia? I felt that I
could now fold my hands and let the golden dream close my
eyes. But, as I lay, still half-awake, I heard a voice challenge
someone who was passing. And then Seyyid Hashem came hurrying into the tent and said: "Get up, ya Ustaz, get up. The Sultan is coming!"
"True?" That is all I could say. And I got up instantly
to dress j that is to cover my night garment with an aba and my
head with a kerchief and an ighal to bind it — the convenience
of Arab clothes! Then slipping my feet into a pair of sandals,
I could walk out and say: "Allah greet the comer — welcome
the guest."
The servants hurried in different directions to gather wood
for the fire, and I helped Seyyid Hashem put our "house" in
order. We spread the rug inside, placed the camel-saddle in
the center, as a leaning pillow, and a sheepskin to the right of
it for the royal guest — all that is required for the reception of
a king in Arabia.
It was a dazzling night, vested with a transparency of atmosphere that revealed the naked, hard-blue sky and the outlines of a crescent moon — a night that gave wings as well as
musical charm to the human voice. And what an unearthly charm
had the cry I heard at that moment, coming from behind the
dunes, in waves of assurance and awe across the meadows of
night! "Ya s'aaiyed, ya.faaaiyeeeed!" — "O thou little happy
one!" The criers who precede the royal cavalcade, announced
the coming of the Sultan or his passing by, so that, if anyone
has a claim or a grievance or likes to join in the march, he may
follow the voice and be a happy one — a little happy one, a
su'aiyed— There is a humility in the diminutive of Ibn Saud's
�!
20
THE SYRIAN WORLD
su'aiyed, which implies that greater happiness can come from Allah alone.
Ya s'aaaiyeeeed! And soon the heights on which we were
encamped reverberated with the cavalcade of the Sultan More
than two hundred camels gurgled and growled as they were
crouching, while the ikh, ikh of the riders and the sound of their
bamboos on the necks of their mounts were like the patter of
rain in a grove of palms. Soon after, the tents were pitched,
the fires were lighted and the tintinnabulations of the pestels in
the coffee-mortars were heard.
We hastened forth to meet the guest, but he was quicker in
coming toward us, followed by two of his suite. A tall majestic
figure in white and brown, overshadowing, overwhelming that
was my first impression. Indeed, I was standing near a giant —
he is more than six feet high, but muscular, sinewy and admirably proportioned — who took, my hand and held it in his own
as we walked into our little tent.
> The pomp of power, the ostentation of sultans, the magmhcicence of the Orient — they are not to be seen in Nejd. The
Sultan wore the usual brown aba over a white robe and had his
head covered with the usual red checkered kerchief and his feet
shod with sandals. The only thing that distinguished him from
his subjects was the gold-thread ighal, which is worn also by some
of the members of the royal family. He has the Arab's complexion but not the physiognomy — a swarthy face, without the
high cheek-bones and with a straight, but slightly upturned
nose. He is quite modern in his beard and mustache, which he
trims Wahabi-fashion. His age, from the point of view of the
calender, is, at the time I write, forty-nine. He perfumes himself profusely and carries an unstained staff, which he uses as
an aid to expression — to underline a word, as it were, or emphasize an idea. He has another aid in his well modeled hands
which are particularly elegant and eloquent in gesture.
He sat on the sheepskin leaning his right arm against the
saddle, and the fire outside of our open tent lighted up his rugged countenance, with its soft brown eyes, mobile mouth, full
but not heavy, and magnetic smile. "They told us," he said, "that
you were an American missionary coming to preach Christianity
in Arabia; and they told us that you represented certain companies
who desire concessions in Arabia; and they told us that you were
a supporter of the cause of the Sherif (King Hussein). But we
said: If there is evil in the man, we know how to avoid it. And
f
�' T-l
OCTOBER, 1926
21
if there is good, we know as well how to benefit by it. Aye, billahl we are better informed, ya Ustaz, about your mission. Allah keep thee and bless thee."
I asked permission to state the purposes that led me to
travel in Arabia and said: "The first has been fulfilled in seeing
you; the second will be fulfilled, inshallah, when I write of what
I have seen; and the third can only be accomplished by your assistance. I am certain that Arab unity can only be realized by a
meeting of all the ruling amirs for acquaintance first and a common understanding." Thus suddenly I found myself arguing,
pleading for a cause.
NUGGETS
'Amr, the son of Sa'id, was a young lad when his father died.
One day when the young man entered upon the Caliph Mu'awiah,
the latter asked him:
"To whom did your father trust you when he died?"
'Amr replied:
"My father did not trust me to anybody, but trusted others
to me."
"And what were his last words to you?" inquired Mu'awiyah.
"He made me solemnly pledge him that his friends should
lack nothing after his death but his person."
i
It is related that Ar-Rashid sent after a certain man to make
him a cadi.
The man bowed before the mighty caliph and said:
"I am not an adept in law, nor have I studied jurisprudence."
"Mind not that," said Ar-Rashid, "you have three traits which
entitle you to this high station: You are a noble man, and nobility
prevents its possessor from committing mean acts; you have magnanimity, and magnanimity prevents you from haste; and you are
a man who seeks advice, and he who seeks advice commits few
mistakes. As for jurisprudence, you can easily find those who
know it and include them in your companionship and benefit yourself by their knowledge."
The man accepted the call and it is said that he proved a successful cadi.
�22
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Oriental Prophets, Old and New
y
Coming at a time when the death of a famous screen star
and the record achievement of an American young woman in
swimming the English Channel almost monopolized newspaper
publicity, a dark, gentle-faced, languishing-eyed young man who
hails from India with pretentious claims and much heralding,
found that the ears of the city of skyscrapers were too occupied
with other voices and noises to pay much attention to his "message".
Our brother Oriental, Jiddu Krishnamurti, sponsored by an
interesting English old woman Mrs. Annie Besant, whose agitations for Indian home rule and whose intellectual and religious
gymnastic contortions filled more newspaper space than their intrinsic merit would justify, brings nothing new to New York,
and to us of Syrian origin he is another importer of coal to Newcastle.
. Prophets, demigods and demigoddesses, and incarnations of
divinities of all sorts and hues fill the pages of Oriental histories.
Their voices, speaking with the finality of infallibility come down
to us in a confusion of authorities and claims, each crying that his
brand of teaching or divine inspiration is the only and sole way
of salvation. Like the builders of the Tower of Babel of old,
these vendors of spiritual wisdom were trying to storm the heavens, when down below their followers, half-starved and miserable, were plodding their earthly existence the best their instincts
.^ould guide them.
From Roaster and Buddha to Baha'ul-llah and Krishnamurti is a long, long way in years, but thd messages of the modern prophets and incarnates sound so familiar to the dwellers of
the graves, and to students of history. There is something essentially true, compelling, spiritually sound in what they say,
and much that is trivial, jejune, cumbersome and crass; ruks
regulating food and dress, manners of behavior and etiquette,
fit undoubtedly the time and the place where they originated,
but because they claim the same divine and inspirational authority, they have fashioned themselves into fetters around the feet
of the slow going East.
Of the legitimate prophets and great religious teachers one
f
�OCTOBER, 1926
iv
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23
can have but the greatest homage and gratitude. The world
today is spiritually better off that Zroaster, Confucious, Buddha,
Isiah and Mohammed came and uttered their words of deep wisdom and sane morality, not to mention the great spiritual upheaval
caused by the teachings of Christ. There was something big about
their personality, something heroic and superhuman, which more
than atoned for their human limitations and mistakes. Their
claim, to authority sprang from an overflow of genuine spiritual
experience, and they talked to the hearts of men from the depths
of their limitless hearts; they WERE divine in a sense which
we now can well understand without necessarily ascribing to them
deification or a supernatural origin.
But how many little prophets and Gods in high places had
we who do not merit one fraction of the devotion and worship
that is accorded them?
Within the borders of Syria itself hundreds of such prophets
and claimants of divine incarnation have appeared in the last millenium. Every age had its share of them, and down to the present time, the fertile soil of that land of prophets has produced
more than its quota. Some of those have had weird and fantastic careers; their teachings, a conglomoration of good, bad and
indifferent elements, are left in the annals of some of the strangest sects that the world has ever seen.
A thousand years ago a dissident, Shi(istic leader, Hamdan
al-Carmati, created such an agitation that took many years to
suppress, and came near wrecking the whole fabric of Islamic
civilization. His teachings were as queer as his life. He believed that he was divine. He was a thorough and consistent communist, believing in free love, as well as the equal distribution
of wealth. His followers were fanatic malcontents in the interior of Iraq, mostly of Persian origin and hence little attached to
Islam. Hamdan al-Carmati was a convert to Isma'ilism through
a certain Persian Ahmad, son of Abdullah Ibn Maimun, who in
the latter part of the 9th century founded a secret society, the
object of which was to demolish Islam and the existing caliphate.
The initiates to this society were at first lead to believe that the
Koranic teachings had a spiritual, allegorical meaning. Then
gradually, through a process of toleration to other religions and
philosophies, one by one the fundamental tenets of Islam were
discarded. Ibn Maimun taught that from the creation of man
there always has been an Imam, sometimes hidden and sometimes known. When hidden his doctrines were propagated by
�24
THE SYRIAN WORLD
missionaries, "dais". Al-Carmati was considered at that time
the last of the dais. The Carmathians at one time occupied Mecca and carried away the ''black stone", to the consternation and
shock of the pious Moslems all over the world, who thought that
the wrath of God will surely descend on the sacrilegious infidel.
But nothing of the matter happened and the stone was restored
after many years. The movement of the Carmathians persisted
till the middle of the 11th century when, in Persia and Syria,
their work was taken up by the Assassins, with whom we shall
deal in a separate article for this magazine.
At about the same time, 30 years after the appearance of
al-Carmati, a Moslem Sufi, also of Persian origin, Mansur alHallaj, "wool-carder", preached a strange system of pantheism
and incarnation, hulul. In his "Mystics of Islam", Prof. R. A.
Nicholson said of Hallaj that "he had uttered two words which
Islam on the whole has forgiven but never forgotten: 'Anna '1
Haqq' — I am God' ". A contemporary Sufi, Abu Yazid alBustami, is said to have uttered an equally bold blasphemy, saying: "There is none in this jubbah (cloak), save Allah", referring
to the one he was wearing. But while Abu Yazid was honored
above all measures in his lifetime and after his death, poor alHallaj paid for his boldness with a cruel death. After his extremities were cut off, he was beheaded. His head was raised on one
of the walls in Baghdad, and his body burned and his ashes strewn
in the Tigris River.
The Mahdi doctrine among the Shi'ites is another form of
the deificaton or incarnation doctrine of which our friend Krishnamurti reminds us, poor mortals, and which ultimately goes
back to India as a source. Strictly, it is akin to the Christian
doctrine of "the second coming of Christ", and the Persian doctrine of Saoshyant, whose advent was supposed to precede the
final conflict between Ormuzd and Ahriman, the gods of good
and evil respectively. Similarly, the Mahdis were the successive
incarnations of Ali. Their advent, too, heralded the last days
of this world, and the final establishment of justice and righteousness on the earth. It will be readily seen how such a doctrine
could be easily employed by scheming political agitators in
their ambitions to overthrow existing regimes and establishing
their own.
The first Fatimide caliph in Egypt, 'Ubaidullah al-Mahdi,
(909-933) was one of these. The Fatimide Dynasty itself owed
f
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�OCTOBER, 1926
25
its existence and success to the insidious propaganda of the Ismallites.
In the middle of the 12th century another dynasty, that of
Almohades, a corruption of Muwahhideen i. e. Unitarians, owed
its origin to a Mahdi claimant, Abdullah Ibn Tumart. He was
the son of a lamn lighter in a mosque in Algiers, of the Masmuda
«erber tribe. A small, ugly, misshapen youth, he made a pilgrimage to Mecca in his early youth and was expelled from the
holy city for his over-zeal in criticising his fellow religionists.
tie visited many cities in Syria and Mesopotamia and became for
a time a pupil of the celebrated Islamic theologians al-Ghazali
and al-Ash'an the latter of whom was the founder of Moslem
Orthodox scholasticism. On his return to Algiers he won over
to his claims Abdul-Mumin al-Kumi, a Berber chieftain who extended his rule by conquest over North Africa and Andalusia,
lhe rule of Almohades lasted to the middle of the 13th century (1269,) and some of their rulers distinguished themselves
for bravery and liberalism. The famous Arab philosopher of
Andalusia, Averoes, was a protege of one of Almohades rulers,
al-Mansur who in 1195 conquered King Alfonso VIII in the
battle of Alarcas.
Coming down to our own times, still another Mahdi bids
claim to our attention for the furore and hubub he created, and
the consequent publicity which he stirred. Mohammed Ahmed
Ibn Sayyed Abdullah, a Dongolese, proclaimed himself al-Mahdi in Eastern Sudan, and for a time successfully coped with the
British forces. He was finally defeated in 1881 by an AngloEgyptian force under the late Lord Kitchener in the battle of
Omdurman.
^ Only recently a self-proclaimed prophet near Horns, Syria,
with a small band of illusioned followers, descended on his own
town and massacred the peaceful citizens at night because they
refused to follow him and because they ridiculed his religious pretentions. A few months ago, another one of those whose egomania take the form of prophetship, proclaimed that he had a
divine mission to stop the Syrian revolution. His petition to the
French High Commissioner to allow him to proceed to Jebel-alDruze to perform his mission was met with cold indifference.
The type of incarnates which Teddu Krishnamurti represents,
to be sure, is a novel one. He differs at once from the ascetic
Avatars and Krishna and Vishnu incarnations of his own country
�26
THE SYRIAN WORLD
and the ferocious Mahdis of ours. As far as we know he is the
first "voice of the World Teacher", who comes to us with a tennis
raquet instead of a sword, and an open soft shirt instead of a
coarse woolen cloak. He lives on a quarter of an eggy we are
told, but he has it served by liveried waiters in expensive and
sumptuous hotels. And to guide his steps in the wicked cities of
America he has a grandmother to look after him. Certainly,
this is an age of flappers, and they, too, must have their Christ!
RECOLLECTION
It is related that God said to His prophet Moses, "Knowest
thou why I give the fool wealth?" Moses said, "No." And God
replied, "that the wise may know that wealth does not come to
one by cunning."
'Ubaidullah Ibn 'Abbas was one of the most generous Arabs
of his time. One day as he was sitting in the court of his house,
a stranger came to him and said:
"O* son of Abbas, I did thee a favor once, and now I am in
need of thee."
'Ubaidullah looked him up and down and said: "I know thee
not, what favor didst thou do me?"
"One day," said the stranger, "when thou didst go to the pilgrimage, I saw thee standing by the well of Zamzam, as thy slave
was drawing water. The sun was high and the shafts of its rays
shot piercingly at thee. I took hold of the edge of my gown and
held it over thy head."
"Now I know thee," said Ibn 'Abbas. Then, turning to his
slave, he commanded him to give the stranger all that was in the
treasury, 200 dinars and 10,000 dirhams.
Said a man to al-Hassan, Son of Ali:
"I open my Koran and read therein all the day long."
Al-Hasan replied:
"Read your Koran in the early morning and the late evening
and work your day long in your trade, and tend to the unavoidable
tasks of life."
The learned man is as superior to the worshiper as I am supripr to the least of you.
Mohammed
i
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�OCTOBER, 1926
yj
As I Came Down from Lebanon
(One of the fifty best poems of America.)
By
CLINTON SCOLLARD
As I came down from Lebanon,
Came winding, wondering slowly down
Through mountain passes bleak and brown,
The cloudless day was well nigh done.
The city like an opal set
In emerald, showed each minaret
Afire with radiant beams of sun,
And glistened orange, fig and lime,
Where song-birds made melodious chime,
As I came down from Lebanon.
As I came down from Lebanon.
Like lava in the dying glow,
Through olive orchards far below
I saw the murmuring river run;
And 'neath the wall upon the sand
Sweet sheiks from distant Samarcand,
With precious spices they had won,
Lay long and, languidly in wait
Till they might pass the guarded gate,
As I came down from Lebanon.
As I came down from Lebanon,
I saw strange men from lands afar,
In Mosque and square and gay bazar,
The Magi that the Moslem shun,
And grave Effendi from Stamboul,
Who sherbet sipped in corners cool;
And from the balconies o'errun
With roses gleamed the eyes of those
Who dwell in still seraglios,
As I came down from Lebanon,
�I [
28
THE SYRIAN WORLD
As I came down from Lebanon.
The flaming flower of daytime died,
And Night, arrayed as is a bride
Of some great king, in garments spun
Of purple and the finest gold,
Outbloom in glories manifold,
Until the moon, above the dun
And darkening desert, void of shade,
Shone like a keen Damascus blade
As I came down from Lebanon.
PROVERBS
The tyranny of cats, rather than the justice of mice.
Before the antitoxin comes from Irak, the bitten one would
have passed away.
The borrowed coat affords no warmth.
God grants nuts to those who have no teeth.
wife.
He boards the ship free, yet makes love to the captain's
Your neighbor is your mirror, if he sees not your face he
sees your back.
Be patient with your beloved, or you will lose him.
If your neighbor conceives a hatred for you, change the
direction of your gate, that you may avoid seeing him.
If your love is honey, do not gobble him all up!
The tardy and the fast must at the ferry meet.
If you know not his ancestry, look for his deeds.
Wherever the sad one goes, across a funeral he comes.
�OCTOBER, 1926
29
The Millenial Visit of Al-Khidr
By HABIB I. KATIBAH
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Among the colorful legends of the Arabs is one in which
al-Khidr, the "ever-verdant", ever-living, ever-youthful wali
(saint), in his journeying through the length and breadth of
the universe, stops at a certain place on this earth of ours once
every one thousand years. The first time he stopped at this
place, it was a thick and gloomy forest. A wayward hunter with
his bow rnd arrows was stalking between the giant trees. A thousand years passed, and the place has changed to a little lake,
around which some lowly fishermen were casting their nets. AlKhidr stops and asks them: "How long has this place been like
this?" The fishermen rest their net, and turning to the strange
visitor in surprise answer; "It has ever been thus!" A thousand
years more pass, and in the place of the lake, a thriving town has
arisen. People; are going about their affairs in the streets. AlKhidr stops at a busy corner and repeats the same question: "How
long has this place been like this?" A few idlers, standing by,
turn to al-Khidr in derision and reply: "It has ever been thus!"
And so it was that whenever al-Khidr stopped at that same
place, whatever the change it had undergone, he was met with
the same reply.
Should al-Khidr stop, however, to-day, at that place, which,
we may indulge our fancy in assuming it to be the city of Damascus in Syria, he would for the first time be met with a different
reply. For the first time people everywhere would shake their
heads knowingly at his query and say: "It has never been like
this before!" This time it would be his turn to be surprised as
he sees and feels around him signs of a throbbing energy he had
never noticed in the East before. It is evident that some great
change has come upon the people since his last visit. Everywhere
he goes he is confronted with the activities and aspirations of the
youth, who in his previous visits had always moved in the background of the arena of life, taking a secondary role. To-day
they are the chief actors. He learns that a new people from
across the Mediterranean Sea have invaded the land; a new civilization, conquering and aggressive threatens to sweep the East
before it, as the younger generation, spurred on by patriotic zeal
and a secret admiration, rises up to meet it. The youth of the
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
East have simply taken things into their hands, as the older
folks, stunned by dismay and overwhelmed by a tide of new
problems and new ideas for which they are completely unprepared, stand helpless and submissive.
Vaguely does al-Khidr recall the names of those new conquerors who lived on the outskirts of civilization at the time of
his last visit, but who to-day, with haughty mien and firm step,
strut the streets of Damascus and almost push him off where he
happens to be standing. Yes, he had foretold some such calamity
for the East. A wise traveler sees much and stores much at
heart.
A thousand years ago, at this very same place, al-Khidr had
witnessed the convulsions of a great civilization, a great spiritual
movement, which had started, waxed and was on the wane
ere a thousand years had passed j and now as he stands again at
the "ancient" city, the same movement is facing another crisis,
this time more menacing because more aggressive and more seductive in its manifold appeals. A thousand years ago, the Carmathians, a wild and fanatic hetrodox sect of Islam, having gained ground in Irak and the Syrian desert, were undermining the
very foundations of Islam, and challenging the authority of the
tottering caliphate of al-Muktadir in Baghdad, an abject symbol
of impotency, held virtually a prisoner by a group of mercenary
hirelings of Saljuk Turks.
To-day the movement that menaces Islam springs from its
very heart, and addresses itself to the most fundamental principles that witnessed its birth. The very shadow of the caliphate
for which so much blood was spilled in the wars of the Carmathians has passed away, seemingly without the least concern or interest, while precious blood is being shed for such new ideas as
"democracy", "self-government" and "economic security", words
which were not even known in the dictionary of the Carmathians
and the Moslem world of al-Muktadir's time. Sensational and
paradoxical changes are going on everywhere in the East. AlKhidr hears of a new nation to the north of Syria, a nation risen
anew from the ashes of its old ruins and musty traditions. The
new Turks have not only abolished the caliphate and sultanate,
two deeply-rooted institutions of Islam, but have brushed aside
many of the time-honored traditions, which had always been considered essential features of that religion, as so much impediments
and cowbeb. Turkish women go unveiled now, work in business
offices and lecture before mixed audiences in the open. Polygamy
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OCTOBER, 1926
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is abolished, and the divorce laws are so modified that they have
lost their old-time serviceability. These same Turks, he learns,
who only a few years ago waged a desperate war to rid themselves of the dominance of the West, are accused to-day by the
conservative, timid Moslems of the older generation of being
"over Westernized". In its very hour of victory, the new Turkey
makes a gesture of obeisance to its defeated foe. This change,
al-Khidr learns, is essentially true, not only in Turkey, but in
Syria, Egypt, India and every other country of the East. Those
who are chafing under the yoke of the material dominance of
the West anxiously seek its spiritual tutelage.
Al-Khidr looks around him. In many ways Damascus has
not changed since he visited it last. The same narrow streets,
with the Jeisurely-going huksters entoning the virtues of their
wares in their peculiar, charming melodies; the same dainty,
sweet-smelling, tempting shops in the bazars of Attareen (spacers) and Buzuriah (seed dealers), where the shop-keepers, seated cross-legged on an elevated mustabah, sway back and forth,
mumbling the sacred words of the Koran, or counting the beads
of their rosaries; the same pleasure-seeking groups in the dingy
cafes on the banks of Barada, violating the same tenets of the
Koran by their clandestine drinking and merry-making.
But the changes are more striking and arresting, that they
overshadow the whole panorama of the past before them.
Along with the swinging camel caravans, with their jingling
bells, sauntering through Bab-Touma, al-Khidr beholds strange
contraptions, which look somewhat like chariots, but which seem
to him to be driven by restless jinn, grunting furiously, and spitting forth evil-smelling smoke, as if entombed therein against
their wills by king Solomon. Should he happen to raise his head
at the same time an aeroplane is gracefully sailing low above his
head, he would think that the roc, extinct thousands of years
before, has come back to life once more to terrify the people
of the earth. At night, in the twinkling of an eye, the city is
lit before him as by a magic spell.
But what would our wali have said, had he been present at
a time Damascus was being shelled? What would he have said,
when he beheld buildings, and houses tumble like a dilapidated
wall before a roaring, unseen terror? What would have been
his feelings when the same giants of the air he had seen a moment before, suddenly changed to hideous, satanic implements,
raining death and carnage on the peaceful citizens below? Per-
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haps his feelings then would not be wholly of wonder and admiration. This, too, was not a thousand years ago!
Al-Khidr begins to understand something of the magnitude
of the struggles going on in the East, some of the conflicting tendencies and paradoxes that whirl around him like a mighty typhoon. Alice in Wonderland was not half as perplexed as alKhidr would be in Damascus to-day! The more he studies
the situation the more complex and involved it appears to him.
If it is so evident that the people of the East are rushing
in their haste to adopt the Western civilization, what then is
the justification of that venomous hatred between the two people?
If the West, as it claims, has come to teach the people of the
East how to govern themselves why then that domineering insolence whereby it seeks to enslave their souls? A little insight
will cinvince al-Khidr that this is a different struggle from most
ones he had witnessed before. He could understand why conquerors a thousand years ago sacked cities and massacred their
inhabitants when their main object was to enslave the people
and carry their wealth away. But to-day these modern invaders
ruin the cities which they claim they have come to improve; they
impoverish themselves in order, as they proclaim, to trade with
these people of distant lands. How foolish it must seem to him
when the upkeep of their conquests far exceeds the profits they
hope to make from their transactions with the native peoples, and
when even far better results could be secured by amicable understandings with them! In the ancient days war was war, and
trade was trade, but what is this new-fangled thing which is neither one nor the other. Is it a new fanatic religion, like that of
the Carmathians, which the West is seeking to impose on the
East?
He hears of a war in which millions had offered up their
lives in the defense of "Democracy". This, al-Khidr says to
himself, must certainly be the new religion, the new Jihad which
the West is waging on the East. Imagine his surprise, when he
finds out that one of the first principles of this supposedly new
religion is peace; that the terrible war he had heard about was
admittedly " a war to end war"! Imagine his bewilderment when
he finds the people of the invaded country more zealous followers of the new religion than those who are supposed to promulgate
it among them! He rarely hears the name of the new prophet
on the lips of the invaders, but the invaded people invoke the
help of the believers in other lands in his name, citing his four-
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�NEWEST INSTRUMENTS OF DESTRUCTION IN THE OLDEST CITY IN THE WORLD
French Whippets, or baby tanks, lined in the principal square of Damascus ready for use against the revolutionists.
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THE CITY OF ZAHLE, GATEWAY TO THE LEBANON FROM THE PLAIN
Previous to the Present Political Division of Syria. Zahle was the Principal City of Lebanon Numerically, Commercially and Strategically. It is Situated in a Mountain Pass along Both Banks of the River Bardouni and has
been from Time Immemorial the Principal Defensive Outpost of Lebanon against Attacks from the Plain of Baalbek.
Photo by F. Askar.
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teen oracles and other holy text in their own defence. He hears
of Ghandi in India, who is teaching and exemplifying the gospel
of the Nazarene Prophet whom the Western nations claim to
worship as a god.
Many a foolish thing had al-Khidr seen and heard before,
but this is the most foolish of them all! A war of exploitation that
exploits the victors, a holy war in whici believers cut the throats
of brother believers! This is too much for him. He smiles £
sarcastic, pitying smile, and wraps his cloak around him ready to
disappear into space again.
Suddenly he hears the muezzen's voice from the white
minaret in Bab-Sharki, the same one on which, he was told a
thousand years before, the prophet Jesus would descend on
earth to usher the millenium. "Allah-u-akbar!" shouts the muazzen in his clear, unfaltering, dulcet voice. It sounded to alKhidr as though it was a voice he had heard a thousand years
ago. Perhaps it was the same voice, valiantly, pleadingly, almost
discouragedly, calling the errant human race back to the great
realization that only God is great, and only things pertaining to
the Spirit are worth-while. How insignificant now seems everything else around him in contrast j how noisy and vulgar are
those magniloquent insignia of pomp and power; how impotent
before this clear declaration of the triumph of the Spirit over
matter.
"The muezzen is in his minaret, all is well with the East!"
muses al-Khidr to himself, as his sarcastic smile melts away, and
the expression of his face broadens to one of hope and confidence.
If that voice is understood in all its grandeur and simplicity,
what a change there would be on this earth! The East is slow,
perhaps, but more likely is it that the West has developed too
fast, and none too gracefully. May not the two come together
peacefully and work out their common salvation? Those great
inventions he had seen, how beautiful they would be if they
were dedicated to the service of the Spirit: yes to the service of
God the All-Great. Then indeed this beleaguered earth, for which
al-Khidr had been so solicitous all this long time, may after all
settle down to enjoy a real peace, the peace that passes all understanding, the peace of the Spirit.
With these reassuring thoughts, now his face, radiant with
the light of a mysterious vision, al-Khidr disappears into space,
leaving us to wonder how this earth will be a thousand years from
now!
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THE SYRIAN WORlt
The Generosity of Hatem
"As generous as Hatem," is a proverbial expression in
Arabic. For the Arabs who are generous by reputation conceded
that no man born of woman is more generous than Hatem."
He was a chieftain of pre-Islamic times, and the pride of the
tribe of Tax, which he made famous, for he was known to all
Arabs of his time and thereafter as "Hatem of Tai."
Many are the stories related of Hatem's generosity among
them the following which gives us a true picture of the tent life
which the Arabs lived in those days, and which many of their
kinsmen of the desert still live today. The story comes to us
from the nephew of Mawia, Hatem's wife, which adds to its
authenticity.
"One day," said Mawia's nephew, "I asked my aunt to tell
me a story of Hatem's generosity, whereupon she replied:
May Allah's mercy rest softly on Hatem's grave. The
most wonderful example of his generosity stands vividly before
my eyes as if it took place yesterday.
It was a year of famine, and the drought had dried every
blade of grass in the field and every drop of milk in the shecamels' udders. We were both hungry and our two children,
Safna and Adee, were crying because of hunger. I carried one
and he carried the other as we sang them to sleep. Then Hatem
sat beside me and tried to beguile away my hunger with his conversation. I took pity on him and feigned sleep. He
called me, but I made no reply. Then he tiptoed to the front
of the tent, and as he lifted the edge of the door, behold! a woman was coming towards him, who upon drawing close to him
spoke in a plaintive voice saying:
"O father of Adee, I have come to thee from children barking like dogs for sheer hunger."
"Go and bring your children," said Hatem.
When the woman had departed, continued Mawia, I
rose from my pretended sleep and angrily rebuked Hatem saying: Your own children could not go to sleep but with much effort because of hunger, how then can you feed another woman's
children?
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OCTOBER, 1926
35
"By Allah," retorted Hatem, "I shall feed your children
and hers, too."
Then he went out and brought one of his spirited mares
and slaughtered it, and built a big fire. By this time the woman
had returned with her hungry children, and Mawia, waking her
own two children, brought them out also.
Then, said Mawia, Hatem took a knife in hand and began to cut of the choice meat and hand everyone around. Suddenly he stopped, and his countenance changed as if he had omitted a grave matter, saying: "This indeed is the essence of meanness, that we eat while the rest of our tribe go hungry."
Thus saying, he went from tent to tent waking the inmates
and crying: "Come out to the fire, come out to the fire!"
Then all the people of Tai, men, women and children,
came out to eat of the meat of Hatem's mare.
But by Allah, I swear, O my nephew, concluded Mawia,
that Hatem did not eat even a morsel of it although he was
just as hungry as the rest of us. Wrapped in his Aba, (Cloak)
he sat contentedly aside looking at us till nothing remained of his
mare but the hoofs, bones and skin.
"With his father in generosity did Adee contend,
"And he who his father emulates no wrong could intend."
(Arabic verse)
"Generosity covers a multitude of sins."
(Arabic proverb)
I
A wise man of the Umayyads, after the fall of their dynasty,
was asked: "What brought about the dissolution of your rule?"
The Umayyad replied: "Since you have asked, then attend to
what I say, and hearing, reflect in your heart: Our preoccupation
with pleasure precluded our solicitude for things about which
we should have been solicitous. We trusted in ministers who
preferred their stations to their duties; we oppressed the people
whose hearts grew cold toward us. As a consequence, our income
decreased, our treasuries were depleted, and our subjects' awe of
us vanished. When the enemy came he found no difficulty in
winning them from us. And the chief cause of all this was the
hiding from us of the true state of affairs."
II
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�36
THE SYRIAN tVOktD
Famous Arab Lovers
IV
' Umar the Lady-Killer
subtle^erSnTof116 ^ ff* P°etS d°
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with women from a distance of vantage
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lu l t S°etry Praised ^ the be^s and coquettes of
his days that high dames in the sanctuaries of the caliph? harems
for It T °f nfu°nety- a"d the Wrath of tWr royal husband
for the chance of being included in the beauty re Jter of tnot
m whose praises 'Umar sang his delectable verses
�OCTOBER, 1926
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37
In those days there were many Arab puritans who frowned
upon 'Umar's poetry as a taboo and a shameless concoction of the
very Iblis himself. It is related that a certain pious Koreishite
shaykh decreed against 'Umar's poetry with the injunction: "Do
not recite it before the housewives of Koreish, lest it lead them
to adultery".
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For this reason, it may be presumed, a brother of 'Umar,
al-Harth by name, who was the governor of Basra, called 'Umar
to him early in the career of the latter, and handing him a purse
of one thousand dinars, enjoined him to indulge no more in making poetry. 'Umar took the money and went to a maternal uncle
of his in Yemen.
But he was not there very long before he began to yearn
for Mecca and the women he left behind him. His jinni rebelled within him and broke out in a sweet, reminiscent song, as
would a gurgling stream that had been stopped by a make-shift
dam. He forgot his promise to his brother, and remembering
only his sad exile and loneliness in Yemen, recited:
"Sweet mem'ries of Khayf, I can see her today,
Sadly waiting, while I in my solitude languish.
She turns to Thurayyah, her companion, and says,
'Tell him yea gently, why stayest thou in Yemen so long?
Hast thou chosen the world and art thereby content,
Hast thou taken a bribe for thy love and thy song?' "
No sooner were these lines made public than they became
as popular as a new jazz tune in our days. They were put to
music and sung by caravan travelers far and wide. They spread
like wild fire, and soon enough reached the ears of Governor
Harth, 'Umar's brother in Basra.
"By Allah", he exclaimed, "it is 'Umar's poetry! The rascal
has betrayed me and broken his promise".
No ingenuity of translation could ever give justice to the
lyricity and subtle simplicity of 'Umar's poetry. The ancient
Arab critics themselves were aware of this, for, as we are told
by the author of al-Aghani, one of the foremost Arab contemporary poets is made to exclaim, when he heard 'Umar's poetry:
"This is the thing which poets have vainly sought all this long
time and have not found!"
'Umar was one of the earliest Arab poets, and one of the
fewest at any time, who discovered the secret of the epic and
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
dramatic appeals in poetry. He deviated quite markedly from
the classicists of his day in conceiving of poetry- as not primarily
eloquence the most highly praised poetic attribute among
Arab bards of that time, especially eloquence in praise or censure;
but rather in a remarkably prophetic insight which anticipated
modern standards and modern tastes, and without any evidence
of acquaintance with Greek poetry, he sensed with the intuition
of genius that the first office of poetry is entertainment, and its
main appeal should be to the imagination, in such a way as to
evoke a concrete image or a series of concrete images linked by
narration of successive actions. In 'Urnar, as; in none of his contemporaries, we find this technique of poetry highly developed.
In most of his poems the reader can almost reconstruct the story
and repaint the scenes, following the guidance of his gentle
to
genius.
In the free translation of the following sample of 'Umar's
poetry, we make no special claim to accuracy or excellence of rendition into English, but simply offer what, to the best of our
abilities, we believe is as near to the spirit of the original and its
"local colors" as possible:
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^'She said, as she pulled down the side of the tent,
'Speak thou, nor fear aught for these are my friends'
I answered, Verily I am oblivious to thein watching,
For my love-secret none of my station can hide'.
When they heard us converse, wise doctors of love were they
They moved towards the door and were about* to leave
'
When they turned, and with an engaging smile announced,
We will walk for an hour in the cool of the eve'.
Like gazelles of the plain, they softly departed
Leaving their companion all alone with me.
Without words, their eyes seemed roguishly to say,
We have done this, thou gallant one, on purpose for thee.' "
More dramatic in construction, and more roguish in its
manipulation of the love theme, is the following:
"I sent her my neighbor confiding: 'take heed,
And gently speak to Zainab and say,
Have compassion on thy devoted one 'Umar'.
Verily, if thou shouldst do that,
And heal a lover's wound, I will reward thee'.
But my neighbor shook her head, and coquettishly
made reply:
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�OCTOBER, 1926
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'Who told thee so?
Is this the way thou bewitchest women?
Yea, they have told me about thee, saying,
'Beware of him,
For no sooner he obtains his heart's desire,
Than he will surely desert thee!'"
11
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'Umar lived most of his life in Mecca, not, we may be sure,
from any motive of overzeal in piety, so much as to snare the
beauties of his time into the charmed circle of his irresistible
graces. Many stories of his encounters with women famous all
over the Moslem world for their beauty and wit are related.
Among those women who had come to engage the poet with a
repartee of wit and listen to his flattering praise, and perhaps, incidentally, make the pilgrimage, were women folks of the caliphs.
One day, said the narrator, as 'Umar Ibn Rabi'a had pitched
his tent in Muna, one of the pilgrimage stations in the environs
of Mecca, with his slaves gathered around him, an old woman
approached him and said:
"What say you, O 'Umar, if I take you to one, most beautiful of face, most cultured of manners and most honored of
lineage of all the women in the world?"
Without a moment's hesitation 'Umar replied:
"There is nothing I would desire more than this!"
"Then", added the old woman, "I will lay on you one condition, and that you will let me blindfold you and lead you to
her tent; and when your rendezvous with her is over, you will
submit to come with me in the same way as you went".
'Umar consented, and presently he was lead by the woman
and brought face to face with a damsel of rare comeliness and
high bearing which distinguished her as a woman of high breeding. She sat on a cushion dais, and her face was uncovered.
He was completely bewitched by her beauty, and as conversation
proceeded, he was even more impressed with her ready wit, her
keen mind and her cultivated taste in poetry. They spoke of many
things, of the ancient, famous bards of Arabia, of current history and contemporary poets and their respective merits. Then
as the conversation drew to a close, the damsel stood up, and
going into an inner room of the tent, called for the old woman,
who blindfolded 'Umar and lead him back to his tent, as their
agreement had called for.
This was repeated three times, and every time 'Umar was
�40
THE SYRIAN WORLD
burning with curiosity to discover the identity of this most charming woman of all those whom he had ever met. On the third
visit, 'Umar noticed a jar of scented paste on the floor. Suddenly an idea dawned upon him. He inserted his hand into the jar
and smearing it all over with the sticky paste, he hid it in the
folds of his dress. Then, as the old woman was leading him out,
he struck the side of the tent from the outside with his hand.
On the next day 'Umar called his slaves together and said
to them: "Go out among the tents of the pilgrims, and he of you
who finds a tent soiled with scented paste I will free him and
give him 500 dinars besides".
What was the surprise of 'Umar when he discovered that
the,tent to which he had been repeatedly invited was none other
than that of Fatima, the daughter of Abdulmalek Ibn Marwan,
the Caliph of all the Moslems.
But his infatuation with his royal entertainer had gone so
far that when, soon after, she made ready to depart with her
retinue, he followed her at a distance in spite of her impetuous
remonstrances and threats, until she neared Damascus.
This was 'Umar, the light-hearted lover-poet who brought
so much joy and cheer to the hearts of untold thousands in his
life-time and many more thousands after his death.
It is said that even in the autumn of his life the ardour of
his love had not died, nor his playful nature betrayed him, but
like burning embers, they lay hidden under the thin ashes of a
self-imposed penitence. He had sworn off love poetry, when
one day, it is related, a scene of two lovers absorbed in each other's presence, under the very shadow of the holy Kaaba, brought
to him sweet memories of his own exploits in that same sacred
spot. He went home depressed and pensive. An old slave-woman who met him at the door divined his mood.
"What ails thee, 'Umar?" she asked. But in vain, she tried
to elicit any information from him. At last, fixing upon him her
keen gaze, she shook her head, smiling, and said: "I perceive
that thy muse had inspired thee with some rare verses, and thou
canst not contain thyself, nor wouldst thou break thy vow".
"Yes!" he confessed, and thereupon recited nine lines embodying what he had seen at the Kaaba. Then to atone for the
violation of his vow, he called for nine slaves of his household
and set them free.
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OCTOBER, 1926
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The spiritual, moral, economic movement which issued from
the heart of Arabia like a gushing, life-giving spring, no sooner
had lost sight of its immediate source than it was channelized
into several sects and schools of thought. Islam was repeating
the same process through which other religions in other times of
history and under other climes had done. This was only natural,
for a founder of a religion is moved and propelled by large'
sweeping principles of moral action and religious insight which^
in their imperious persistency and inherent rationality defy all
laws of logic and transcend all rules of dialectics. They are born
of intuition, not of reason. Apparent contradictions and incompatibilities are reconciled by a personality, so dominating and impressive that it holds them together and gives them a certain authority and plausibility which, in themselves, they may not possess.
But after the death of Mohammed, unsettled questions, or
ones for which no provisions were made, asserted themselves with
renewed insistance; suppressed resentments and grievances broke
out and refused to be put down by threatening words of defiance
or soft counsel of compromise.
Almost the very day that the Prophet of Arabia had passed
away from this world, in a little, palm-hatched cottage in Medina
in the year 632 A.D., the ugly monster of dissension began to show
its horns. Mohammed had made no provisions for a successor
to carry on, his work. As the "last of prophets", it was natural
that he' had no successor. But besides being a prophet, Mohammed had worked out his religious reform into a social, political
organization of large proportions and almost limitless potentialities. Dissident movements had already shown themselves in
Arabia which needed to be attended to immediately. An expedition had been arranged even before the Prophet's death. An army of anxious fighters, their imagination inflamed with visions of
plenty and promises of glorious rewards in Paradise hereafter,
was chafing for war, like a leashed, hungry blood-hound who had
smelled the scent of a fox. These matters, and many others that
were not so pressing, demanded a successor to the Prophet Mo-
�'42
THE SYRIAN WORLD
hammed who would carry on the work of organization and administration where he left it.
The first dissension of Islam was over the Caliphate, which
in Arabic simply means "succession", i. e. succession to the Prophet's role as an administrator and ruler. The Medinites wanted
to choose one from among them, and when thwarted, tried to
compromise by splitting authority, choosing one head from the
Medinites and another from the Meccans. But good counsel
prevailed and the elderly, honest Abu-Bakr was finally chosen.
Neither in his case nor in that of his successor, Omar, were
there any serious objections. They were men of strong character
and inborn leadership. But the bounds of patience were reached,
when by much wire-pulling and intrigue the pious weakling Uthman, of the family of Umayyah which had distinguished itself
by its opposition to the Prophet, was chosen. The logical successor would have been Ali, the son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet, the most gallant. God-fearing and wisest of his followers,
who embraced Islam from its very inception. To thousands of
the "believers" he embodied the noblest and most spiritual aspects of Islam. His defeat was regarded as the defeat of idealism, before opportunism j it presaged the falling down of Islam
from its original glory and spirituality. Thus the political issue
of the Caliphate, in the person of Ali, joined hands with the
more significant religious one.
The champions of Ali and his cause were, and are still called the Shi'ites, i. e. Schismatics, having forsaken the lawfully
chosen caliph according to the orthodox practice, and sided with
Ali. This schism was the first serious one in Islam, and is today
the most wide-spread and strongest in point of numbers. The
whole country of Persia is Shi'itic, and the larger part of Mesopotamia, some parts of Arabia, Syria, India and North Africa
fall under the same category.
A tradition of the Prophet makes the sects of Islam 73,
one more than Christianity was supposed to have, and two more
than those of Judaism. A review of those sects gives one the
impression that there were as many subdivisions of Shi'itism as
there were possibilities of succession. There were those who held
to the validity of the succession of Hassan, those who held to that
of Hussein, and still others who held to the succession of a third
son, Mohammed, from another mother, al Hanafite. Some held
that thjs Mohammed did not die, but simply disappeared, and
/
�OCTOBER, 1926
'43
that he will return from his hiding place in Mt. Radwa, near
Mecca, "to fill the earth with justice". At every stage, these
Shi'ites were wrangling among themselves as to who was the
rightful successor, whether he died or whether he will come
again. Undoubtedly some of their notions about the "returning
Imam", were taken from Messianic and millenial teachings current among some Christian sects in Syria. Some extreme
Shi'ites taught the divinity, or rather the incarnation, of God in
Ali and his successors.
Even Ali himself was not immune from the disputations of
his followers. When he assented to arbitration after the battle
of Siffin, 657 A. D., when the hard pressed followers of Mu'awiyah raised leaves of the Koran on the points of their spears and
averted a probable defeat, some of the followers of Ali resented
this compromise to such an extent that they turned away from
him and became the Kharijites, i. e. the Seceders of Islam. This
sect, of iwhom the Ibadites, in the Tripolitan district of Jebel
Nefusa, in North Africa, in 'Oman of Arabia and Zanzibar in
East Africa, are the modern representatives, is a most interesting
one, to students of religious thought. For their bitter struggles
and their repeated defeats illustrate in a vivid fashion the impracticability of unalloyed idealism which refuses all compromise,
as it also illustrates the narrowness and bigotry which invariably
are allied with it. The Kharijites were, properly speaking, the
Puritans of Islam. They were theocratists in their conception
of, the caliphate, holding that only those designated by God, as
revealed in their fitness and character, are proper successors of
the Prophet j all others are usurpers and impostors. They did not
restrict the caliphate to any one family or tribe. Even "an
Ethiopian slave", if possessed of the necessary qualifications, was
considered a proper and legitimate candidate for the caliphate.
But while they showed tolerance in the matter of race and social
castes, they were fanatical in their adherence to the tenets of Islam as they understood them. They ordained that those who
differed from them were "infidels", whom it was incumbent on
every true believers to fight. They were eternally at odds with
the reigning dynasties, first the Umayyads, and then the 'Abbasides. Their conception of religion, however, was lofty and
noble, as the following passage quoted by Goldziher, in his book
"Mohammed and Islam", shows:
"In like manner the state of purification (ablutions) is cancelled by whatever issues from the mouth, of lying evil report
i
�-mm
44
THE SYRIAN WORLD
\
through which a fellow-being may come to grief, or whatever
one would be ashamed to mention in his presence, furthermore
by tale-bearing which stirs up hatred and enmity among mankind, furthermore, if anyone has scorned or uttered curses or ugly
words against man or beast without their deserving it, then he
has departed from the state of purification and must complete
the ritualistic cleansing before he can perform the prayer".
It is not our purpose to trace here, even in outline, the fate
of the different Shi'itic and Kharijite sects, as we shall deal with
some of them separately in succeeding numbers. We must therefore turn to another phase of Islamic developments which, while
they may have had some practical motive at their start, may be
considered as theological and scholastic in their content and import.
It is significant that among the earliest exponents of theological disputations was one Abu-Ghilan, a Damascene. It is not
inconceivable that the Arab Moslems learned this art of theological reasoning from the Greek Church, which in the person of
John of Damascus, about that time, had reached its apex.
One of the first issues of disputations among early Islamic
theologians was that of "free-will" and "determinism" or "predestination". The supporters of free-will were called the
"Murji'ites", i. e., "the Postponers", because they held that the
condemnation of an evil-doer was a matter to be "postponed"
till after his death when God Himself will judge him. The
Murji'ites were also Kadarites, i. e., those who believed that
the Kharijites. It was then only expected that the Umayyads
of Damascus would take their side and encourage them. Most
Murji'ites were also Kadarites, i. e., those who believed that
man's deeds were volitional, and his responsibility for them before the Judgment Seat was a real one. Their oponents, with a
stricter, more orthodox interpretation of Islam, were called Jabarites, i. e., "people of compulsion". The Jabarites held that
while man was responsible for his deeds, these deeds themselves
were preordained and predetermined by God, Who, nevertheless,
in no way was responsible for them. Their view is eloquently
illustrated in a tradition which, they claim, came down from Mohammed himself. It is said that when God created Adam he
stroked down the right side of his back, and brought forth a handful of white particles, representing future generations of the first
man, and said: "These are for Paradise, nor care I". Then,
stroking down with his hand the left side of Adam's back, he
;
-.•
:
>0
�OCTOBER, 1926
\
v
4i
brought forth a handful of black particles and holding them
forth he said: "And these are for Hell, nor care I".
The liberal, or what we call now the Modernistic tendencies
in Islam, developed in the early part of the Abbaside Dynasty,
into the Mu'tazalite movement.
This movement, founded by Wasil Ibn Ata, 750 A. D., a
disciple of the ascetic Hasan al-Basri, exercised a great influence
on the culture and civilization of the Moslem world, and even
today its echo reverberates in the breasts of Islamic youths
who find in this movement a convincing proof of the inherent
liberalism of their religion, and who glory in its achievements
of reconciling philosophy with religion. For the Mu'tazalites
were the ones who introduced the logic of Aristotle to Islam, and
had it not been for them, Greek philosophy would have had little
effect on the Arabs and Arabic culture. And when we remember
that it was the Arabs who introduced this philosophy to the West,
we can then truly estimate the great service which Mu'tazalitism
accomplished, not only to Islam, but to the world in general.
Chief among the doctrines of the Mu'tazalites was the one which
taught that faith must be reconciled with reason, otherwise it is
not true faith but mere credulity. In opposition to the Jabantes and the Fundamentalists of Islam, they taught that God is
bound by justice, that He cannot condemn to punishment innocent offenders, e. g., infants of infidels. For these two principal
tenets they were known, or rather they called themselves, "the
people of reason and justice".
So great was the influence of this school of thought in the
Abbaside Dynasty that al-Mamoun, the great Abbaside patron
of science and philosophy, embraced their doctrines and, it is
said, tried to enforce them on the nation. When the founder of
the most orthodox school of jurisprudence, Ahmed Ibn Hanbal,
refused to comply with the request of the Caliph and declared
openly that the Koran "was created", as the Mu'tazalites taught,
he was brought to the court and flogged in sight of the Caliph.
The tables were turned on the Mu'tazalites, however, when the
successor of al-Mamoun, al-Mutawakkil, a thorough Fudamentalist, ascended the throne and began to persecute the liberals in
turn.
Later tendencies in Islamic theology and jurisprudence were
practically the repetition of earlier ones. The Carmathian movement which rocked the Moslem empire exactly one thousand
years ago was an extreme form of the Kharijite one; while the
�46
THE SYRIAN WORLD
secret sect of the Assassins and Batinites, i. e., Esotonasts, was an
extreme development of Shi'itism. With the deterioration of
Moslem culture and learning, liberalism in Islam also suffered.
The most popular theologian after the founders of the four orthodox schools of Jurisprudence, the exegesis of the Koran and
the Traditions of the Prophet, was Abu-Hamid al-Ghazali, d.
1111 A. D., who was admittedly a compromiser.
However, al-Ghazali injected into Islamic theology a depth
of spiritual experience and mysticism which was rather lacking
before. Theology became more than mere slavish attachment
to the letter of the Koran or the Traditions, and more than dry,
intellectual disputations. It is with justice that he calls his great
book, one of the most remarkable books on religion in history,
"the Revocation of the Sciences of Religion". Al-Ghazali, before he became a theologian after the school of al-Ash'ari, was a
Sufi, and it was from the rich experiences of the Sufis and their
illuminating religious intuition that he had imbibed freely.
Sufism is undoubtedly the most interesting, the most original and the most lasting movement in Islam; it afforded Islam an
inner temple of worship for sensitive and spiritual natures which
were not satisfied with the crude manifestations of formal religion. In its influence on Persian literature and Persian art, it
gave the world a unique spiritual culture, as rare as it is subtle
and delicate. We shall devote a separate article to Sufism later.
Today Islam faces a grave crisis, and the forces of reactionism and liberalism range for battle. With Wahhabism on one
side, with its cry to return to the good old days of Mohammed
and'the companions, and the Kemalist movement with its avowed
intent to go forward and westward on the other, the stage is set
for a most far-reaching contest. To all appearances, the tendency
of Islam is towards liberalism, and gradually, though slowly, it
is adapting itself to the tolerant and liberal interpretation of
things to conform to the spirit of the times.
"He who would carry a sword, must a following have, and
he who would guests entertain, must first a wealth possess."
(Arabic proverb)
\
A greedy man said to another: "Let us plant a plant together; whatever grows thereon the half is mine, the fourth is mine,
the eighth is mine, and the other eighth I will divide with you."
�OCTOBER, 1926
ft
The Reward of Intrusion
zAn Authentic Story.
\
In the days of the caliph al-Mamoun there were carried
from Basra ten men accused of blasphemy. While they were
being taken to the ship, an intruder, standing by, thought to himself that such a crowd could not have come together but for a
good thing, perhaps a banquet, so he thrust himself amongst
them and was carried away to the court of the caliph.
To his consternation, the intruder found upon arrival at alMamoun's court, that instead of a banquet an executioner stood
by with a drawn sword and started cutting off the heads of the
infidels. When the ten had been executed, their identity being
known; to the caliph, he turned to the eleventh and asked:
Whence came this fellow?" The men in charge said they did
not know. Then the intruder, falling on his knees before the
caliph, told his story of how he had thrust himself among the
ten in the hope that he would fall upon good luck and share
with them the enjoyment of a banquet which he doubted not
they were headed for.
The caliph was angry at this strange instance of intrusion,
and to give the man a lesson he would not forget, commanded
that the intruder be taken out and flogged publicly.
Thereupon Ibn al-Mahdi, a singer in the court of al-Mamoun, intervened saying: "Grant him immunity and pardon for
my sake, and I will relate to you a story on the reward of intrusion that is even more surprising than this." The caliph consented and asked Ibn al-Mahdi to proceed with his tale.
"O Prince of Believers," began the court singer, "one day
as I was riding through a street I scented a delicious odor of
food and salted seeds, an odor the like of which my nostrils had
never inhaled before. Then looking upward from where the odor
seemed to blow, I saw a hand extending from the window of an
upper house, so demure, so white and so beautifully shaped that
I forsooth fell in love with it. 'Verily,' I asked myself, 'how
beautiful must be the face that goes with a hand like this?'
"Then I went to a tailor nearby and asked him about the
name and occupation of the owner of that house, and he told me
his name and that he was a merchant. Then he added that he
is a companionable man who loves a good time, and that that
.
:-'..«!:-:.:•'
. .-...-
:
:
�46
tHE SYRIAN WOktt)
evening he had invited some of his friends for a jolly repast.
"I waited for an hour until the guests began to show up.
The tailor, pointing them to me, said, 'here they come'. I rode
in their direction, and when I came near them said: 'Make haste,
for so and so,' naming the merchant, 'is waiting for you'. And
upon entering the house the merchant did not stop me, thinking
that I was a friend of one of his guests, and not wishing to offend any of his guests, he did not ask about my name.
"A sumptuous banquet was spread, at the conclusion of which
I said to myself: 'Now that I have had enough of the food, nothing remains but to see that beautiful hand'. Upon the food being
removed, another table laden with wines was brought in its place,
and a slave-girl with 'oud in hand sat on a dais propped with soft
cushions, and struck an enchanting tune, singing withal:
"I pointed to her, as if to say, knowest thou of my love,
"And she answered with a wink: 'I know and am true, by Allah
above'".
"We were all moved by her beautiful voice and swayed with
joy, raising our voices in sheer delight.
"Then she sang:
"Is it not strange that a house confine us together,
"Nor find we a chance to speak".
"This again had an effect on us more intoxicating than wine,
and we swayed and threw our turbans in the air, unable to control ourselves.
"Then professional jealousy got the best of me, and I said
in a voice loud, enough to be heard: 'Excellent, by Allah, yet it
lacks a little to make it perfect'.
"At hearing this, the slave-girl threw the 'oud angrily to
the floor and said: 'I had not known that you would bring among
you a senseless intruder to becloud our pleasure.'
"Undaunted and with the coolness that befits a nadim of
thy majesty, I requested the owner of the house to give me the
'oud, which he obligingly did, although not hiding altogether
his surprise at my intrusion, and my serious breach of the etiquette
of entertainment and hospitality.
"Coolly I took the 'oud, and tuning it to my fastidious taste,
I played as I sang:
'What has befallen the homes of the beloved ones, that they reply not;
'Have they become deaf, or have they succombed to the calamity
of their departure?'
:
he broi
and he:
\\
�OCTOBER, 1926
49
"I had scarcely finished the first couplet of this song, when
the siave-girl amidst the utter astonishment of the confounded
host and his guests, came forward to me and kissed my hand,
saying: 'I beseach thee to forgive my rudeness, I had not suspected that thou art such a consummate master of this art\
"Then I sang them more, and still more until they all fell
intoxicated to the floor, except the host who was a gracious and
temperate drinker. At a late hour of the night the host arranged
for each of his guests to be carried home.
" 'Tell me now thy story, my friend,' said the host, 'and ask
with what I may reward thee.'
"I told him my story, and how I had been attracted to his
home by the fine odor of the food, and the beautiful hand at
the window.
"Thereupon he ordered his household and servants to pass
before me, but I found not one of them whose hand resembled
\ the one I saw.
" 'There remain none,' said my host, 'but my sister and my
mother'.
" 'Let us start with thy sister', I requested. And behold, as
he brought his sister to me, hers was the very hand I had seen,
and her face more than justified my high expectations.
" 'She is the one,' I cried with uncontrolled joy.
"'Allah be my witness', responded my host, 'she is from
this minute thy wife'. Nor did I leave his house till he brought
witnesses and solemnized my marriage to his sister. And behold,
O Prince of the Believers, this very boy standing beside me is
her son".
"The eye of love to every fault is blind,
The eye of hate finds faults of every kind."
:
"It naught avails wise things to say,
When deeds to folly point the way."
ANATOMY OF ARAB WISDOM
The eye of the man speaks for his tongue.
An eye that knows weeps.
If the eye sees not, the heart grieves not.
A deceitful heart is betrayed by a slip of the tongue or a
grimace of the face.
Feed the mouth, and the eye will be shamed.
�M
THE SltRiAN WORLD
EDITOR'S COMMENT
THE ARMENIAN PROBLEM IN SYRIA
The latest mail reaching the United States from Syria indicates that the Armenian problem in that country has reached an
acute stage. The Armenian refugees in Syria are estimated at
between sixty arid seventy-five thousands, of whom there are no
less than thirty-five thousands in Beirut. Their presence in their
country of refuge has been attended with as much complications
as when they were in their country of origin, and it appears that
not only are they giving rise to grave concern to the government
of Syria, but promise to engage again the attention of the outside world when their plight is laid before the League of Nations. An account of the present stage of this new problem appears in another section of this issue.
It is not our intention to go into the merits of the Armenian case in its earlier stages, when the plight of this
unfortunate people made such a strong appeal to the sympathy
of Christian Europe and America} but of its later developments
it is patent that the Armenian problem has resolved itself into
a genuine Syrian problem, with the added complication of an
economic element injected into the situation. The Armenians
were thrust on a country which could ill afford to support them,
and they have made themselves doubly unwelcome by many wilful acts on their part. They incurred the hatred of the enemies
of occupation by volunteering with the French forces; they
aroused the antipathy of the friends of occupation by lowering
the standard of wages and engaging in unfair competition with
the natives in whatever little employment there was to be had;
they brought about a menace to public health by the unsanitary conditions under which they live; and, although the
crying need of the country is for farm labor, the Armenians have
abstained from agricultural work and segregated themselves in
the large cities where they became a charge on a country already
reduced to the last extremities.
In many respects, the presence of Armenians in Syria is not
unsimilar to the presence of a certain class of unproductive im-
SS9
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.:..:
/
'
"
�OCTOBER, 1926
51]
migrants in America against whom the existing restrictions in the
immigration laws have been principally enacted. The main point
of difference, however, is that America is rich, Syria poor j America capable of absorbing the new comers, while Syria is not;
America master of its own destiny to shape it in whatever manner it sees fit, while Syria is helpless in such matters and has to
bear its own ills and those of others.
It is inconceivable that the Syrians should wish ill the unfortunate Armenians with whom they bore in common at one
time the oppression of the Turks, but the Syrians feel that they
should not be called upon to bear the burdens of others added
to their already unbearable own.
In consideration of which fact it is but natural for the
Syrians to feel that in all equity and justice the Armenians should
become the charge of the whole civilized world as represented
by the League of Nations. The League should see to it that the
Armenians, if not provided with a "national home", should at
least be found adequate accommodation in a country where they
could be more welcome, or at least more tolerated, than in the
one to which their refugee stream has been diverted.
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
CHAS.V.VICKREY, General Director of American Near East
Relief, is the man of all men who can speak with authority on
American philanthropic activities in that part of the world. We
are sure our readers will appreciate his contribution to THE SYRIAN WORLD on the work, of this great American organization in
Syria which has of late assumed large proportions since the Armenians began swarming into the country in such large numbers and in such pitiable condition. No statistics are given in this
article of the nationality of the orphans cared for by the American organization, but it is the general belief that they are mostly
Armenians. The Syrians, however, should be no less grateful
to the American Near East Relief because of this, as it helps relieve the country of a serious problem which it could not possibly
cope with unaided.
�52
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Spirit of the Press
Under this caption we hope to present from time to time a microcosmic picture of the Arabic press, not only in this country, but wherever
Arabic dailies and magazines reflect the opinions of responsible, thinking
writers who are treating the different problems that confront the Arabicspeaking world from all conceivable angles. Needless to say, we will take
no part in the discussions reproduced, nor assume any responsibility. Our
task will simply consist in selecting, to the best of our knowledge and
with utmost sincerity, what we think is representative of the public opinion as expressed in these editorials.
Editor.
AS IN SYRIA SO IN
THE PHILIPPINES
"Col. Carmi Thompson is representing President Coolidge in the
Philippines. He is there to study
the conditions of those islands and
the people, and determine their fitness
(for home rule). It appears that
the man has felt the pulse and heard
the complaint of the sick man, and
is ready to make his report silently
and coolly...
"He has heard from the Christians and Moslems who compose the
population of those islands reports
of prejudices and dissensions not
unlike what every native of Syria
and Lebanon has heard repeatedly.
The Christians in the Philippines accuse the Americans of kindling the
fires of dissension, and declare that
the danger of conflict between them
and the Moslems is a result of the
efforts of the Americans. It is an
accusation similar to that brought
against the French in Syria. The only difference is in the costituencies
of the two countries. In the Philippines it is the Moslems who, because they are the minority, request
America to remain as the supreme
authority in their country, and the
Christians, because they are the
majority, ask for independence
In Lebanon it is the Christians who
refuse the unity of Syria, and ask
for the continuance of the French
mandate in protection to their historic traditions, lest they be lost in
a non-Christian majority. As for
the Moslems in Syria, they ask what
is contrary to what their coreligionists in the Philippines ask; they
ask for independence with the addition of Syrian unity, in order that
they may swallow the Lebanon people in the belley of their many prejudices."
Al-Hoda,
(New York, Aug. 29, 1926.)
YESTERDAY THE MOSQUE
TODAY THE CHURCH!
"In the old country, the source of
our misfortune was and has been
from the mosque and the church.
We do not mean that the mosque in
itself is a calamity, or the church in
itself a misfortune. Both are for
worship, and worship is good, not
evil.
"The misfortune, however, springs
from the fact that ours is a govern-
,1
�OCTOBER, 1926
!l!
I
ment which receives its power x^om
the mosque or from the church. The
will of the people is crushed between
the two forces as a nut between two
stones; and the interest, if the country is lost, as a drowned man between two waves.
"Sometime ago the President of
the Lebanon Republic paid a visit
to the mosque of Beirut, where a
man from the audience rose and interrupted him, saying that the Moslems do not recognize the Lebanon
Republic.
"It is well for one to declare his
opinion, but it is better for him to
do so everywhere and not in a particular place only.
"If the case is what the objector
represents it, and the mosque, as he
declared, is not a place for a political
speech, neither is it a place for political objections and argumentations.
"If the Moslems do not recognize
the Lebanon Republic, why do they
not withdraw their officials from the
government of that republic? Why
do they not appeal officially and directly to the French High Commission, instead of one of them rising
up within the walls of the mosque
to raise his voice in objection?
"That incident, however, is past
and gone. The sane Moslem leaders
apologized for it, and the screen has
been lowered on its stage.
"But today we are faced with another incident more significant than
the first. It is the one in which the
President of the Lebanon Republic
withdrew from the church of the
Capuchian Fathers, after they had
invited him to attend mass. When
he entered the church he found that
they placed his chair at a distance
from that of the Acting High Commissioner. As he considered that
act an infringement on the old traditions followed in such matters,
53
and an insult to his dignity, he withdrew from the church."
Mirat-ul-Gharb,
(New York, Aug. 23, 1926.)
THE DONKEYS OF
COLONIZATION
"There are today in Syria, Morocco, Irak, Ethiopia, China and every
corner of the East thousands of soldiers and officers who witnessed the
World War, who have learned by
bitter experience the evil of the
policy the European governments
have hitherto followed, and the goal
which their masters have aimed
at to fill their own pockets with the
sparkling gold. But those thousands
have not benefited by their experience; they have returned and bowed the neck under the spiked yoke
once more. They either fear the
consequence of mutiny and are
therefore cowards, or else have not
a speck of intelligence in their minds
and are, therefore, donkeys.
"We are at a loss, as every thinking man must be, what to think of
these poor, deluded people of Europe, those who pay the tribute
cringing; who go to the battlefields
of war as sheep that are led to
slaughter.
"Wonder, what are the factors
which have dominated the minds
and imaginations of those human
donkeys, that they have come out
all in one uniform shape, imitating
one another, and racing in their
eagerness to fulfill the commands of
their masters, as the hungry ones
race to a basket of bread?
"We know not, but we suspect
that in the religious education of
the large majority of them lies the
chtaf factor of their submissiveness."
Al-Bayan,
(New York, Aug. 28, 1926.)
�54
THE SYRIAN WORLD
1.
Readers' Forum
A PLEA FOR SYRIAN YOUTH
Editor, SYRIAN WORLD,
We are filled with great satisfaction for having lived to see" in public record a Credo, expressed essentially in favor of Syrian youth. Mr.
G. K. Gibran has our lasting gratitude for his confidence in us. We
recognize the vision, with which he,
as an artist, has been endowed, and
by which he has analyzed the character of Syrian youth, and found it
worthy of trust. That this Credo
should appear on the very first page
of "The Syrian World" is gratifying, and augurs a sympathetic and
lasting bond between the "World"
and Syrian youth.
There is nothing more inspiring
than to have confidence placed in
one's destiny. This serves as a
pleasant reaction to us, who have
beien decried and denounced so often
for our seemingly indifferent regard
for the ethics and traditions, zealously cherished by our forebears.
That so-called indifference may be
attributed to several facts, most important of which is the constant
changing of standards. Just as civilization is incessantly evolving into a higher state, so do standards
(and customs. This fact is too obviously proven to need further explanation.
It is generally conceded that
standards do change with the passing of time. But, it is not so readily granted by parents that their
ch-'idren should live according to the
modern standards. Age clings tenaciously to the old; youth grasps
eagerly for the untried new. The
parental group would have all believe that the standards of its youth
were irreproachable. Its common
regret is that the youth of today has
deviated from the course prescribed
heretofore. Is not human nature
fundamentally the same for all ages ?
We believe that ethical standards are
the same today as they were in the
past. The difference lies solely in
the interpretation of them. Our
youth is but a counterpart of our
parents', and the friction between us
is lost in oblivion for parents and
children learn to accept the modern
standards.
The vast difference between its
ancestry and birth—between Syria
and the United States—explains fully the great struggle made by Syrian youth to know itself. It is not
an easy task to assimilate in due
measure the1 wealth which is our
birthright and heritage. The value
of the ideals of our parents is not
ignored. On the other hand, we are
not so inert as to reject the more
liberal modern ideals. It is our
greatest aim to effect ultimately a
perfect blending of our traits that
will permit no form of hyphenation.
To accomplish this end descrimination and introspection will continue
to replace a submissive acceptance
of dictates for politeness's sake.
Age dims the perceptive powers.
For this reason most people often
lose sight of youthful struggles in
the glory of later success. Rather
than deploring youth's so-called
faults, parents should see the loftiness of their children's motives. The
wonderous heritage, of which all
Syrians may be justly proud, cannot
\
im
�OCTOBER, 1926
55
to talk about it. But now they have
no chance. There is your cousin so
and so, he ought to make a fine husband for you. He is rich and has a
good reputation, and you will be able
to live with him like a princess. You
cannot get a better one, and any
girl will be glad to have him. His
father was here the other day and
spoke to me and your mothe* about
you. They are anxious to have you
in their family, and I know that his
mother will treat you as she would
her own daughter."
Daughter—"But, father, I have
never had a chance to know him,
and do not feel that I like him enought to marry him."
Father—"Listen to me, my daughter, for I know what is best for you.
Besides, you will have a chance to
see him to-morrow, and I am sure
you will like him. His parents are
coming to talk matters over and
have everything settled."
Bridgeport, Conn.
I do not believe that I have exaggerated this typical picture of our
Syrian custom of betrothal. , Of
EARLY MARRIAGE
course there are exceptions among
OF CONVENIENCE some Syrian families, but in this
case the' exception does not prove
Editor, SYRIAN WORLD,
the rule.
Dear Sir:
Do you think that it is fair to
Allow me to take advantage of have boys and girls marry so young
the Public Forum which you have and take away from them ,the best
been so kind in opening to your read- years of their single happiness? Do
ers.
you think that boys and girls marTo my mind their is nothing more ried against their wishes to each othtragic in our Syrian social life than ers to please their parents can ever
the drama that is being enacted dai- be happy? Love is one thing m
ly in our Syrian homes, and which life that cannot be given, and once
centers on the subject of early mar- taken away cannot be replaced.
riage. This drama may be visualizI do not speak from my own pered from the following typical consonal experiences, but from those of
versation:
many I have known and witnessed.
Father—"Now, daughter, you are
John Simon.
seventeen years old, and it is time
that you thought of marriage. If
you wait too long people will begin Kenmore, Ohio.
be obliterated for one moment. We
have not lived long enough in our
country to have acquired all our best
traits from it. To our ancestry we
owe much of the best in us. We are
happy to be the children of a people
whose culture is inherent, not merely acquired.
After all, youth is but a chrysalis.
It is worthy of all trust, even while
the divine essence within is not revealed to all eyes. Syrian youth has
the ability and wisdom to give in
fullest measure the respect which it
owes to God, country and its parents.
There is no doubt but that youth
has its head in the highest cloud.
But life is too complex, and responsibilities too many to permit us to
remain in that delightful elevation.
When we may appear to err, do not
lose faith in us. Believe in our destiny.
E. K. S.
�56
THE SYRIAN WORLD
About Syria and Syrians
THE FLORIDA DISASTER
The Syrian papers of New York
published telegrams from several
sections of Florida affected by the
hurricane announcing that there was
no loss of life among the Syrian residents, although some Syrians suffered loss of property.
Al-Hoda, the leading Syrian daily,
has opened a subscription for the
relief of Florida sufferers with a
contribution of $500.00 by the Lebanon League of Progress of New
York. The appeal of Al-Hoda for
contributions is couched in forceful
language with special emphasis on
the point that our show of sympathy
for America in this national calamity would prove our gratitude to the
land of our adoption by something
more tangible than words.
QUOTING GIBRAN
More and more Oriental writers
are coming into print in the English
language. The wisdom treasures of
the East are' being tapped by Westerners who have discovered that the
East has something besides petrolium oil and sources of material
wealth to be exploited.
It gives us pleasure to acknowledge such interest in our Western
friends. But when that interest is
shown one of our honored Syrian
poets and writers, a contributor to
The Syrian World, our pleasure
changes into pardonable pride.
Some time ago Elsie Robinson,
a versatile columnist on the New
York Evening Journal, quoted at
length a selection from the "Prophet", the latest book of our friend,
K'halil Gibran, making it the basis
of an editorial on the proper attitude of parents towards their children. The article was translated
completely by Rev. Anthony Basheer, and published in al-Hoda. It
will not be amiss to reproduce this
selection to the1 readers of our magazine. It follows:
"Your children are not your children,
They are the sons and daughters of
life's longing for itself.
They come through you, not from
you,
And though they are with you, yet
they belong not to you.
You may give them your love, but
not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies, but not
their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house
of tomorrow, which you cannot
visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but
seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your
children as living arrows are sent
forth.
The Archer sees the mark upon the
path of the infinite, and He bends
you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the Archer's
hand be for gladness;
For even as he loves the arrow that
flies,
So He also loves that bow that is
stable."
�-
OCTOBER, 1926
SYRIAN EDITOR ON
THE BROOKLYN EAGLE
Joseph Abbott, a reporter on the
(Brooklyn Daily Eagle, has been appointed School Editor. To the readers of our magazine this announcement is of special interest as Joseph
Abbott happens to be a Syrian, the
family name being 'Abboud in the
original.
Our new Syrian editor is a graduate of the Brooklyn Grammar
School, and studied three years in
the New York University where he
became a member of the Delta Phi
Epsilon, specializing in international
subjects, with a view to a diplomatic
career, but the journalistic bug got
him. He is the son of Elias and
Elizabeth Abbott (Abboud), born in
North Adams, Mass., Feb. 1, 1900.
He joined the Eagle night staff
Dec, 1924, and was appointed to his
new position July 15, 1926.
57
from the United States for special
education.
Up to the present yeav, the school
had only rented quarters which, it
developed later, were in danger of
being sold to a Hebrew organization. In order to prevent this danger, Miss Kassab formed a corporation to purchase and hold the property. The Syrian Educational Society of New York, realizing the
benefits to Syria accruing from
such a splendid native undertaking,
came to its assistance with a subscription of five hundred dollars.
This is but one instance of the
nature of the work the Syrian Educational Society is performing. To
its credit itj may be said that it has
helped many deserving young Syrians with scholarships and rendered
otherwise valuable assistance to
worthy educational institutions.
A SYRIAN HOSPITAL IN BRAZIL
EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY
HELPS NATIVE SCHOOL
An educational institution that is
looked upon as a signal achievement
in its field undertaken wholly on
Syrian initiative and conducted under purely Syrian management is
the native school for girls founded
in Beirut by Miss Marie Kassab.
During the few years that the school
has been in existence it has proven
the necessity of its continuation and
gained more and more support for
its maintenance. Its popularity is
attested to by the fact that its attendance has been on the increase
continually, year after year, and its
fame has crossed the seas to the
distant lands to which Syrians migrated, so much so that last year
it counted among its boarders several girls who were sent to Syria
The civic spirit of our Syrian
brethren in the republics of South
America has manifested itself more
than once. Their increasing prosperity has brought with it an increasing interest in the! social and intellectual betterment of themselves
and the countries which opened
their arms to them and gave them
unlimited opportunities for development and self-expression.
The latest instance of this response among the Syrians of Latin
America comes to us in an article
in "Fatat Libnan", a Syrian paper
published in Arabic in Sao Paolo,
Brazil, announcing the completion of
plans for a Syrian hospital in that
capital.
Foremost in the movement to
materialize this project, according
to thjs article, were Syrian ladies,
whoq§ activities fired the enthusiasm
�58
of the Syrian merchants and rich
residents, with the result that a committee1 has actually been formed,
several thousands of dollars collected, and the site of the hospital acquired. We gather, furthermore,
that the hospital, when completed,
will be an imposing building with
gardens and promenades, and that it
will be equipped with the latest
medical facilities and inventions. The
proposed hospital will receive paid
and charity patients alike.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
American automobiles are the modern ships of the desert. The natives
themselves, at least those who can
afford camels, prefer to ride in automobiles.
"Two American companies and
one English firm dispatch convoys
practically every day to Baghdad,
Mosul and Teheran."
SYRIANS OF BOLIVIA
SHOW GRATITUDE
The Lebanon and Syrian residents
of Bolivia have decided to perpetuate
PATRIOTISM OF
their gratitude to that Republic in a
ARGENTINE SYRIANS
fitting and touching manner by preA movement is on foot in Argen- senting in the near future a fulltine to buy from the' French Gov- sized statue of General Bolivar, the
ernment the house in which Gen. father of Bolivian liberty, as their
San Martin, the liberator of Ar- share of the centennial celebration
gentine, died. An appeal was made of the independence of Bolivia from
for contributions from the school Spanish rule on August 6, 1825.
The statue was executed in Genoa,
children and foreign groups. The
Syrians have responded generously Italy, and has been shipped to Boliand are determined not to be ex- via where, upon its arrival, elaborate
ceeded in zeal by any other foreign ceremonies by the Bolivian Syrians
.are planned.
colony.
The Syrian-Lebanon Bank of Buenos Aires has been appointed custodian for the Syrian contributions, ARGENTINE SYRIANS (RESENT
and a large fund has already been
MISREPRESENTATION
collected
Under the caption "Lebanon and
Syria in the Silver Republic", alBashir, Beirut, reports the formaAUTO NEW SHIP OF DESERT
tion in Argentine of a Syrian MovAn Associated Press dispatch ing Picture company, whose repfrom Beirut dated Sept. 17, gives an resentative, a young man by the
intimation of the role the automobile name of Joseph Habees, recently aris playing in the1 economic life of rived in Syria, to take views of the
coutnry.
New Syria.
More interesting than the news of
"Mud garages and salesrooms,"
the
formation of this company are
says the correspondent, "shelter the
the
motives which brought it to
American motor cars which have reexistence.
The paper informs us that
placed the camel caravans on the
an
Argentinian
film company had
road from Beirut to Baghdad. Along
1
sent
someone
to
the
Near East who
the routes and desert trails from the
took
views
of
Syria
and Lebanon
Mediterranean to tihe Persian Gulf
�OCTOBER, 1926
.
calculated, evidently, to show in accentuation the backward and ungainly aspects of these countries, such
as the cottages of the peasants, the
beggars in the streets of the cities
and the nomad gypsy tribes. This
incensed the Syrians to such an extent that they got together and formed the new company, under the
name of Shamoun, Diab and Co.,
with the intent purpose of vindicating their people and country before
the Argentinian public.
ARMENIANS IN SYRIA
CREATE A PROBLEM
While thousands of the people of
Lebanon and Syria are emigrating
monthly, according to reliable information, because of want and the
general economic depression which
followed the war; and while thousands more pour to the large cities
of Beirut, Damascus, Aleppo and
Zahleh fleeing before the havoc and
banditry which came in the wake of
the revolution, Syria is called upon
to open its hospitable arms to foreign, persecuted people who were
wished on it from the northern borders.
The Armenians in Syria, numbering more than one hundred thousand at the least estimate, constitute
a genuine and burning problem to
the inhabitants and the governments
of that country.
This problem was attacked more
than once with a view to reach a
satisfactory solution, but until now
it has remained insoluble.
The' Armenian colony or compound,
in Beirut, the largest single group
of Armenian refugees in Syria, is a
putrid sore which threatens to in-
59
fest the whole city with its indescribable filth and squalor. It sprang
up, mushroom-like, overnight without any sanitary precaution, sewage
or other conveniences. Its dirty,
ramshakle, make-shift huts are huddled together, suggesting a temporary abode of a gypsy camp than a
quarter for permanent residence.
At a recent meeting of the Lebanon Parliament, the question of
providing more suitable quarters for
those Armenian refugees was broached by the representatives of the High
Commissioner, who sponsored the
plan of setting aside from the main
budget of the government 150,000
Syrian pounds for the' purpose. This
proposal, no sooner propounded,
drew fire from the Lebanon representatives and members of the upper house, who argued that the refugees of the revolution have precedence on the charity and generosity of the Lebanon Government, in
case there is any surplus in the
treasury of the state'. The French
authorities, on the other hand, pointed to the danger in the present condition of the Armenian colony to the
health and the well-being of the
city, and explained that the money
granted would be of the nature of a
loan to be repaid by the Armenians
in the form of special taxation. The
bill, nevertheless, was defeated.
In an editorial following this debate, Lisan-ul-Hal, Beirut, suggests
that the mandatory Government follow the example of the Greek Government in settling its refugees'
problem, by applying to the League
of Nations for a loan, instead of the
Lebanon people, such a loan to be
guaranteed by the Lebanon Government and collected from the Armenian refugees as special taxes.
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
'60
Developments of the Syrian
Revolution
SYRIANS OPPOSE CREATION
OF KINGDOM
A lull in the Syrian revolution,
coinciding with a visit to Paris of
King Faysal and a delegation of
Syrian nationalist leaders, headed by
Emir Michael Lutfallah and Emir
ChekibErslan, has set in motion wild
rumors which seem to emanate from
nowhere in particular, but have all
the pertinency and persistency of accredited statements. These rumors
are to the effect that the French
Government has come to an agreement with the Syrian Nationalists
to create a Syrian kingdom with exKing Ali, eldest son of ex-King Hussein, and brother of King Faysal
of Iraq and Emir Abdullah of Transjordania, at its head.
These rumors, spreading in Syria
like wildfire, have set the Syrian
press agog with lengthy articles
scouting the idea and exposing its
inherent dangers to Syria, and its
pernicious effects on the general
political situation in the Near East.
Chief among these dangers is the
old and bitter feud between the
overthrown Hashimite dynasty of
Hijaz and the powerful Arab chieftain Sultan Ibn Saoud.
In a leading article on the front
page of a recent issue of Lisan-ulHal, Beirut, "reports" reaching Damascus from Cairo and Paris and reflected in the Damascus press concerning the activities of King Faysal and Emir Michael Lutfallah to
further the ambitions of Emir Ali
in Syria, are discussed very seriously. The paper comments editorially
that France inclines to grant Syria
certain vital reforms, but French
statesmen, it remarks, who made a
special study of Syrian affairs are
not of the opinion that the appointment of ex-King Ali is one of them,
and that if it is accomplished it
would work to the hurt of French interests in the East. France has not
yet forgotten its duel with King
Faysal and the battle of Maisaloun
which marked the downfall of the
short-lived Arab kingdom in Damascus. It is not conceivable, therefore, that they will reverse" their
policy now and appoint his brother in his place. Such a step, says
Lisan-ul-Hal, would be considered a
victory for the Syrian revolutionists
over France
Similarly al-Balagh, a Mohammedan paper published also in Beirut, frowns on the' rumor of Ali's
proposed kingship over Syria. It
considers the whole question "irrelevant" and "foreign" to the demands of the Syrian revolutionists,
one that will hamper the progress
of the negotiations and introduce untold obstacles in the final settlement of the matter
Addressing itself to King Faysal,
al-Balagh partly declares: "We accord King Faysal utmost respect for
his kindly interest, his political acumen and his noble' character; we appreciate also his feelings towards
his brother. But to think that the.
i
�OCTOBER, 1926
Syrian question will be settled merely by putting one of the sons of exKing Hussein on the Syrian throne
is a mistake that no sensible one
should make. The Syrians are not
worshipers of personalities, nor do
they sanctify any but one who serves
their cause and their country with
singleness of purpose and unsullied
sincerity, be he of the sons of Hussein or any body else".
The paper then proceeds to point
out the difficulties confronting this
proposed "settlement" from the administrative, social and political
points, of view.
m
Ex-King Ali, it avers, has not
proven his ability and efficiency
while king of Hijaz. His chain of
mistakes from the time he vacated
Taif to the time' he was forced to
leave Jada are well known to the
public. Syria is in need of a strong,
modern administrator, who is acquainted with the modern demands
and duties of governments. For
Syria, continues the paper, is, socially, the most advanced Arabicspeaking country. It is the "heart
and brains of the Arabic world",
and as such would look for enhancement and progress. It is following
in the wake of Europe "step by
step", and it is not conceivable' that
what fits Hijaz would fit Syria,
even with great modifications.
These considerations, important as
they are, are overshadowed by the
political one which faces Syria
under King Ali in a gloomy light.
For the coronation of Ali as Syrian
king is nothing short, in the opinion
of this paper, than a declaration
of enmity to the present powerful
ruler of Hijaz and Nejd, Sultan Ibn
Saoud, who would suspect the Syrians, and rightly so, of siding with
his former enemy against him.
61
To this complication is added another. The Turks on the' north also
consider the Sheriffians of Mecca as
their veterate enemies, and have not
forgotten their alignment against
them in the World War. The kingship of Ali would hardly be calculated to please them, and Syria would
find itself between two strong enemies all to please a son of ex-King
Hussein who, failing to make good
as king of H;jaz, is being compensated for his failure with the Syrian crown.
The Christian and the Mohammedan papers agree in expressing
fear of the poltical entaglements
that would follow the appointment
of Ali to the Syrian throne, the
former devoting an equally long
space to the danger of Ibn Saoud's
resentment to such an arrangement.
It further adds that the French High
Commissioner De Jcuvenel has bent
all his efforts to win the friendship
of Ibn Saoud, with whom he concluded a commercial treaty. Would
France then turn now and alienate
him by putting on the throne of a
neighboring country his former enemy? Not likely.
These lengthy d:scus.-;o:is are published at the same time that an official denial of settlements with the
Syrian nationalist leaders in Paris
appears in al-Bashir, and presumably
other papers.
The official communique, issued by the French authorities in Damascus, follows:
"There have been rumors in the
press pertaining to negotiations in
Paris relative to the present situation in Syria. Be it known to every
one that no action or negotiation for
the restoration of internal peace in
Syria is possible before the termination of the revolution and the submission of the revolutionists."
�'60
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Developments of the Syrian
Revolution
SYRIANS OPPOSE CREATION
OF KINGDOM
A lull in the Syrian revolution,
coinciding with a visit to Paris of
King Faysal and a delegation of
Syrian nationalist leaders, headed by
Emir Michael Lutfallah and Emir
ChekibErslan, has set in motion wild
rumors which seem to emanate from
nowhere in particular, but have all
the pertinency and persistency of accredited statements. These rumors
are to the effect that the French
Government has come to an agreement with the Syrian Nationalists
to create a Syrian kingdom with exKing Ali, eldest son of ex-King Hussein, and brother of King Faysal
of Iraq and Emir Abdullah of Transjordania, at its head.
These rumors, spreading in Syria
like wildfire, have set the Syrian
press agog with lengthy articles
scouting the idea and exposing its
inherent dangers to Syria, and its
pernicious effects on the general
political situation in the Near East.
Chief among these dangers is the
old and bitter feud between the
overthrown Hashimite dynasty of
Hijaz and the powerful Arab chieftain Sultan Ibn Saoud.
In a leading article on the front
page of a recent issue of Lisan-ulHal, Beirut, "reports" reaching Damascus from Cairo and Paris and reflected in the Damascus press concerning the activities of King Faysal and Emir Michael Lutfallah to
further the ambitions of Emir Ali
li
in Syria, are discussed very seriously. The paper comments editorially
that France inclines to grant Syria
certain vital reforms, but French
statesmen, it remarks, who made a
special study of Syrian affairs are
not of the opinion that the appointment of ex-King Ali is one of them,
and that if it is accomplished it
would work to the hurt of French interests in the East. France has not
yet forgotten its duel with King
Faysal and the battle of Maisaloun
which marked the downfall of the
short-lived Arab kingdom in Damascus. It is not conceivable, therefore, that they will reverse' their
policy now and appoint his brother in his place. Such a step, says
Lisan-ul-Hal, would be considered a
victory for the Syrian revolutionists
over France
Similarly al-Balagh, a Mohammedan paper published also in Beirut, frowns on the' rumor of Ali's
proposed kingship over Syria. It
considers the whole question "irrelevant" and "foreign" to the demands of the Syrian revolutionists,
one that will hamper the progress
of the negotiations and introduce untold obstacles in the final settlement of the matter
Addressing itself to King Faysal,
al-Balagh partly declares: "We accord King Faysal utmost respect for
his kindly interest, his political acumen and his noble' character; we appreciate also his feelings towards
his brother. But to think that the
in— ilia i „i
i:
•
�OCTOBER, 1926
Syrian question will be settled merely by putting one of the sons of exKing Hussein on the Syrian throne
is a mistake that no sensible one
should make. The Syrians are not
worshipers of personalities, nor do
they sanctify any but one who serves
their cause and their country with
singleness of purpose and unsullied
sincerity, be he of the sons of Hussein or any body else".
The paper then proceeds to point
out the' difficulties confronting this
proposed "settlement" from the administrative, social and political
points of view.
i
Ex-King Ali, it avers, has not
proven his ability and efficiency
while king of Hijaz. His chain of
mistakes from the time he vacated
Taif to the time' he was forced to
leave Jada are well known to the
public. Syria is in need of a strong,
modern administrator, who is acquainted with the modern demands
and duties of governments. For
Syria, continues the pape'r, is, socially, the most advanced Arabicspeaking country. It is the "heart
and brains of the Arabic world",
and as such would look for enhancement and progress. It is following
in the wake of Europe "step by
step", and it is not conceivable that
what fits Hijaz would fit Syria,
even with great modifications.
These considerations, important as
they are, are overshadowed by the
political one which faces Syria
under King Ali in a gloomy light.
For the coronation of Ali as Syrian
king is nothing short, in the opinion
of this paper, than a declaration
of enmity to the present powerful
ruler of Hijaz and Nejd, Sultan Ibn
Saoud, who would suspect the Syrians, and rightly so, of siding with
his former enemy against him.
61
To this complication is added another. The Turks on the' north also
consider the Sheriffians of Mecca as
their veterate enemies, and have not
forgotten their alignment against
them in the World War. The kingship of Ali would hardly be calculated to please them, and Syria would
find itself between two strong enemies all to please a son of ex-King
Hussein who, failing to make good
as king of Hijaz, is being compensated for his failure with the Syrian crown.
The Christian and the Mohammedan papers agree in expressing
fear of the poltical entaglements
that would follow the appointment
of Ali to the Syrian throne, the
former devoting an equally long
space to the danger of Ibn Saoud's
resentment to such an arrangement.
It further adds that the French High
Commissioner De Jouvenel has bent
all his efforts to win the friendship
of Ibn Saoud, with whom he concluded a commercial treaty. Would
France then turn now and alienate
him by putting on the throne of a
neighboring country his former enemy? Not likely.
These lengthy discussions are published at the same time that an official denial of settlements with the
Syrian nationalist leaders in Paris
appears in al-Bashir, and presumably
other papers.
The official communique, issued by the' French authorities in Damascus, follows:
"There have been rumors in the
press pertaining to negotiations in
Paris relative to the present situation in Syria. Be it known to every
one that no action or negotiation for
the restoration of internal peace in
Syria is possible before the termination of the revolution and the submission of the revolutionists."
�61
HENRI PONSOt NEW
HIGH COMMISSIONER
It is officially announced that M.
Henri Ponsot has been appointed
French High Commissioner in Syria
to succeed M. Henry de Jouvenel.
The announcement came within
twenty - four
hours
after
the
French government was supposed to
have finally succeeded in inducing
M. de Jouvenel to take up again his
unfinished work in Syria. This action, on the' face of it, would indicate that French policy in Syria is
still vacillating and undecided, but
judging by the comment of the
French press on the new appointment, it would seem that the choice
of M. Ponsot was made with the
very object of creating some form of
stability in the office and eliminating
what appears to have been the scandalous irresolution resulting in the
appointment of five High Commissioners within six years.
Although little known to the public, the new successor to the ever
vacant office enjoys the high confidence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and its choice fell upon him
not only because of his intimate
knowledge of conditions in the East
and of Mohammedan countries in
general, but also because he was enjoined to take up the delicate duties
of governing Syria only if he could
promise to remain at his post for
an indefinite period. His appointment, in other words, implies severance of all political affiliations and
aspirations at home and centering
all his energy and ambition on making a success of his mission in
Syria.
Of his qualifications, it is said
that his has been a diplomatic and
an administrative' career in which he
distinguished himself on many occasions. Although quite young, be-
THE SYRIAN WORLD
ing only fifty years old, he was for
six years in the French diplomatic
service in the Far East. In 1913 he
was appointed secretary to the Financial Commission of the Balkans.
During the war he was chief of the
Press Service. In 1918 he was appointed Consul General at Montreal,
Canada, and later was director of
the interior in the Residency at
Tunis, which position he held until
1924, when he' was called to the
Foreign Office in Paris to be appointed assistant director of the Department of African and Near-Eastern affairs.
While the comment of the French
Press on the appointment of M. Ponsot has been highly favorable, it remains to be seen what reaction it
will have on the Arabic press in
Syria. The Syrian press in America knows little about the new High
Commissioner and it has so far withheld comment, but it is the opinion
of some Syrian-Americans who know
of M. Ponsot and his work that his
appointment will be welcomed more
by the Mohammedan than by the
Christian element of the country, inasmuch as he is known to entertain
pronounced friendly feelings towards
everything Mohammedan.
11
MILITARY ACTIVITIES
The fires of the Syrian revolution
do not seem to have been put out
altogether, despite the silence of the
news dispatches on field activities
of the' revolutionists during the
whole month of September. The natural inference from this silence
would be that the back of the revolution has been broken and that
what forces remain active in the
field only represent small bands of
dissident tribesmen who strive to
harass the French forces for the
purpose of gaining time for peace
>
�OCTOB&R, 1926
I!
i
negotiations. Not so, however, is
the situation as represented by the
Arabic press supporting the revolution. From Egypt, for instance,
comes the explanation that the present lull in the fighting is due to the
occupation of the Druze revolutionists in gatherng their harvests described as exceedingly abundant this
season, and their desire to move
their families to places of safety on
the borders of Palestine and Transjordania preparatory to their resumption of the fighting on a larger
scale and with redoubled intensity.
Al-Mokattam, a nationalist paper
published in Cairo and claiming the
advantage of receiving direct news
from the headquarters of the revolution, states that a Central Committee has been created out of a general assembly participated in by the
leading Druze chieftains, which has
been empowered to direct the1 coordination of all the rebel forces in
Jebel Druze and in all Syria to the
end that the most effective results
might be obtained with the minimum of sacrifice. This same authority states that at this meeting of the
general assembly of the revolutionists it was decided to prosecute the
war to the bitter end until the "just
demands of Syria are granted".
More news, however, is to be had
from the French communiques reporting the progress of military activities against the Druzes. In one
of these communiques the inauguration of a new railroad extension to
Sueida, capital of Jebel Druze, is
described as having taken place in
the presence of the commander in
chief and the notables and religious
heads of the country. This is given
to indicate that the country has beCn
pacified and that the French have
now at their command rapid means
of communication to insure their
security of footing in the country.
63
In another communique a lengthy
description is given of the French
occupation of Lajah, a mountainous,
almost inaccessible, region of Jebel
Druze which has never before been
penetrated by a foreign invader.
The invading column was under the
direct command of General Andrea,
Commander in chief, and although
encountering at times stubborn resistence, it succeeded in capturing
Kurea, the home-town of Sultan
Pasha Atrash, Commander in chief
of the revolutionists, and later 'Ahira, the capital of the district. The
French state that inestimable assistance was given them by their
loyal Druze adherents who formed
the vanguard of the expedition and
greatly facilitated its task by their
knowledge of the topography of the
country.
This expedition into the heart of
the Druze country was timed to coincide with the fateful engagement
of August 3, 1925, in which the
column of 3,000 men commanded by
Col. Michaud was embushed and exterminated by the' Druzes. The
French communique even declares
cynically that the Druzes were given a chance to repeat their previous
performance, in that the expedition
of this year followed the same route
as that of last year, but the fact
that Fre'nch forces negotiated the
treacherous mountain passes safely
indicates that the back of the revolution has been broken.
Of this same action, however, information coming from the representatives of the revolutionists in
Cairo indicates that the French did
travel the route of Col. Michaud's
column, but were, as in the former
instance, fallen upon and engaged
in such desperate fighting that they
were repulsed with heavy losses and
forced to change their course. The
revolutionists further declare that
�64
THE SYRIAN WORjLD
those whom the French claim to be
their supporters and adherents
among the Druzes are not Druzes
but Circassians and Kurds who had
previously joined the revolutionists'
ranks to be out of the reach of the
law, but when they were promised
amnesty deserted and joined the
French.
The Syrian press reports that Sultan Pasha Atrash was wounded in
a recent engagement but very soon
recovered.
In an appeal to the' civilized world
against French atrocities in Syria,
the High Couniil of the Syrian revolution accuses the French military
forces of deliberately firing on open
towns and killing women and children; of burning the harvests on the
threshing fields to starve peaceful
farmers and of wilfully destroying
places of worship and committing
atrocities such as no civilized power would commit for the sole purpose of enslaving a free people.
•lluriMiillilimtliititll.il mi tun ttlllilllimt mi urn j :iniin.
(The Syrians in America;
j
By Philip K. Hitti, Ph. D.
!
A book that is encyclopedic in =
| its information about the Syrians |
j —their origin, history, progress, |
{faiths, racial peculiarities and|
[ particularly, their present status f
| in America.
/
.1
Dr. Hitti is an authority on this |
I subject. His book should be read |
iby all Americans of Syrian des-|
: cent and all Americans interest-1
led in Syria and Syrians.
Price, $1.25 postpaid.
On sale at the office of
"The Syrian World"
'TiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitimiiiMifiiMiittiiimHtitmtaiimiiMiitii«£
ZAHLE
A panoramic view of this beautiful city of Lebanon, 8x50" clear
to the smallest detail, taken with a special camera by the SyrianAmerican photographer, F. Askar, can now be had by lovers of the
beautiful scenic views of the Old Country. This is an historic picture
that should have a place in the home of every emigrant from Zahle.
Other beautiful photographs taken by Mr. Askar include a panoramic view of the Ruins of Baalbeck, the Heights of Shweir, and
the Peninsula of Jubeil, the historic City of Byblos.
Samples of these wonderful, original photographs are on display
at the office of The Syrian World.
Orders filled only if paid for in advance.
_
$5. 00
EACH
POSTPAID
3 Pictures or over in one Order, 10 p. c. Discount.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
104 Greenwich St.
Art Dept.
New York
(\
�A PANORAMIC VIEW OF BAALBEK
/
There is little to compare between the modern town of Baalbek, shown
in the foreground, and the majestic riiins of the old city, which appear in
the left background.
-
�THE CITADAL BY THE SEA
The old crasaders' fortress boilt by the sea in Sidon on the rains of the
former Phoenieian quays.
��
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Newspapers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Salloum Mokarzel, a Lebanese American intellectual, founded<em> The Syrian World</em> in 1926. Salloum Mokarzel was the younger brother of Naoum Mokarzel, the publisher of the Arabic-language newspaper <em>Al-Hoda. </em>Together, the Mokarzel brothers ran Al-Hoda Publishing, and in 1909, they published <em>The Syrian Business Directory.</em> </p>
<p>Mokarzel created <em>The Syrian World</em> in order to document and celebrate the culture and history of "Syria." At the time, Syria referred to the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. The publication was primarily aimed towards second-generation children of immigrants, but Mokarzel hoped that it would also appeal to the general American public.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><em>The Syrian World</em> was published between 1926 and 1932 as a journal. In 1932, the format was changed from an academic journal style to a newspaper style, which continued until the periodical's end in 1935. After the death of his brother Naoum, Salloum took over the publication of <em>Al-Hoda.</em></p>
<p>The articles in <em>The Syrian World</em> cover a variety of topics spanning from the practical to the theoretical. Practical subjects include international and domestic travel, historical and contemporary Arabic and Arab-American art and literature, and the mental and physical health and hygiene of immigrants. More theoretical, philosophical, and ideological subjects include ideologies of race, the changing role of women, the formation of Syrian and Lebanese-American societies, and the political and psychological relationships between immigrants and their countries of origin.</p>
<p>All issues of <em>The Syrian World</em> are available, along with full indexes for the first four volumes. For volumes five and six, there are tables of contents at the start of the issues.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabs--United States
Arabic periodicals
Newspapers
Arab American Newspapers
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926-1935
Relation
A related resource
<em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mokarzel Family Papers</a>
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11299/175685" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annotated Index to the Syrian World, 1926-1932</a> at the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center Archives
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Al-Hoda Newspapers</em></a>
Language
A language of the resource
English
Contributor
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Processed by Claire A. Kempa, 2015-2017. Collection Guide written by Claire A. Kempa, 2017.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 August.
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The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings.
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NS 0002
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This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
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Identifier
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TSW1926_10reducedWM
Title
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The Syrian World Volume 01, Issue 04
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926 October
Description
An account of the resource
Volume 1 Issue 04 of The Syrian World, published October 1926. The issue opens with an article about "Near East Relief in Syria" by Charles V. Vickrey. Many of the articles in this issue focus on how the West (specifically France and the United States) has contributed to different aspects of life for Syrians and other immigrants. The topic of "Oriental" prophets and saintly figures from the past is frequently mentioned throughout this issue. There is also an article that discusses the importance of the Arabic proverb, "as generous as Hatem." There is an overall discussion of morals within this issue. The issue ends with excerpts from the Arab press, the reader’s forum, and more discussion of developments in Syria's situation.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals
Arabs--United States--Periodicals
Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals
Language
A language of the resource
English
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Syrian-American Press
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
104 Greenwich St., New York, NY
Format
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Text/pdf
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Text
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
1920s
France
New York
Religion
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/8542da5730dbc3894caa2513462bc421.pdf
f563bd3badf04e8b19851128b58f46f1
PDF Text
Text
^
THE
SYRIAN WORLD
CHRISTMAS NUMBER
1926
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VOL. I.
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�THE
SYRIAN WORLD
VOL. I. No. 6.
DECEMBER, 1926-
The Spirit of Christmas
To our readers Christmas should bear a special significance
As Syrians, although now scattered in every part of the
world, they are descendants of the people of the land which
Christ chose as His birthplace.
Whatever their creed, — Christians, Jews or Mohammedans, — they should celebrate the birth of Christ as the outstanding event in human history which made for such spiritual uplift,
such a regeneration of mankind, such a noble conception of a
charitable God, that it revolutionized the former order of things
and supplied the basis for our present civilization, be it of the
East or West; North or South. And this colossal, momentous
event in history took place in their own land.
It is in no1- spirit of vanity, nor boastfulness, nor idle figure
of speech, that we say to every Syrian that he should consider
living within him the spirit of divinity. For has not Christ Himself said that we were all the sons of God? And are not the Syrians the brothers of Christ not alone in the broad sense of human
relationship, but rather in the kinship of race and the close ties
of the immediate family?
It behooves them, therefore, to be conscious of this high
privilege not for the purpose of indulging in empty, vainglorious,
boasting, but with the object of carrying on the torch handed
down to them by their ancestors, and propagating the message
�"
2
'
THE SYRIAN WORLD
entrusted to them by their high cultural and spiritual heritage.
Let us all awaken to the exalted duty that we have a special
mission to perform, and that only to the extent that we properly
fulfill this message we would have the right of claim to our distinction of leadership in the spiritual and moral guidance of the
world.
Christmas, therefore, should be to every Syrian an occasion
for thankfulness and joy from more than the religious standpoint. It should supply an incentive to a moral duty, an appeal
to the high ideals and traditions of race and country as well.
May this Christmas day be to all our readers a model day
on which would be shaped lives full of the joy of achievement,
the satisfaction of service undertaken with the true spirit of sacrifice and love for all men.
THE EDITOR
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THE BETTER PART
H
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By MATTHEW ARNOLD
Long fed on boundless hopes, O race of man,
How angrily thou spurn'st all simpler fare!
"Christ" some one says, "was human as we are:
No judge eyes us from Heaven, our sin to scan;
We live no more when we have done our span." —
"Well, then, for Christ," thou answerest, "who can care?
From sin, which Heaven records not, why forbear?
Live we like brutes our life without a plan!"
So answerest thou; but why not rather say,
"Hath man no second life? — Pitch this one high!
Sits there no judge in Heaven our sin to see? —
More strictly, then, the inward judge obey!
Was Christ a man like us? — Ah! let us try
If we then, too, can be such men as He!"
=
�THE
THREE
WISE
MEN
�KAHLIL GIBRAN
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�'DECEMBER, 1926
Youth and Age
By KAHLIL GIBRAN
In my youth the heart of dawn was in my heart, and the
songs of April were in my ears.
But my soul was sad unto death, and I knew not why. Even
unto this day I know not why I was sad.
But now, though I am with eventide, my heart is still veiling dawn,
And though I am with autumn, my ears still echo the songs
of spring.
But my sadness has turned into awe, and I stand in the
presence of life and life's daily miracles.
The difference between my youth which was my spring, and
these forty years, and they are my autumn, is the very difference
that exists between flower and fruit.
A flower is forever swayed with the wind and knows not
why and wherefore.
But the fruit overladen with the honey of summer, knows
that it is one of life's home-comings, as a poet when his song is
sung knows sweet content,
Though life has been bitter upon his lips.
In my youth I longed for the unknown, and for the unknown I am still longing.
But in the days of my youth longing embraced necessity
that knows naught of patience.
Today I long not less, but my longing is friendly with patience, and even waiting.
And I know that all this desire that moves within me is
one of those laws that turns universes around one another in quiet
�4.
THE SYRIAN WORLD.
ecstasy, in swift passion which your eyes deem stillness, and your
mind a mystery.
T>1
And in my youth I loved beauty and abhorred ugliness, for
beauty was to me a world separated from all other worlds.
thr
But now that the gracious years have lifted the veil of
picking-and-choosing from over my eyes,, I know that all I have
deemed ugly in what I see and hear, is but a blinder upon my
eyes, and wool in my ears;
for
the
And that our senses, like our neighbors, hate what they do
not understand.
sla]
And in my youth I loved the fragrance of flowers and their
color.
lip;
Now I know that their thorns are their innocent protection,
and if it were not for that innocence they would disappear forevermore.
stri
And in my youth, of all seasons I hated winter, for I said
in my aloneness, "Winter is a thief who robs the earth of her
sun-woven garment, and suffers her to stand naked in the wind."
anc
my
But now I know that in winter there is re-birth and renewal,
and that the wind tears the old raiment to cloak her with a new
raiment woven by the spring.
And in my youth I would gaze upon the sun of the day and
the stars of the night, saying in my secret, "How small am I,
and how small a circle my dream makes."
But today when I stand before the sun or the stars I cry,
"The sun is close to me, and the stars are upon me;" for all the
distances of my youth have turned into the nearness of agej
pol
And the great aloneness which knows not what is far and
what is near, nor what is small nor great, has turned into a vision
that weighs not nor does it measure.
the
In my youth I was but the slave of the high tide and the
ebb tide of the sea, and the prisoner of half moons and full
moons.
the
Today I stand at this shore and I rise not nor do I go down.
ma
Even my roots once every twenty-eight days would seek
the heart of the earth.
pat
�DECEMBER, 1926
5
And on the twenty-ninth day they would rise toward the
throne of the sky.
And on that very day the rivers in my veins would stop
for a moment , and then would run again to the sea.
Yes, in my youth I was a thing, sad and yielding, and all
the seasons played with me and laughed in their hearts.
And life took a fancy to me and kissed my young lips, and
slapped my cheeks.
V
I
Today I play with the seasons. And I steal a kiss from life's
lips ere she kisses my lips.
And I even hold her hands playfully that she may not
strike my cheek.
In my youth I was sad indeed, and all things seemed dark
and distant.
Today, all is radiant and near, and for this I would live
my youth and the pain of my youth, again and yet again.
TRADITIONS OF THE PROPHET MOHAMMED
Wisdom enhances the nobility of the noble.
Hearts have a rust like that of iron, and forgiveness is the
polish thereof.
They who are most thankful to God are most thankful to
their fellow-man.
One of the conditions of forgiveness is to bring gladness to
the heart of your brother believer.
Some men speak to please their hearers, though their speech
may lead them to Hell.
God never showered a man with a greater beneficence than
patience.
>4MHBHmHHBP'-'
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
Wise Men of Today
A CHRISTMAS PARABLE
By REV. JOHN HOWLAND LATHROP, D.D.
With what mystery those three figures walk across the pages
of the Christmas story! "Out of the East" — and that is a vast
unknown land, wrapped in mystery. "And they departed into
their own country" and the imagination knows no limit to its
surmises. "Wise men" — that is the first definite statement in
the story which has meaning for us. We know what the ancient
wise man was — a repository of all the religious lore of the ages,
a soothsayer, an astrologer, for astronomy was the wisdom of the
oriental world save for the practical rules of conduct contained
in Proverbs. Wise men as the characters, make the story concrete. And they came and saw the cradle of their hopes, which
again is definite, for all the prophecy with which the world was
full lets us understand what were the great expectations of our
fellow creatures in those days.
Let me picture a pageant for you which will translate the
spirit of the Christmas story into the realities of present life.
Wise men must be the characters and the cradle of their hopes,
their destination. Who are these wise men, where do they come
from, and where are they bound? I will, begin with their destination that you may undertsand the progress of the pageant.
Their holy of holies has inscribed on it the word "Immanuel" —
God With Us, and in that chancel reverberates a song, the words
of which are "Peace on earth, good will among men". Tradition
has it that the wise men of old were three in number but Matthew's story says nothing of the number. Certain it is that the
number of wise men in our pageant must be many more than
three, for I see:—
First, a multitude who come out of many nations chiefly the
nations of the West. They are heavily laden with gifts — gifts
of gold above other gifts, perhaps. They are men of sagaaty
and worldly wisdom. They know men and nations and the various fruits of the earth and of men's hands. They have great
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�THE TOMB OF ST. JOHN THE DAMASCENE
**
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Still standing in the great Mosque of the Umayyads in Damascus is the tomb of St. John the Damascene,
"the last eminent theologian of the Eastern Church". This mosque had been before the Arab conquest
a Christian cathedral.
�PHILIP K. HITTI, Ph. D.
�_-.
T>ECEM^Ek)l926
MM
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1
enterprise and energy. They are the captains of industry, commerce and banking, and, strange as it may sound, they seek the
cradle of their hopes in the chancel where the song resounds.
They did not always seek it there j they were not always as wise
as they are today. They used to think, "Blessed are the cutthroats, for they shall inherit the earth". And they used to believe that in fiercest competition was to be found the way to their
desires. Blood and tragedy, ruination and starvation, idleness
and want have all taught them wisdom. Now they cry, "Where
is he who is born Prince of Peace, for we would come and worship him?" They used to think that by rivalry, jealousy, hatred
and enmity would they get the good things they were after. They
now know that Good Will is their greatest asset, and only where
there is good will among men can they flourish. Two thousand
years have rolled away and the first in the company of wise men
who seek the spirit of "God With Us" are proud men made lowly
wise.
And then, I see coming in stately form, the modern successors to the kings of the earth, not from some nations and chiefly
the West, but from all the nations. They are dusky and pale
faced and picturesque beyond description in the garb of every
race. Statesmen we must call them, though that name is sometimes defiled —i the new statesmen of the new day. Formerly
they would not have been found in any pageant of wise men
seeking the cradle that unites Jew and Samaritan, Christian and
Barbarian. They thought that theirs was a cunning game of outwitting simple people in order to lord it over them, or of conniving with others like themselves to get the better of still others
like themselves. But the old race of statesmen is dying out and
new blood is bringing new wisdom. In the veins of the new statesmen is, the sanity of a Root, the sympathetic understanding of a
Benes, the idealism of a Wilson, the liberal practicality of a
Smuts and the patience of a Ramsey MacDonald. These wise
men lift their eyes to the hills of a city in a little European republic which has become the symbol of all they hope, and from
that city some of them journeyed until they heard an echo of the
angels' song by an Italian lake. They are beginning to remember
the words, "Be ye wise as serpents and gentle as doves" and they
dare to ask at last, "Where is he who will beat the spears into
plowshares for the government shall be upon his shoulders".
As these wise men join the pageant their ranks are not all closed,
but they are filling up, even though some do not become labor-
�8
<tH£ SYRIAN WORLD;
ers among them until the eleventh hour.
Succeeding these, I see a different looking company coming from Everyman's Land. They know nothing of nations nor
races. They speak all languages and talk with each other as
comrades about all history. They plunge into the depth of the
atom and into the abysses of space. They would "comprehend
the dust in a measure and mete out the heavens with a span .
These are the scientists, the wise men supreme of our new day,
the direct descendants of the astrologers of old who cast a horoscope and beheld His star in the east. What floods of wisdom
have they poured into the world, in a brief time — too much for
anyone to assimilate, too much for any of us to comprehend clearly whither it leads. Yet there are signs and the signs seem to
point to that same spot where is the mystic word, "Immanuel ,
for great words fall upon our ears from their lips which can have
for their concluding verse no other lines than those concerning
"good will" and "peace". These wise men are in our pageant
whispering "order", "law", "system", "growth", "progress", the
implications of which, we scarcely see. As we listen to them we
begin to ask "If these things are the vast universe, how can we
humans escape, must not we too know order, law, system, growth,
progress, which in human terms spell 'Peace on earth, good will
among men'?" If from the atoms to the starry heavens above,
why not from the human heart to the life of life within? And
some of the company of scientists answer our question by developing the science of the mind,, the science of society, the science of
economy and all the other sciences that deal with us ourselves.
Yes, they seek the one who is to teach us to pray, "Thy will be
done among men as it is done in the heavens above", and they
bring great gifts.
Then, I see a company of the fair and dreamy eyed. Ihere s
color and verse and music and dancing in their midst. They have
a wisdom that is by intuition, a gift of grace, rather than of labor.
Age has little to do with their wisdom — they are wise from their
youth. Artists, we call them and whether they write or paint
or sing, there is a magic harmony, in it all. Imagination is their
gift. By it, some burst into verse and as you listen you say, "Isaiah uttered such things, Christ saw their kingdom, John on Patmos beheld their holy city, and just a little while ago Tennyson,
Browning and Whitman beheld what they behold." The poets
of the world voice the heart's deepest longing and it is forever
for those things which eye hath not seen and which belong to
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DECEMBER, '192'6
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peace when we have remolded "this sorry scheme of things near, er to the heart's desire". By the imagination, some burst forth
into music and music is the tongue all men can understand, making brothers of the swarthy singer of Spirituals and the pale faced
composer of symphonies. Whittier wrote, "All the jarring notes
ot life slow rounding into calm", but whether it be calm or exhilaration, it is always harmony. Are we hostile races when Nordics sing Semitic psalms to the tunes of Palestrina as their offering to God, or are we children of one father with the same heart
beating m, every human breast? Time would fail me to speak of
all the others in the company of artists — wise men, seers, visionaries, dreamers of dreams. Whither are they bound if not where
beauty, harmony, which are artist words, for good will, dwell?
And next, I see a company whose very brows bespeak them
wise men, — furrows between their eyes, bespectacled, perhaps,
men again who come from every quarter. They show that without instruments or other aids they have dwelt long in bloody
sweat with their own thoughts. The philosophers join our pageant, for aristocrats though they be, their journeys have taught
them that the simple things are not to be despised and that the
sumum bonum they sought so far away is, perhaps by their very
door -— God With Us, in us, through us. This pantheism, if
you will, is the final result of the ages' search and none can do
better than the psalmist when he sang, "If I ascend up into
heaven, Thou art there; if I take the wings of the morning and
dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall Thy hand
lead me." Nor can any do better in his search for the ethical
implications of philosophy than to say, "As ye would that men
should do unto you, do ye even so to them." Yes, gladly philosophers tramp with us the common dusty road that leads to the
.great resting place where still the angels sing. More and more
bur philosophers are concerned not so much with the ultimate,
nature of reality as with the nature of persons and their meaning.
HThe values that philosophers give to persons lead directly to the
|ife which only the spirit of good will can achieve.
Lastly, among the wise men of today are those who through
long ages of pomp, power, authority, disputes, quarrelings and
|mathemas have denied the spirit in which they were born, but
Ire now coming to themselves certain of the Master's pardon.
|The religious leaders recognize today one common essential gosJ )el beneath all their varying definitions and formulations. They
lave learned to appreciate what Jesus meant when He said, "Not
�T>ECE2
fHE SYRIAN WORZU
id
everyone that sayeth unto me Lord, Lord, but he who doeth the
will". Hence, the angels' song becomes the one universal religious
hymn, uniting the followers of every faith.
When the wise men of old sought the cradle of their hopes
a new era in human history began. That thq wise men of today
seek one common cradle of their hopes suggests again a new era
in human history. This is the reason that Christmas grows apace
and has become in our time the supreme human festival.
Th<
i
At
!
SYRIAN PROVERBS
The peacemaker receives two-thirds of the beating.
The hand that is empty is soiled.
Were there any good in the owl, she wouldn't escape the
hunter.
They said to the mother-in-law: weren't you a daughter-inlaw once and she replied: I was but I forgot.
Pass by your enemy when you are hungry but not when you
are naked.
Sit crooked and talk straight.
Of all the children in the street the negress found none
prettier than her own child.
He has no benefit, yet his smoke blinds.
A small pebble props up a large jar.
The crooked furrow is through the fault of the biggest ox.
All the roads lead to the flour mill.
A pebble in its place weighs a ton.
naturally
the land
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�"DECEMBER, '1926
n
V-
The Spiritual Contribution of the
People of Syria
By PHILIP K. HITTI, PH. D.
At this time of the year, Christmas time, our minds turn
naturally to that distant land which saw the first Christmas —
the land of Syria and Palestine. We think of it as the birthplace of our Christianity and we associate its name with all that
is holy, sacred and noble in our past spiritual heritage which has
become the heritage of the civilized world. The Jews also revere in it the place which served as the cradle of their religion,
the earliest monotheistic religion; and the Moslems look upon
Jerusalem and Damascus as second to none, in holiness and esteem, than Mecca and al-Medinah themselves. As the birthplace of two of the monotheistic religions, and the neighbor of
the third _— Islam —, Syria has carved for itself a place that is
supreme in the spiritual consciousness of mankind. It is from
that point of view a unique spot in the geography of the world.
Certain parts of the world developed cultures and civilizations which were glorious in themselves but which did not flow
into the stream of human progress. Their achievements do not
form a part of the heritage of the modern man. India and China
are such lands. Both India and China had moral teachers, spiritual leaders, and religious philosophers hundreds of years before Christ. They developed the mystic and ethical side of man
to a high degree. But their intellectual attainments and spiritual achievements are not a part of our mental equipment today.
They belong to another humanity, as it were. But the fruits
of the seeds planted thousands of years ago in the soil of the
Near East we still relish and enjoy.
Other parts of the world can rightly claim a niche in the
hall of immortality on the ground that they are the benefactors
of the whole human family. There is no man nor woman who is
�12
THE SYRIAN WORZD
not their beneficiary. Athens is such a place. Rome is another.
Such cities seem to belong to the whole world. They are international. Athens bequeathed to us its philosophy, its arts, and
its democracy, which still influence our lives. Rome bequeathed
its unexcelled system of laws. But the philosophy of the Greeks,
and the laws of the Romans dwindle into nothingness when compared with the spiritual contribution of Jerusalem, Bethlehem,
and Nazareth. The beginnings of the moral and ethical codes
that still control the world, the rudiments of the principles of
justice and mercy, the roots of altruism and idealism — all go
back to origins which were proclaimed for the first time on the
eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
It is this fact which made Sir George Adam Smith declare:
"Syria, chiefly because she includes Phoenicia and Palestine, has
been of greater significance to mankind spiritually and materially than any other country in the world." It is this same fact
which made Pere Lammens write: "Tout homme a deux patries:
la sienne, puis la Syrie." — "Every man has two countries: his
own and Syria."
In some other fields of human endeavor the ancient people
of Syria were imitators and disseminators. They copied from
the people of the valley of one river, Egypt, on one hand, and
from the people of the valley of two rivers, Mesopotamia, on
the other. They exchanged the industrial products and commercial commodities of those lands. But in one realm they were
no imitators. They were originators. And that was the realm
of spirit. In this field the Syrians were teachers. Just as the
land of Syria served as the medium of communication between
the early seats of civilization, so the people of Syria served as
the medium of communication between God and man.
With all that we are more or less familiar. We all associate the birth of Christianity with the land of Syria. But few
of us probably realize how instrumental those people were in
propagating the Christian faith, defending it, and making it a
world power. It is not the immediate apostles and disciples of
Christ that I have in mind. It is later generations of Christian
Fathers, historians, and martyrs, whose names may be Greek or
Syriac, but who were born and lived in Syria and whose work
made possible the spread and conquests of the religion of Nazareth.
I
�'DECEMBER, 1926
13
Let us mention two only to illustrate the contribution of
Syrian Palestine.
One of the earliest and ablest of Christian apologists was
Justin Martyr, born in ancient Shekem (modern Nablus) from
pagan parents. After his conversion, Justin retained his philosopher's cloak, the distinctive badge of the wandering teacher of
philosophy, and went about from city to city for the purpose of
bringing educated pagans through philosophy to Christ. In Rome,
the then capital and mistress of the world, he made a long stay
delivering lectures in a class-room of his own. Finally, between
163 and 167 A. D., he offered the supreme sacrifice of his life
as a martyr for the sake of his belief. His name heads the list
of Christian martyrdom.
Another Palestinian of Greek origin was Eusebius who died
as bishop of Caesarea in 339 or 340 A. D. Eusebius was undoubtedly the most learned man of his age. He stood in favor
with the emperor Constantine and, at the council of Nicasa, he
occupied a seat at the emperor's right hand. But it is as a historian that Eusebius is best known, and to his "History of the
Christian Church" he owes his fame and his well-deserved title
"The Father of Church History".
It was in a city in northern Syria, Antioch, that the little
community which grouped itself around the personality and
memory of the great Nazarene was for the first time called
"Christian". That same city is hollowed by the memory of many
other events and personages. In it was born and is buried one
of the greatest luminaries of the early Christian Church, St. John
Chrysostom, "the Gold-Mouthed". The little candle-light kept
burning on his tomb, on the slope of the hill overlooking the
modern Antioch, can still be seen by any visitor. I shall never
forget the thrill and the inspiration which that dim light gave
me as, one evening in the Spring of 1923, I made my way down
the hill from the citadel crowning its summit. Born at this ancient capital of Syria, about 345 A. D., from a noble family,
young John chose first an escetic life of self-denial in the adjoining desert. But he was later drafted into the world service
and soon promoted to the archbishopric of Constantinople where
his fame as a preacher and teacher spread far and wide. His
festival is kept by the Greek Orthodox Church on the 13th of
November and by the Roman Catholic Church on the 27th of
January of every year.
It is hard to think of John Chrysostom (Fatn-ul-Dhahab)
�14
tHE SYRIAN WORLD
without thinking of his namesake and peer, St. John of Damascus, the last eminent theologian of the Eastern Church. John
Damascenus was born about 752 A. D. His Arabic name was
Mansur Ibn-Sarjun and he received the epithet Chrysorrhoas
(gold-pouring) on account of his unexcelled eloquence. When
a young man, John was befriended by the illustrious Arab Mu'awiyah, the founder of the Umayyad dynasty in Damascus, and
acted as boon companion (nadim) to Mu'awiyah's son and successor, Yazid. Like John of Antioch, John the Damascene was
also canonized by both the Oriental and Occidental branches of
the Christian Church. According to the Greek calendar, his festival is observed on the 29th of November and the 4th of December, and according to the Latin calendar, on the 6th of May.
Justin the martyr, Eusebius the historian, John! Chrysostom
the orator, and John Damascenus the theologian — how much
poorer the Christian world would have been without them!
*****
These few names do not, of course, exhaust the list, but
will serve to illustrate the debt which the world owes to the spiritually minded early Syrian Christians. And when we speak of
the Syrian Christians, we cannot but think of those of them who
flourished outside of the limits now set around present-day Syria.
The Syrian Church of Mesopotamia can well take pride in the
lives of many men preeminent among whom stands St. Ephraim,
the most famous and influential Syrian Father and author. Ephraim Syrus (the Syrian) was born in Nisibin in the early part
of the fourth century, and died in Edessa (modern Urfa). As
a sacred poet, commentator, preacher and defender of orthodoxy,
he stands supreme in the annals of the Syriac-speaking Church.
His fame is equalled by only that of Chrysostom and Damascene.
A couple of centuries ago, the world was astounded at the
discovery of a tablet, in Chinese and Syriac, that has been standing since the eighth century at Sianfu, China, and bearing the
oldest Christian inscription yet found in eastern Asia. On this
tablet the names and labors of 67 Nestorian missionaries are commemorated. The date it bears is the second year of the reign
of Kien-Chung of the Tan dynasty, which corresponds to the
year 781 A. D. Such is the testimony of this silent witness of
the early Syrian faith.
The Syrian church of Mesopotamia, in those early days,
<
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mu
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—
�A TYPICAL PRIMITIVE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN SYRIA
Many are the churches in Syria that present the appearance of the one shown in this photograph, especially in the mountain villages where the churches are built not only for the purpose of worship, but as havens of refuge in case of attack. The church illustrated is in the Howran Mountain, more popularly known
as Jebel-ad-Druze.
�A VILLAGE IN LEBANON
Quite pretentious is the modern Lebanon village with its red-tiled roofs loudly proclaiming the wealth of
the emigrant sons of the Mountain in America. But the old type of village, with its flat-roofed houses
huddled together in a friendly, informal manner, has its charms. Here is a section of the old type Lebanon
village, almost at the highest point of elevation in the mountain.
11
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I
�DECEMBER, 1926
15
carried its missionary activity not only into China but India, too,
where it is still represented at the present day by a small community of believers in the sov thern part of the peninsula. This
is the St. Thomas Church of India.
But it is not our present purpose to dwell on the spiritual
contribution of Syrian Mesopotamians, nor to follow the story
through medieval times. It may suffice to state in this connection that between the years 60S and 741 A. D., not less than
five popes of Syrian origin, ranging from John I to Gregory III,
presided over the destinies of the Catholic Church.
*****
To no one, therefore, should Christmas mean more than to
him who comes from, or traces his descent to, that land where
the first Christmas was enacted. The spirit and memory of Christmas should urge such a man or woman to greater efforts and
higher achievements, so that he or she may be worthy of the
superb heritage that lies behind them. Unless we try and live
up to those old and sacred memories, what good are they for?
THE GUEST
By AMEEN RIHANI *
Why art thou so hushed and sad,
So thin and wan?
Who robbed thee of thy flesh and song,
Was it Ramadhan?
Nay, Ramadhan is not to blame,
For I have ceased to fast and pray;
But to my vacant Dwelling came
An unknown Guest — he came to stay.
And in my heart he eats and drinks j
He drinks my blood, of wines the best,
And eats my burning flesh — ah, yes,
My love for Zahra is that guest.
Translation from the Arabic in "A Chant of Mystics and other
Poems,"
�, ...
If—
16
._-_,_-.
;. -
THE SYRIAN WOULD
Christmas in a Lebanon Village
By IBN EL-KHOURY
The village in Lebanon from which I came is situated midway between the summit and the base of the mountain. It is
near enough to the city of Beirut to be in partial touch with modernizing influences, and far enough to retain traces of the old
color of the patriarchal, simple life of the hardy mountaineers.
The church, for instance, had benches for seating worshippers,
a privilege and a luxury enjoyed by only a few of the churches
of the more pretentious mountain villages. Yet the latticed partition separating the men's from the women's quarters remained,
as also all the rituals as practised for centuries in the old Syriac
language in the full grandeur of their simplicity.
Next to Easter, which by virtue of the fact that it falls in
the full, bloom of Spring and following a long period of penitence which, during Lent, is practised even now in those sequestered Lebanon villages as it was in the earliest periods of Christianity,— next to Easter, Christmas is the festal day observed with
the greatest display of ostentation and exhileration. It is for the
Lebanese Christians, not a day of exchange of presents, because,
for some reason or other, presents to children are given on New
Year's day, but an occasion for real spiritual joy and elation to
which the mountain folks deliver themselves with all the purity
of their unsophisticated minds. The atmosphere along about this
season seems to, be impregnated with the fragrance of the lofty
virtues symbolized by the birth of Christ, and the villagers in
their transports of ecstasy seem all to be living in a charmed world
of their own.
Preparations for Christmas festivities are conducted on quite
an elaborate scale. Every household in the village, from that
of the Sheik or magistrate, down to that of the humblest farmer
or goat-herder, as the day approaches, vibrates more and more
with the spirit of activity. Baklawa, burma, mulabbas and other
sweets are ordered from the city to be served to visitors; while
the native products such as dried figs, raisins and pickles are always within easy reach. Most important of all is the testing ancj
�DECEMBER, '1926
17.
sampling of wine. Wine, the genuine fermented juice of the
grape, the national drink of Lebanon, the fluid which inspires the
village bards and is from time immemorial the first and foremost
token of proffered hospitality, must of necessity lead the list of
festal preparations. The vintage of the preceding crop is therefore sampled as safely as possible before Christmas, and when
anyone finds that his wine has not sufficiently aged to suit the
fastidious taste of a connoisseur, — and they are all connoisseurs
of wine in Mt. Lebanon — he borrows a jar of older wine from
his neighbor, for only the best must be served on Christmas.
Of a more complex nature are the activities to be observed
in the rectory of the priest. His family, to be sure, looks forward to the advent of Christmas with as much anticipation of joy
as any household in the village. For the priests of the Eastern
Churches, especially parish priests, are married. This privilege
is enjoyed not only by adherents of the Greek Orthodox Church,
which is independent of Rome, but by priests of the Greek Melchite and Maronite Churches, which are both integral branches
of the Church of Rome, as well. And in some instances the priest
can boast of larger families than any of the most ambitious laymen, among the villagers.
But the Khouriaty or the priest's wife, has more to look
after than the ordinary matron, and the children of the Khoury
are called upon to do more than prepare their holiday costumes
and make necessary arrangements for the reception and entertainment of guests and callers. I happen to be the son of a priest
and I know. My recollection of these circumstances, although
dating back to more than a quarter-century, is still as vivid and
clear as if I had witnessed this procession of incidents only yesterday. Rather, it is perhaps now that I begin to appreciate the
exquisite romance that is so closely interwoven with the life of
a Lebanon villager, now that I have come to experience the dull
routine, the driving urge, the mad rush of life in an American
city.
As the son of a priest, more fell upon me to do than upon
an ordinary boy of the peaceful village. But I now have occasion to thank my stars for so being, because I find myself for
this fact so much the richer in experience and. in intimate knowledge of many of the commonly unobserved details of the preparations for Christmas, albeit these preparations are by no means
out of conformity with the simple life of the country.
Upon the priest's household falls the duty of dressing up
�Jr
THE SYRIAN WORZD
18
the church for Christmas. For days ahead we would be occupied
in cleaning, polishing and laundering. The altar linen, all fringed with fine hand-made laces worked by the deft fingers of the
maids and matrons of the village, and presented to the church
either in fulfillment of a vow or out of a purely pious impulse,
must all be immaculately clean for the holiday. All brass ware of
the church must be as shiny as on the day it was bought, from the
incensor to the candlesticks. For want of polish, we used at first
sand, then lemon juice. At times we received some assistance
in our task from volunteers, — young men and maidens who,
perhaps, were kept longer at the task more through love for
each other than love for the work itself, but the intensity of their
-feeling only manifested itself in furtive glances and in the energy they put in their labor.
Then it was that we had to bake the sacramental wafers,
which by itself was not an unwelcome task, inasmuch as the assistants were privileged to eat all broken wafers; consequently,
when the priest's back was turned, broken wafers were almost
the rule. This usually was done on a sunny day in the open, on
a wood-fire.
Christmas eve is spent either in silent meditation or in open
prayer almost in every house, members of the family crowding
around the open fire awaiting the coming of midnight to answer
the call of the church bell beckoning them come to mass. No
food in any form is taken from the hour of sunset because almost
everyone receives communion. But all the good things to eat
and to drink are already prepared and placed within convenient
reach for the festivities that are to follow.
At the stroke of midnight the church bell begins to peel
out its cheerful tidings of the day commemorating the birth of
the Lord. Long and methodical are these silvery sounds that
fill the air with their message of joy and are echoed throughout
the sleeping valleys of the mountain. At times a weird, soulstirring effect is produced by the conflict of sound coming from
the varied rings of the different-sized bells of several churches
in the same village, or of neighboring villages within hearing
distance. This prelude to the Christmas festivities is one of their
outstanding features, because it is for the young men of each village a test of strength and endurance, also calling for no little
amount of skill in producing the different combinations of bellplay. In most churches, the bellfry is raised about midway in the
length of the building over the side-wall close to one of the cen-
31HHiHBMHHMHBBHBH>
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SKSRSHSIHI
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'DECEMBER, 1926
ter doors. There the pretentious voting men gather around the
dangling rope, in full view of the worshippers, to take turns at
performing the feat. We may be sure that while this is proceeding, many pairs of admiring eyes are peering through the latticed partition focussing on the knot of competing young men gathered around the bell-rope. This is kept up until the whole congregation is in church and the services actually begin.
At the first call of the church bell, one standing on an eminence witnesses a sight whose impression resists any action of time
anc} adheres tenaciously to the memory. In the heavy darkness
of the night, accentuated in spots by thick clumps of woods or
by the depression of the valleys, one sees moving hither and
thither in every direction mysterious lights being raised or lowered or swayed to this side or the other, but all slowly, yet steadily, making their way towards one focal point in the direction of
the church. These are the lanterns carried by the villagers to
guide their footsteps in the winding, treacherous paths leading
to the open square around the church.
The midnight mass is a sacred institution in the Christian
villages of Lebanon. Rain or snow or dry weather, attendance
is compulsory. There seems to be associated with these midnight
services in the minds of these sincere, devout Christians special
graces hallowed by centuries of observance. To miss being in
church with the birth of the new day heralding anew the birth
of Christ is a calamity.
Inside the church there glows the soft, flickering light of a
hundred candles. The big crystal luster hanging in the center
of the church, a gift of one of the prosperous emigrants of
the village in America, is all radiant with the light of its twoscore candles such as it is on but a few occasions during the year.
The priest dresses on the altar with all the ceremony of a bishop
on a festive occasion. The acolytes are furiously adding incense
on the burning charcoal and rapidly filling the place with a cloud
of fragrant smoke. A half-score men priding themselves in their
melodious voices are grouped in a farther corner of the altar
taking turns at chanting the mystic services in the old Syriac
tongue. One man stands at the immediate steps of the altar with
cymbals in hand ready to pound at the first motion from the
priest. Standing on either side of the altar are two brass discs
hung with small, loose rattles mounted on a long pole ready for
use in a quivering, oscillating movement around the host at the
time of its elevation.
�20
?H£ SYRIAN WOKm
The service progresses very slowly, and as the reading of
the Gospel approaches a man is seen to rise and walk to the rear
of the church where, at the door of the latticed partition, he takes
from the arms of a woman an infant apparently but a few months
old. He; carries it gently to the altar landing and, as the priest
faces the worshippers, he beckons the man to approach. The priest
rests the holy book on the head of the child and reads the Gospel
from that position. This reverential action is supposed to carry
with it a special blessing.
Towards the end of the mass the men begin to line along the
altar railing to receive communion, but the women form in line
within their own partition and the priest descends the steps of the
altar and walks slowly down the center aisle, preceded by acolytes
bearing lighted candles and all the while burning incense, to
meet them at that location.
Christmas is the feast of peace on earth and good will towards men, and in these primitive Christian churches in Lebanon
villages a physical interpretation is given to these symbolic words.
At the time the officiating priest pronounces the words of the angels, towards the conclusion of the mass, he touches the outstretched hand of the acolyte to his right, and the latter immediately rises and passes the "salaam", or peace token, by the touch
of hand, to the first man next to the altar. The salaam is then
passed in like manner from the one to the other until it goes the
full round of the church. By now the hour has well advanced
towards dawn and the church begins to pour out its stream of
humanity from the different exits only to eddy and form in little
groups in the open court of the church to exchange greetings.
Presently small bands of joyful men and women form and are
seen travelling in different directions. Neighbors and relatives
congregate at the house of the leading man of the section or the
clan and deliver themselves up to merry-making around a bounteous festive board. The fire in the open hearth now glows more
brightly and the insidious Lebanon wine flows freely and reflects
its warmth in the ruddy faces of the mountaineers. The infant
Christ has come again to announce peace and good-will and now
the happy, leisurely villagers invoke all means at their command
to accentuate and radiate the good feeling.
A man whose neighbor cannot trust him cannot enter paradise.
Mohammed.
^
•
�t
DECEMBER, 1926
as
Who is Santa Glaus
By HABIB I. KATIBAH
How many Syrian boys and girls are there to whom Santa
Claus is more than the central figure in a legend which is rather
remote from their own traditions and folklore? Santa Claus,
the benevolent benefactor of Yuletide, with his reindeer and his
sleigh, certainly could not have even the farthest connection
with sunny Syria and its benign azure sky. What is Santa Claus
without snow, red fur cap and white beard, draped with snow
flakes, and flying with his chariot and reindeers in the sky?
Such a legend rings to the echo of the Sagas, to the myths
of Oden and Knecht Ruprecht; it fits into the atmosphere of the
smoking chimnies, of the hearth, and the Yule log. It seems preposterous to suggest that the; jolly, red-faced, portly gentleman,
dear to the hearts of thousands of young folks the world over,
is any but a hero arising from the cold mists of the old Teutonic
myths and traditions.
Well, if my readers think so, they are due for a shocking
disillusion, or perhaps a pleasing one, when I tell them that Santa
Claus, instead of coming from the blizzards of the dreary north
and spreading the sunshine of his broad smile southward, until
his reign has included the distant lands of Nippon and Cathay,
and all children of the world, at least for a period of a month
or thereabout, seek diligently to obey his behests and commands,
had in reality come from the East, from a little town not distant
from northern Syria, from whence he went out to conquer the rest
of the world with his charming kindness and benevolence.
Of course Santa Claus is real. His real name is Saint Nicholas. We know very little about him, but enough to assure us
of his reality, and that he did live and move about in this world
of ours. He lived very long ago, just how long may be surmised from the fact that the Christian emperor Justinian built a
church in his memory in Constantinople in the year 430. He
must have lived at least fifty years before that, perhaps a hundred. One tradition makes him to have participated yi the Nicean Council, 325 A. D. His birthplace was the little town of
MB
�J1
———_____
2t
¥HE SYRIAN WORLD.
Patras, in Asia Minor, and later he became the bishop of Myra,
in Greece.
When Chaucer wrote his famous Canterbury Tales, Saint
Nicholas had become acclimatised to the Western world and incorporated in its calendar of saints. His birthday had been already fixed by the Church on the 6th of December, and some of
the traditions and legends about him, had spread abroad and attained a wide popularity. One of these traditions makes him a
lad of exemplary conduct, who devoted himself to worship in
his early youth. Thus Chaucer sings of him:
"But ay, when I remembere on this matere,
Saint Nicholas stant ever in my presence,
For he so yong to Christ did reverence."
Not always was the festival of Saint Nicholas, who by corruption had become Santa Claus, identified with Christmas. There
was a time, and it is still in Holland and Belgium, when his birthday was celebrated independently as a festival for children. Mr.
George McKnight, in his book, "Saint Nicholas: His Legends
and His Role in the Christmas Celebration," relates how a little
Belgian girl in the days of the World War, when German soldiers had driven many families of Belgium away from their
own country, describes in a letter to her American "god-mother"
the visit of Saint Nicholas to the orphanage of Varengeville-surMer:
"We have just had a grand visit from St. Nicholas," writes
this little Belgian girl. "He came in person to bring us some nice
things as he used tc do when we were at home. We were playing
when, all at once, we heard singing at one side and saw a bishop
ringing a bell. What joy! it is St. Nicholas! We kneeled down
to receive his blessing, and then sang a song and went into the
house. St. Nicholas talked to us and, best of all, gave us some
presents. He gave us an orange, a barley sweet, a cake, and some
games. My, how happy we were!"
At one time the festival of Saint Nicholas extended over the
greater part of Western Europe. With the advent of Protestantism, and its aversion to "saint-worship", the traditions of St. Nicholas, his patronage and generosity to children, were transposed
to Christmas.
Not vecy far back, however, St. Nicholas made the rounds
of his visit to the homes in the different countries of Western and
33g£_2&W_fl_&gBfnK__<
--____»
�DECEMBER, 1926
23
Middle Europe, with his bishop's red mitre, exactly as he does
today in Belgium and Holland. Mr. McKnight mentions in his
book that in these countries, particularly in Austria, Switzerland
and Southern Germany, the old St. Nicholas customs "still maintain a vigorous existence." He tells that in Ehingen on the
Danube, it is customary for children to keep tally on a stick the
numbers of times they said their prayers. The child showing
many tallies is favored by Santa Claus. Before going to bed these
children place bowls under their beds for St. Nicholas to fill them
with presents, muttering this prayer before they go to sleep:
"St. Nikolaus, leg mir ein,
Was dein guter will mag sein,
Aepfel, Birnen, Nuss und Kern
Essen die kleinen Kinder gern."
(St. Nicholas, put in for me
What thy good will may be,
Apple, pear, and good sweetmeat,
Little children love to eat.)"
!
«
V
How St. Nicholas became the patron saint of children,
and how his festival was connected with the customs of gifts and
presents, is one of the most interesting chapters in the fanciful
romance of history.
The most ancient and most persistent legends of Saint
Nicholas is one which represents him as the son of a wealthy man.
When his father died, St. Nicholas, who had been brought up as
a pious youth, was wondering how to spend his wealth in the
service of God to the best advantage. He heard, one day, that
a nobleman from his own hometown, who had become impoverished, was constrained to abandon his three virgin daughters to
"lechery" so that the family could be sustained by "the gain and
winning of their infamy." St. Nicholas was moved by this tale,
and going secretly by night to the house of the nobleman, he
threw in a mass of gold wrapped in a cloth. The nobleman rose
up in the morning, and finding the gold on the floor, praised God
and married his eldest daughter with the dowry thus mysteriously afforded. The act was repeated a second time for the second
daughter. When the turn of the third daughter came, the nobleman had laid in wait to find out who was his unknown benefactor,
in order to thank him. St. Nicholas came and threw the bundle
of gold as he had done before, and fled. The man, who had been
�24
THE SYRIAN WORLD
awakened by the sound of the gold, followed St. Nicholas saying: "Sir, flee not away so but that I may see and know thee."
There is an allusion to this story in Dante's Purgatorio.
This story connects the name of St. Nicholas with the custom of gifts and generosity. Similar ones made him in time the
patron saint of children, of old maids, of mariners and of pawnkeepers. In all these St. Nicholas is made the protector of the
weak and helpless ones.
One of these stories makes him the restorer of a child, in a
miraculous manner, to his mother, and in another he brings three
boys to life after they had been murdered, and their bodies put
in a barrel.
From the dignified Christian bishop to the "elfin-like" figure
of Santa Claus, jumping from chimney to chimney in his reindeer drawn chariot, is a long way. But it is not at all difficult
to see the connection.
The Anglo-Saxon races who were converted to Christianity
retained many of the heathen customs and festivities which the
Church was powerless to eradicate. Among these festivities were
the ones of Yuletide, corresponding to the Saturnalia festivities
of the Romans, and occurring in the latter part of the Fall.
These festivities were thanksgiving festivities to the gods, commemorating the ingathering of the crops. The Jews had a similar festivity called the feast of Tabernacles, and in Syria today
we have remnants of the heathen Saturnalia in what became
known as the feast of the Cross — 'Eed-ul-Saleeb — falling
after the ingathering of the grapes. To these festivities the Church
wisely tacked the names of Sts. Martin, Andrew and Nicholas,
whose calendar days fall in this period. Especially the day of
Saint Nicholas became distinguished for merriment and exchange
of gifts as we have seen.
Up to the 14th century, Christmas remained a solemn festival — a high Mass, in spite of the urging of the Church to make
it an occasion of merriment and joy. But no sooner were the
festivities of St. Nicholas transferred to Christmas than Christmas began to be regaled with something of the gaity pertaining
to the bishop saint of Myra.
With the Protestant reformation, with its antipathy to
saint-worship, an effort was made to supplant the St. Nicholas
legend with another one making the author of the gifts the child
Jesus Himself, hence the Kris-Kringle traditions. So entrenched
was St. Nicholas, however, in the hearts of the little children,
�DECEMBER, r192'6
25
that the Kris-Kringle' tradition could not supplant him, except in
a few Northern localities, as in Schloswig-Holstein, where little
children, even today, put their little bowls under their beds for
the Kris-Kringle to fill with toys, sweet-meat and cakes.
The sleigh and reindeer of St. Nicholas are of Teutonic
origin. They are latter adaptations of the Knecht Ruprecht
legend, which in turn is said to be a reflection of the Odin myth,
the god of wind, who used to ride his aerial chariot in the length
and breadth of the land at the time of Yule. At one stage of the
legend Knecht Ruprecht, on his horse, accompanied the impersonator of the kindly bishop St. Nicholas to punish the bad children
whose conduct does not merit the gifts of St. Nicholas. In time
Knecht Ruprecht dropped out of sight, and St. Nicholas took his
place.
SUFI SAYINGS ON REPENTANCE
Duh-1-Nun, the Egyptian, a Sufi contemporary of al-Junayd, was asked: "Who are the unfortunate ones?" He answered:
"They who know not the way to God and would not know."
Of repentance he said: "The repentance of the common is
of sin, the repentance of the elect is of negligence."
Someone came to Rabi'a al-Adawiyah, a bedouin woman
who was one of the earliest Moslems who "trod the path of Sufism", and asked her: "I have committed many sinsj should I
turn in penitence towards God, would He turn in mercy towards
me?" She replied:
"Nay, but if He should turn in mercy towards thee, thou
wouldst turn in penitence towards Him."
A certain Sufi, who had attended the lectures of Abu Uthman al-Makki and was converted by him, retrogressed after a
few days. Consequently he was ashamed of Abu Uthman and
avoided him whenever possible. One day Abu Uthman cornered him and said:
"My son, it is for such a time and at such a state that Abu
Uthman can benefit you." The man was won over by the kindness of Abu Uthman and his conversion was established.
I
�n
26
THE SYRIAN WORT.U
New Year's Eve
By M. J. NAIMY
Why seethe you, friends, and foam, and run?
Has your tiny sphere begun
Another swing around the sun,
And hence the rush and strife?
But what's your earth or sun to me,
Who was, who am, who e'er shall be
A heaving passion in the sea
Of timeless, boundless life?
Your hopes are born and die with years j
Your joys are bathed in blood and tears j
Your loves are swathed in hates and fears
E'er old, yet ever new.
But I, whose hopes are never born;
Whose joys of tears and smiles are shorn j
Whose love is naked like the morn, —
How can I feast with you?
What need have I of your light
When I walk not, like you, by night
The tortuous paths of Wrong and Right
That lead to where they start?
What need haves I of your wine
When I drink deep of founts divine?
Aye, drown your hearts! I'll not drown mine
Intoxicated heart.
What need have I of song and play?
My deeper silence throbs alway
With melodies of spheres away,
Away beyond your sphere.
Could you but pause in your mirth
And hear the groans of your earth,
Mayhap you'd long for a new birth
And not for a new year.
�DECEMBER, '1926
27,
Ibn Sina (Avicenna)
PHYSICIAN, PHILOSOPHER, P0E7]
By F. I. SHATARA, M. D., F.A.C.S.
Of all the stars scintillating in the firmament of Arab civilization, the name of Ibn Sina, known to the Occidentals as Avicenna, shines most brilliantly.
Physician, philosopher, and poet, he is best described by the
two titles commonly applied to him, namely: Ash-Shaykhur-Rais,
(the chief master), and al-Mu'allimuth-Thani, (the second teacher,) — Aristotle being the first.
It is not here possible to enter, into a discussion of the Arab
contribution to civilization} suffice it to say that during the dark
ages, between the decline of Greek civilization, and the Renaissance, it was the Arabs who kept the torch of knowledge burning,
enriched it by their contributions, and finally handed it on to the
rest of the world. Whether the Renaissance would have been
possible without a background of Arab civilization is a debatable
question. Ibn Sina was one of the pillars of Arab civilization.
He was an Arab culturally, if not racially, for during the golden
age of Arab civilization and conquest, Arabic language and culture ruled supreme and many a non-Arab studied in Arab schools,
and used Arabic as a medium for expression.
Abu 'Ali, Hussayn Ibn 'Abdullah Ibn Sina was born at Bukhara in the year 980 A. D. His father had responded to the
Egyptian call by joining the Isma'ilite sect from whom came the
Assassins, and his mother came from a village near Bukhara.
Much of our information about him is derived from an autobiography in which he chronicled his life story up to the age of
twenty-one. Thereafter, our knowledge is derived from the records of his pupil and friend Abu 'Ubayd of Juzjan. Ibn ul
Qufti, Ibn Abi Usayb'iah and other historians draw on these
sources.
At the age of ten he mastered the Koran and the Arabic
classics. His father and two brothers always discussed philoso-
�28
THE SYRIAN WORLD
phy in his presence. His teacher in his youth was one Abu Abdullah An-Nakly, who came to Bukhara as a guest of Ibn Sina's
father, but in no time the pupil out-learned his tutor, and would
put up to him many baffling questions in logic which the teacher
could not answer, but which he would explain to his teacher.
(Nicholson).
During the six succeeding years he devoted himself to Moslem Jurisprudence, Philosophy, and Natural Science, and studied
Logic, Euclid, and the Almagest (E. M. Browne). He was without a teacher but he studied diligently and read omnivorously
"and the doors of learning opened up to me. Then I turned my
attention to the study of medicine, and as medicine is not a very
difficult science, no wonder that I mastered it in a short time,
and soon the leading physicians began to respect my opinion and
seek my advice. Then I added to my knowledge practical experience, which no book can give." (Ibn ul-Qufti).
He was, however, troubled by metaphysical problems. He
read Aristotle's Metaphysics forty times, until, as he puts it, "I
memorized but did not understand it, and despaired of ever being
able to understand it, until by chance, one afternoon, I purchased
from an auctioneer a manuel of metaphysics by the celebrated
philosopher Al-Farabi. This manual I purchased for the small
sum of three dirhams. I hurried to read it, and lo! my eyes
were opened, and my problems solved. On the following day,
in gratitude, I gave alms to the poor, and thanked the Almighty
Allah."
When he was not much more than eighteen years old, his
reputation as a physician was such that he was summoned to Bukhara to attend King Nuh Ibn Mansur, who, in gratitude for
his services, allowed him to make use of the royal library, which
contained many rare and unique books. (E. M. Browne). "I
found there," he says, "many rooms filled with books which were
arranged in cases, row upon row. One room was allotted to
works on Arabic philology and poetry; another to jurisprudence,
and so; forth, the books on each particular science having a room
to themselves. I inspected the catalogue of ancient Greek authors, and looked for the books which I required. I saw in this
collection books of which few people have heard even the names,
and which I myself have never seen either before or since."
(Ibn Abi Usaybia, Tabaqatu'l-Attiba).
This library was subsequently destroyed by fire, and Avicenna's detractors did not scruple to assert that he himself had pur-
^
MMiMMHMHHMM
�"DECEMBER, 1926
29
posely burned it so as to enjoy a monopoly of the learning he had
derived from it.
At the age of twenty-one, he lost his father and about the
same time composed his first book. He traveled from court to
court in quest of adventure and pleasure, now in favor, now in
disgrace, and always writing indefatigably. He entered the service of Ali Ibn Ma'mun, the ruler of Khawarazm or Khiva, for
a while, but ultimately fled thence to avoid the attempt of Sultan
of Ghazna to kidnap him. After many wanderings, he came to
Jurjan, attracted by the fame of its ruler Jabus as a patron of
learning, but the deposition and murder of that prince almost
coincided with his arrival, and he bitterly exclaimed in a poem
which he composed on this occasion:—
"When I became great no country had any room for me,
When my price went up I lacked a purchaser."
Such a purchaser, however, he ultimately found in the Amir
Shamsud-Dawla, of Hamadan, whom he cured of the colic, and
who made him Prime Minister. A mutiny of the soldiers against
him caused his dismissal and imprisonment, but subsequently the
Amir, being again attacked by the colic, summoned him back, apologized to him, and reinstated him. His life at this time was extraordinarily strenuous} all day he was busy with the Amir's
service, while a great part of the night was passed in lecturing
and dictating notes for his books, with intervals of wine-drinking and minstrelsy. After many vicissitudes, Avicenna, worn out
by hard work and hard living, died in 1036-7 A. D. (428H.) at
the comparatively early age of 58. In his last illness he treated
himself unsuccessfully, so that it was said by the detractors that
neither could his physic save his body nor his metaphysics his
soul. (Browne).
The writings of Ibn Sina were diversified, numerous and
voluminous. In this age of specialization one marvels at the fact
that his mind could master subjects so unrelated, and which today would be life studies for several individuals. He was indeed
a living encyclopaedia of human knowledge of his day.
Al-Qufti gives the number of his works as 21 major and 24
minor works on philosophy, medicine, theology, geometry,. astronomy, philology and the like. Many of his major writings
comprise as many as twenty volumes. Broeklmann gives.a more
extensive list comprising 68 books- on theology and metaphysics,
11 on astronomy and natural history, 16 on medicine, and -4 in
verse, 99 books in all.
�30
TFZE SYRIAN WORLD
His most celebrated Arabic poem is that describing the descent of the Soul (An-Nafs) from the Higher Sphere. This poem
is one of the classics to be memorized by every student of Arabic
literature.
Space does not permit more than a brief reference to the
greatest and most famous of Ibn Sina's works, namely the Qanun,
which up to the seventeenth century of our era was used as a text
in every Medical School in the civilized world. The writer is in
possession of a copy of this celebrated work in three volumes
printed in Egypt in the year 1902. It comprises over 1500 pages.
The material is elaborately divided and subdivided. The description is terse and brief, and the range of the subjects covered
is tremendous. The work may be considered as an encyclopaedia
of medical knowledge of those days. E. M. Browne, in his book,
"Arabian Medicine", describes the Qanun as follows: — "Its
encyclopaedic character, its systematic arrangement, its philosophic
plan, perhaps even its dogmatism, combined with the immense
reputation of its author in other fields besides medicine, raised it
to a unique position in the medical literature of the Moslem
world, so that the earlier works of ar-Razi and al-Majusi, in spite
of their undoubted merits, were practically abrogated by it, and
it is still regarded in the East by the followers of old Greek
Medicine, as the last appeal on all matters connected with the
healing art." Nizami-i-'Arudi of Samarqand, after enumerating a number of books which should be diligently studied by him
who aspires to eminence in medicine, says that if he desires to be
independent of all other works he may rest satisfied with the
Qanun, and thus he continues: — "From him who hath mastered
the first volume thereof nothing will be hidden concerning the
general theory and principles of Medicine, so that could Hippocrates and Galen return to life, it would be proper that they
should do reverence to this book. Yet have I heard a wonderful
thing, to wit, that one hath taken exception to Abu 'Ali (Avicenna) in respect to this work. For four thousand years the physicians of antiquity travailed in spirit and spent their very souls
in order to reduce the science of Philosophy to some fixed order,
yet could they not affect this; until after the lapse of this period
that pure philosopher and most great thinker, Aristotle, weighed
out this coin in the balance of Logic, assayed it with the touchstone of Definitions, and measured it with the measure of Analogy, so that all doubt and uncertainty departed from it, and it
was established on a sure and critical basis. And during these
"~
�F. I. SHATARA, M. D.
�H. I. KATIBAH
�DECEMBER, 1926
31
fifteen centuries which have elapsed since his time, no philosopher
has won to the inmost essence of his doctrine, nor travelled the
high road of his preeminence save that most excellent of the
moderns, the Philosopher of the East, the Proof of God to mankind, Abu <Ali Hussein Ibn 'Abdullah Ibn Sina. Whosoever,
therefore, finds fault with these two great men will have cast
himself out from the fellowship of the wise, ranked himself with
madmen, and revealed himself as fit company only for fools.
May God by His Grace and Favor keep us from such stumblings
and vain imaginings!"
Ibn Sina lived in an age when laboratory examinations, X
Rays and the other modern agencies that the physician of the
twentieth century summons to his aid in diagnosis were unknown.
He had to call to his aid native ability, ingenuity, common
sense, and his power of observation, factors which, it is regrettable
to state, are at times found lacking or neglected by the modern
physician. The following anecdote illustrates his ingenuity. In
his flight from Mahmud of Ghazna, he came incognito to Jurjan
by the Caspian Sea, where a relative of the ruler of that province
lay sick of a malady which bafHed all the local doctors. Avicenna
was requested to examine the patient. He did. Then he requested
the collaboration of someone who knew all the towns of that
province, and who repeated their names while Avicenna felt
the patient's pulse. At the mention of a certain town he felt a
flutter in the pulse. Then he summoned someone who enumerated the streets, then the houses in that town. At the mention of
a particular house in a, particular street the patient's pulse again
fluttered. Avicenna then announced that the patient was in love
with such and such a girl who lives at such and such an address,
and prescribed the remedy. The marriage was solemnized
and the patient cured.
That medicine was regarded with reverence in those clays;
that the qualifications and attainments pre-requisite for a practitioner of the healing art were high, can be gleaned from the following quotations from the Fourth Discourse: — "The physician should be of tender disposition, of wise and gentle nature,
and more especially an acute observer, capable of benefiting everyone by accurate diagnosis, that is to say, by rapid deduction of the
unknown from the known. And no physician can be of tender
disposition if he fails to recognize the nobility of man; nor of
philosophical nature unless he be acquainted with Logic; nor an
acute observer unless he be strengthened by God's guidance-
�32
THE SYRIAN WORLD
and he who is not an accurate observer will not arrive at a correct understanding of the cause of any ailment."
Finally, the following quotation from Whitington's Medical
History, will give the reader a brief estimate of Arabian Medicine of which Ibn Sina was one of the foremost exponents: —
"This display of physical vigor," he says, after describing the
wonderful conquests of the Arabs in the seventh century, "was
followed by an intellectual activity hardly less wonderful. A
Byzantine emperor was astonished to find that the right of collecting and purchasing Greek manuscripts was among the terms
dictated by a victorious barbarian, and that an illustrated copy
of Discorides was the most acceptable present he could offer to
a friendly chieftain. The philosophers of Constantinople were
amazed by the appearance of Moslem writers whom they styled
with reluctant admiration 'learned savages', while the less cultured Christians soon came to look upon the wisdom of the Saracens as something more than human. It was this people who
now took from the hands of unworthy successors of Galen and
Hippocrates the flickering torch of Greek medicine. They failed
to restore its ancient splendor, but they at least prevented its extinction, and they handed it back after five centuries burning
more brightly than before."
FORBEARANCE
Abdullah Ibn Tahir, a general under al-Mamoun, related
that one day he was in the presence of the famous Abbaside Caliph when he called for his slave-boy.
"He called the first time; and he called the second time,"
recounted Abdullah Ibn Tahir, "but there was no answer. Then
the slave-boy burst in shouting angrily: 'Must not a slave-boy
eat or drink? Every time we go out of your sight you start
calling out, 'O, slave-boy, O, slave-boy!' How long will you
call out, 'O, slave-boy'?
"The Caliph made no reply, as he bent his head in contemplation."
"As for me," continued Ibn Tahir, "I thought surely the
Caliph would give command to have the slave-boy beheaded,
but instead, he raised his hand and, addressing me, said:
'O, Abdullah, when a man is good-natured, he spoils the
temper of his servants, but when he is evil-tempered and harsh,
his servants fear him and mend their ways. It is not meet that
we spoil our own temper to improve that of our servants."
�DECEMBER, 1926
33
Bless Their Hearts
By
WILLIAM CATZEFLIS
Vivian had French blood in her veins. One could guess it without being told. She was vivacious,sparkling,and had that something
intangible and yet evident, for which the French have the word
"espiegle" which hardly could be translated "naughty". The
word "mischievous" would be nearer the meaning and still a
poor translation.
At her age, Vivian was only nineteen, it was becoming
andj even charming. Strange, how the same characteristics look
differently at different periods of life! What is lovely and attractive in a girl of nineteen would appear unbecoming and even
ridiculous in a woman of thirty, and vice versa.
By her many friends, Vivian was considered to be the ideal
companion. One never became bored nor dull when she was
around. Her mind was a veritable dynamo, with that difference,
however, that it was variegated, oh so much so! Yet, despite her
apparent lightness, she often surprised her chums, and especially
her elders, by remarks denoting a depth of thought, and breadth
of views far beyond her limited experience in life.
Every one knew that Vivian Colbert and Eddy Raymonds
had an "affair". She made light of it, bantering and bluffing j
pretending that he was to her a little more than the "mob", perhaps, but not enough to raise any fear, or to evoke visions of a
church aisle, two rows of bridesmaids and a trailing veil. She
laughed off the suggestion, as she alone could laugh off the most
trivial as well as the most serious things. But any one with the
least perspicacity could easily see that matters were not as shallow
as she pretended. A few unguarded flashes from her sparkling
eyes, a mark of uneasiness when he was a little too attentive to
other girls, some show of temper uncalled for at times, all these
signs showed more than she cared to reveal, and told their little
tale.
She had known him at College, some few years before, when
she was a "fresh" and he was a senior. He was a star on the
�34
THE SYRIAN WORLD
football team, popular like sin, and handsome like a Greek statue. She had admired him, as everybody did, impersonally and
from a distance, until that day when, coming back from a function, he had given her a ride in his car. They had talked, almost
intimately, as if they had known each other for years, and she
had discovered that he was not all lines and muscles, but that he
was also unusually clever and an excellent conversationalist.
That, he was, to an astonishing degree. But he also was the
most indifferent, easy going, cynical and unscrupulous "stepper"
in fourteen states, and this she did not know. Eddy Raymonds
was one of those who believed that the world owes them a whole
lot, and they set about taking it anyhow. It is possible that he
never stopped to analyze his actions j it is possible that he was not
inherently bad, but he would as easily break a friend's valued
memento as he would a girl's heart, without hesitation or remorse.
His attitude about girls could be seen from the following motto
which he often repeated: "Oh! what difference does it make if you
lie to them? That makes them happy. Isn't that enough?" It
may be bad, unscrupulous, but he did not look at it in this light.
In everything, he was collecting from life what he imagined life
owed him.
To him, Vivian was a plaything from whom to obtain amusement or relaxation as he would from his cigarette or his speedy
roadster. To her, deep down in her heart, unconfessed and unspoken, he was her god.
His companions and friends doubted whether Eddy Raymonds had a true affection for anyone in the world, so unconsciously egotistical was he. However, they made a mental reservation in favor of Alfred G. Prenlan. The G standing for goodness knows what, but in college it stood simply for "Gosh", and
he was thereafter known as Alfred Gosh Prenlan. Alfred was
his shadow, the only person for whom Eddy seemed to have a
sincere attachment and from whom he had no secrets. And the
funny part of it all is that Alfred, unknown to the world, was
head over heels in love with Vivian.
They had just dropped in for a final smoke, the two of
them, Alfrecl and Eddy, in the latter's appartment, after taking
the girls home. Alfred was pensive, Eddy his usual boisterous,
ebullient self.
Alfred had long wanted to say something to* his friend but
�,-d*
'DECEMBER, r1926
35
it was of such a nature that he could never find the courage to
do it. To-night he was desperate} he meant to have it out with
him, and from an apparently clear sky, he shot that question at
himj
—"Eddy, do you really love Vivian?"
—"Don't be a silly fool," laughed Eddy, "why should I love
her?"
—"But you have told her so, and she believes it. Do you
mean to tell me that you were "
—"Lying, why do you hesitate to say the word? Afraid to
hurt my feelings? Why, you simpleton, it makes all girls happy
when you tell them you love them, and Vivian is a good sport,
why then should I disappoint her?"
—"But Vivian might be in love with you. I
I believe
she is. Have you the heart to keep up the deception?"
—"Well, if worse comes to worse, I could appease
her by marrying her and making her the head of my harem. You
know I could do much worse. She is pretty, comes from an excellent family, and is wealthy besides, a consideration which cannot escape my disinterested mind, and "
But Alfred did not let him finish. His usual calm, his meekness, were gone. The man standing near the mantle, his features
distorted by repressed anger, his eyes blazing, his lips trembling,
was a revelation, even to his old chum. He spoke in a low, subdued tone, but emphasizing each one of his syllables, driving
them, so to speak, as so many hot rivets, into the very soul of
his friend:
—"Eddy," said he, "some people may call you cynical, but
I call you a downright,! dastardly coward!"
Surprised at this tone and language, and yet half amused by
his friend's vehemence, Eddy cried out:
—"What is eating you, Al? Why the Billy Sunday outburst?"
—"Because," replied Alfred, "this is exactly what I think
of you! Because a man who wilfully deceives a girl who trusts
and worships him, and lies to her, and makes her forfeit her
chances in this life and her happiness, for the mere selfish satisfaction of amusing himself for a while, is lower than a dog. A
dog would not do anything so base."
—"Al, I am not going to be angry, no matter what you say,"
said Eddy, "but for the love of mud, can you explain to me why
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
football team, popular like sin, and handsome like a Greek statue. She had admired him, as everybody did, impersonally and
from a distance, until that day when, coming back from a function, he had given her a ride in his car. They had talked, almost
intimately, as if they had known each other for years, and she
had discovered that he was not all lines and muscles, but that he
was also unusually clever and an excellent conversationalist.
That, he was, to an astonishing degree. But he also was the
most indifferent, easy going, cynical and unscrupulous "stepper"
in fourteen states, and this she did not know. Eddy Raymonds
was one of those who believed that the world owes them a whole
lot, and they set about taking it anyhow. It is possible that he
never stopped to analyze his actions j it is possible that he was not
inherently bad, but he would as easily break a friend's valued
memento as he would a girl's heart, without hesitation or remorse.
His attitude about girls could be seen from the following motto
which he often repeated: "Oh! what difference does it make if you
lie to them? That makes them happy. Isn't that enough?" It
may be bad, unscrupulous, but he did not look at it in this light.
In everything, he was collecting from life what he imagined life
owed him.
To him, Vivian was a plaything from whom to obtain amusement or relaxation as he would from his cigarette or his speedy
roadster. To her, deep down in her heart, unconfessed and unspoken, he was her god.
His companions and friends doubted whether Eddy Raymonds had a true affection for anyone in the world, so unconsciously egotistical was he. However, they made a mental reservation in favor of Alfred G. Prenlan. The G standing for goodness knows what, but in college it stood simply for "Gosh", and
he was thereafter known as Alfred Gosh Prenlan. Alfred was
his shadow, the only person for whom Eddy seemed to have a
sincere attachment and from whom he had no secrets. And the
funny part of it all is that Alfred, unknown to the world, was
head over heels in love with Vivian.
They had just dropped in for a final smoke, the two of
them, Alfreci and Eddy, in the latter's appartment, after taking
the girls home. Alfred was pensive, Eddy his usual boisterous,
ebullient self.
Alfred had long wanted to say something tof his friend but
�=^£
DECEMBER, '1926
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35
it was of such a nature that he could never find the courage to
do it. To-night he was desperate; he meant to have it out with
him, and from an apparently clear sky, he shot that question at
himj
—"Eddy, do you really love Vivian?"
—"Don't be a silly fool," laughed Eddy, "why should I love
her?"
—"But you have told her so, and she believes it. Do you
mean to tell me that you were "
—"Lying, why do you hesitate to say the word? Afraid to
hurt my feelings? Why, you simpleton, it makes all girls happy
when you tell them you love them, and Vivian is a good sport,
why then should I disappoint her?"
—"But Vivian might be in love with you. I I believe
she is. Have you the heart to keep up the deception?"
—"Well, if worse comes to worse, I could appease
her by marrying her and making her the head of my harem. You
know I could do much worse. She is pretty, comes from an excellent family, and is wealthy besides, a consideration which cannot escape my disinterested mind, and "
But Alfred did not let him finish. His usual calm, his meekness, were gone. The man standing near the mantle, his features
distorted by repressed anger, his eyes blazing, his lips trembling,
was a revelation, even to his old chum. He spoke in a low, subdued tone, but emphasizing each one of his syllables, driving
them, so to speak, as so many hot rivets, into the very soul of
his friend:
—"Eddy," said he, "some people may call you cynical, but
I call you a downright, dastardly coward!"
Surprised at this tone and language, and yet half amused by
his friend's vehemence, Eddy cried out:
—"What is eating you, Al? Why the Billy Sunday outburst?"
—"Because," replied Alfred, "this is exactly what I think
of you! Because a man who wilfully deceives a girl who trusts
and worships him, and lies to her, and makes her forfeit her
chances in this life and her happiness, for the mere selfish satisfaction of amusing himself for a while, is lower than a dog. A
dog would not do anything so base."
—"Al, I am not going to be angry, no matter what you say,"
said Eddy, "but for the love of mud, can you explain to me why
�?HE SYRIAN WORLD
you are taking it so much to heart?
Surely, your vituperation cannot be wholly inspired by, your moral rectitude
"
.—"Stop your foolish levity, Ed, it is sacrilegious in a matter like this. You ask me why? If you were not blinded by your
selfishness} if you had a spark of human feeling in your makeup,
you could have seen, long before now, that I love Vivian. I would
give the last drop of my blood to make her happy, and my love
is not selfish. I don't care if she marries me or not, but I cannot
stand by and see you making a floor mop of her feelings and of
the most sacred thing in pure womanhood. And to think that
you 'were a star of the gridirion!' a popular hero!
If you
can be called a hero then Galigula was a martyr. Why you are
not even a man "
Prenlan stopped, somewhat relieved, but still trembling
and they both kept silent for some time. Eddy had become serious, pensive. He kept his look averted from his friend, but all
his levity had disappeared. Finally he said, more to himself than
to his friend:
—"God, how he loves her! This is the kind of love that I do
not know. The kind that brings man nearer to God."
And after a while, turning to his friend:
—"Al," said he, "what must I do to prove to you that there
is some manhood left in me?"
—"There is but one thing to do, Ed, and that is to go to
her and make a clean breast of the whole accursed thing."
—"Very well," replied Eddy, "we shall call on her together to-morrow at eleven o'clock."
The following day, which was a Sunday, they made their
way silently to Vivian's house. They hardly exchanged a word
on the way, so tense were their respective feelings, and so absorbed were they, each in his own reflections and thoughts.
Vivian, who had just returned from church, was far from
expecting company at that hour. She was, therefore, not a little
surprised at seeing them, and what added to her perplexity was
the grave mien of Eddy, quite an unusual thing with him. She
greeted them cheerfully, nevertheless, and said jokingly:
—"My brave knights, I did not expect to see you this morning. What good wind brings you? But no, your faces are sad
and elongated like those of well-trained undertakers. Don't tell
me that you are bringing sad tidings! Has my army been defeated? Was my armada captured or sunk?"
I
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�DECEMBER, 1926
37
—"Vivian," said Eddy, "it is a serious matter, and we wish
to have a talk with you."
—"Oh, well, in that case, I will grant you a private audience
They were, all three of them, uneasy, embarrassed. Vivian
felt, instinctively, that there was something grave, and which
could not be pleasant. Finally, after what seemed to be a long
time, Eddy broke the silence:
—-"I will tell you what it is all about," said he, "but please
be patient and do not interrupt me until I am through. Vivian,
you are in love with me. Never mind the conventional denial and
all that sort of stuff! I know it and you know it! I have told
you that I loved you many, many times, and you believed me.
But I was lying, Vivian, lying like the cad that I am. You were
nothing more to me than one additional girl to flirt with, to play
with, and to discard when she becomes dull and burdensome.
You don't know me, Vivian. You thought all the time that I
was a clean, straight, sincere chap. But I have deceived you. I
am nothing but a profligate, without heart, without an iota of
sincerity in me. All girls are the same to my type of a man."
While he was talking, Vivian did not interrupt him, but
she could not refrain from emitting little exclamations, and there
was more poignancy in her pitiful, broken "oh", than in a whole
volume of recriminations. Tears that she could not keep back
were trickling down her ashen cheeks. When he stopped, she
managed to say the single word: "Well?"
—"Well," replied Eddy, "I was all that and I did not know
it. But last night someone opened my eyes; someone who is all
that I am not, who possesses all the qualities that I lack, and who
loves you deeply, earnestly, sincerely. Yes, last night I made
this double discovery, when Alfred made me see the light."
At these words, Vivian made a movement as if startled by
the revelation, and Alfred, who was standing near a window,
with his back almost turned to his friend, became very pale.
Eddy resumed:
—"You see, Vivian, he deserves you, and I do not. If you
marry him he will make you happy, and I am now asking you
that on his behalf. But I am also asking you to marry me, even
after all I told you. I want you to make a choice between the
two of us, and there will be no hard feelings, I assure you, no
matter what your decision. That's all I have to say."
For a long time she did not answer, and none of them broke
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38
THE SYRIAN WORZD.
the heavy silence. Vivian was no longer crying, but she had become dreamy, with a far-away look. Gradually, her features had
resumed their normal looks, and there was even the outline of a
smile on her pretty lips. Finally she turned to Eddy and said
in a calm voice:
—"Eddy, I understand perfectly what you have just said,
and I; thank you for your frankness. When you were speaking,
my decision was shaping itself. When you finished, it was already made."
—"And that decision is?" asked Eddy, with a tremor in his
voice.
—"With all due consideration to what you have said, Eddy
dear, I want only you."
If a bomb-shell had exploded then and there, its effect
would have been milder than her words. Not the least surprised
was Eddy himself. As to Alfred, he stood up, raised his arms,
opened his mouth as if to speak, but said nothing at first. Then
he walked up and down the room, and as if thinking aloud, he
exclaimed:
—"Who could fathom the heart of ai woman? Who could
understand the working of her mind?"
Then, turning to her, he said:
—"Vivian, I have no hard feelings, and I am satisfied if it
makes you happy. Good luck to both of you."
At this, Eddy got up, threw his arm around his friend and
said:
—"It is alright, old top, don't worry, I have found myself,"
and turning his head in her direction, he added: "she made me
find myself."
But Vivian was laughing:
—"Of course you have found yourself, silly," said she. "Do
you think that you would have spoken the way you did if you
had not? Do you think I am so dense as not to have seen clear
through you?"
Then, walking towards them, she threw her arms around
Alfred, and before he knew it, gave him a smacking kiss, saying:
—"It is your reward for helping him find himself."
There isn't a tree that wasn't shaken by the wind.
�- -
MISS SUMEYEH ATTIYEH
�•"
WILLIAM CATZEFLIS
�DECEMBER, 1926
39.
Snapshots of East and West
By SUMAYEH ATTIYEH
The Near East proudly claims the original Promised Land
while America has been called the modern land of promise j but
many a vamp, a gold digger and an adventurer seem to have
mistaken it for the land of breach of promise.
The Orientals work to live, the Occidentals seem to live
to work.
Orientals believe that a man who knows he is a fool is
really not such a great fool.
A dog is not considered a good dog just because he is a
good barker.
A man is not considered a good man just because he is a
good talker.
Some fellows have the gift of gab, but only few people
have sense enough to be as wise as a clam who shuts up occasionally.
I agree with the Turks in not admiring skinny women. The
Americans like flats and sharps, while Orientals admire curves
and rounds. It is much more pleasant when escorting a lady up
or down to feel a soft, velvety arm of flesh, than a stick of bone
covered with skin.
If ex-Sultan Abdul-Hamid remained on the throne during
the World War, Turkey would have remained absolutely neutral.
Surely he was a wise man, and how could he help it when he
was the husband of 300 wives — a modern Solomon in more
than one way.
I love my adopted country and like its people because on the
whole they are one of the very nicest people on earth. They belive in Santa Claus, and when they have nothing to do, they
talk about the weather. They have a sense of humor, make many
laws and don't enforce some foolish ones. They are the finest
business people in the world, and their country has more religious denominations than any other on earth, not excluding Syria.
Since Mustapha Kemal, the president of Turkey, enforced
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¥HE SYRIAN WORLD
the law of monogamy, Turkish men are complaining of domestic
troubles. In the past when a man had three or six wives he was
the master of the home. Each wife tried to win his affection,
each one rushed to do his bidding, to please him the most and
to become his favorite. But now the wife knows,that her husband
can't marry another, so she becomes independent and demanding.
She wants his attention and acts indifferently at times. One
man in Constantinople failed to obey his wife one day, so she
hit him with a flatiron, a shock from which Constantinople has
not yet recovered.
An Oriental says to his friend or,guest: "I am highly honored by your presence, the light of your face has brightened the
room. My house is yours; do as you like with itj burn it if you
wish. You are our master, etc." This is said with dignity and
a bow.
The Occidental may, shake the hand of his friend or guest
in a hearty manner or slap him on the back in a friendly way,
with a grin of pleasure or a ripple of laughter. He would say
he is wild to see him and that the rest of the family are crazy
about him, etc., etc.
Two entirely different kinds of speeches, but underneath
the surface they practically mean the same thing and aim to express; the love and friendship and welcome to the friend or the
visitor.
In Turkey men were allowed to marry several wives while
in the Fijji Islands it was customary in the past for a woman to
marry several husbands at a time, but no man was allowed to
marry more than one wife, a most democratic country for women, indeed. How would you like, my lady reader, to have six
or eight husbands, one for a cook, one for fishing and hunting,
one for general housework, another to attend to outside errands
and the rest working and earning a good living while you are the
queen of the household and they are your worshippers awaiting
your pleasure?
And now that I am coming to the end of my snapshots and
before I bid you good-bye, gentle readers, I wish to confess to
you that I am still green. Some folks would be insulted if you
called them green, but to my understanding it is a compliment.
As long as one is green, he is growing, he has life and future
before him. He has time to improve. Yes, I am green, but not
a green-horn. I want to remain green for a long time, no matter how many years I may live. For some people are so ripe
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'DECEMBER, 1926
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that they are rotting and are ready to drop down from decay.
They know it all, and there is no room for expansion, learning
or growth. Yes! I am still green, and have many things to learn,
and have a great, big room for improvement, but I am on the
way, looking upward, struggling hard to improve and grow better spiritually, mentally and materially.
There is one thing in my life that gives me great satisfaction,
comfort and happiness, that is my work which I love and enjoy.
It enables me to do my duty towards the mother country,
and serve my countrymen by trying to bring an understanding
between the East and the West over the radio and on the Lyceum
and Chautauqua lecture platforms in my small and simple way;
to have the Americans know us and see us as we really are; to
get them acquainted with the finest and the best that is in us. The
Syrians and the people of the Near East regard honor as sacred,
the love and affection and devotion that exist in our family life
have no equal any place in the world. We are a clean, moral people. -Friendship is a beautiful thing among eastern people. They
know the value of it and the bonds of friendship are not broken
by distance, poverty nor misfortune.
Our children are born and raised with a genuine love and
respect for their elders and parents. Hospitality is a law among
us, and there is no place for a stingy man. We respect and protect womanhood, and are sincere worshippers of God.
We have made good American citizens. The divorce courts
are very rarely troubled with us. Bootlegging and dope-peddling are foreign to us. We are keen merchants, clever salesmen,
and home-loving husbands and wives.
I look upon the service of my worthy people as a privilege
and a sacred duty. No credit should be given the worker because it is a pleasure and an honor to serve the Arabic-speaking
peoples of the world and show the West their nobility of character and honorable principles.
After all, human nature is the same East and West and the
universal language of the earth which can be understood in any
country and among any race is the language of genuine kindness,
and as I say the word I remember what John O'Reilly once
wrote:
"What is the real good?"
I asked in musing mood.
"Order", said the law court,
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THE SYRIAN WORLD,
"Knowledge", said the school.
"Love", said the maiden,
"Beauty", said the page.
"Freedom", said the dreamer,
"Home", said the sage.
"Fame", said the soldier,
"Equity", the seer.
Spake my heart sadly:
"The Answer is not here".
Then within my bosom,
Softly this I heard,
"Each heart holds the secret,
"Kindness" — is the word".
ARAB WISDOM
Look not to those who are above you, but look to those
who are below you, for this is more conducive to the contemplation of the graces of God to you.
A wise man mourns not what passes out of his hand, but
keeps what remains.
If you fear God, He will make everything else fear you;
if you fear Him not, He will make you fear everything.
He who takes his time, hits his mark or comes near it; he
who hurries, misses his mark or comes near missing.
When a door for good works is open, enter therein, for
you do not know when it may close.
Of three things God asks not on the day of Judgment: Of
what one spent in his sickness; of what he spent in breaking his
fast; and of what he spent in entertaining his guests.
Three persons are worthy of pity: A man of high station
who had become low; a rich man who had lost his riches; and a
pious man who had lost his religion.
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'DECEMBER, 1926
Ponsot, Executive and Diplomat
By SIMONE FRANCE
It was by a stroke of good fortune that I was able to interview M. Henri Ponsot, the new French High Commissioner
in Syria, before leaving Paris this summer. His appointment
came almost suddenly and he was very much besieged by callers,
while I had but a day left before embarking for America. Realizing the limitation of time, the new High Commissioner graciously granted me the interview and was quite frank in answering
some questions, while on the whole he was non-committal as to
his declarations of policy.
I explained first to the High Commissioner that there was
cause for genuine apprehension for Frenchmen not only over the
situation in Syria but also over the interpretation that had prevailed in America of the events of the past year. After an investigation into the facts from many sources, I ventured, I had come
to realize that people in America had not been properly informed
as to the real facts about Syria, and I asked him what his
policy would be to collaborate with the press in presenting facts
about Syria in the light of truth. He raised up his eyes and looked at me as with heavy thoughts on his mind. "Do you know,"
he said, "that your demarche interests me very much, for if I
have always been extremely interested in Syria, I am also very
much interested in that immense continent, America, and for
these two reasons I cannot fail to have due regard for the Syrians living in America. I realize that it is very important for
the American public at large to know the truth about events in
Syria as also for the Syrians living in America who are naturally
concerned about the people at home and genuinely interested in
the welfare of their country.
"But there is one word that I dislike above all, and that is
"propaganda". Facts should speak for themselves and truth,
even if bare and sad, is always better in the end than a flowery
lie. It is my intention in the future to issue regular bulletins
available to all and in which events in Syria will be recorded as
�44
THE SYRIAN WORLD
historical facts, as much as possible, without being colored by appreciation or interpretation. With that, my duty would be done.
There will always be people who will distort facts in a manner to
cast shadows upon truth; but truth will always triumph in the
end."
I then called M. Ponsot's attention to the fact that some
reproach had been directed at his predecessor, M. de Jouvenel,
for having been too lenient and asked him if he would follow
the same policy or have recourse to force in dealing with the
problems of Syria. This seemed to evoke in him memories which
he was pleased to recall, and he related how in the course of his
career he was on his way to Syria when the war broke out and
he met Djemal Pasha on the way. He then was sent to Montreal,
and later to Washington, D. C, and now his dream of seeing Syria had come true. His voice was growing more intense
as if he were keenly aware of all the responsibilities resting upon
him. After a while, when I left the visions of the past that he
had summoned with such emotion, I quietly repeated my question. Then M. Ponsot frankly smiled and answered immediately. "This is, of course, a question that is almost impossible for
me to answer," he said. "I must first go to Syria, get in touch
with the Syrians, breathe Syrian air, and then, as developments
occur, I will have to treat them to the best of my ability. To
say now what I will do would be anticipating matters."
Then after a pause he continued: "There is not such a thing
as an unsoluble problem. At least there is always a way, it seems
to me, to improve the situation. No one is ever absolutely right,
nor is one absolutely wrong, so if one has the willingness to see
what the other side has to contribute to the common problem and
then one has firmness to see that the solution arrived at is properly carried out, there will be progress in the sense of improvement. A problem such as Syria cannot be settled in the course
of a few years. But I bring with me to Syria the will to understand those whose customs, whose modes of living, whose aspirations, are different from those to which I have been used so far.
I come to Syria with a willingness to give and to receive; to appreciate and to co-operate; to commune with the Syrians and let
them commune with me so that they may feel that I have their
well-being at heart to the same extent that I have the cause of
justice and loyalty."
The attitude of M. Ponsot was so frank that I was encouraged to put to him another direct question: "You are probably
aware,
�JiffliS8SBig«8aB8ME»IBa««Mmn»»a«*q<^^
!
"DECEMBER, 1926
f!
•
45
aware," I said, "of the criticism made against France that in less
than six years she has appointed five High Commissioners in
Syria. The Syrians and the world at large wonder if there is
going to be at last some kind of a stable policy in Syria and if
the French Government is willing to give full support to the
man who is going to give the best of his intelligence to disentangle the net of political manoeuvres in that country." To which
he replied: "The French Government is so well aware of the
necessity of a continued policy in Syria that my superiors, on
announcing my appointment, said to me: 'Now that you are
going we do not want to see you before at least ten years." And
he added: "Unless you visit Syria, the next time you see me I
will be an old man
" It must be remembered that by no means
is M. Ponsot an old man now. He is not yet fifty and he seems
to have all the qualities that make for strength, intelligence and
energy. He has an understanding of human nature and human
aspirations that is unusually broad, and as he said himself when
I took leave, he feels there is work for him to do in Syria and he
considers it his duty to answer the call. One of the things that
struck me particularly about Monsieur Ponsot is his extreme
modesty and his highly developed sense of duty that augurs well
for the future peace and prosperity of Syria.
SOME SUFI SAYINGS
Said Harith al-Muhasibi: "I never said, 'Oh, God, grant me
repentance,' but I do say, 'Grant me the desire for repentance.'"
Said Sahl Ibn Abdullah at-Tustari: "Repentance is not to
forget one's sins."
Said. Rwaym: "Repentance is to repent of repentance."
Benevolence does not take away from one's wealth.
No poverty is greater than ignorance.
Despise not any kindness.
�'46
THE SYRIAN WORLD
The Image of God
By THE EDITOR
"Truly," she said, her eyes shining with the light of a
strong conviction, "for spiritual inspiration we must still turn
to the East. It is the source of light symbolized by the rising
of the sun. Men there are swayed by such strong spiritual beliefs that they deem it of little concern to subordinate to them
their temporal well-being and their carnal desires. Environment,
heritage, climate, all go to make up the ensemble which gives
the people of the East their spiritual finess."
She quoted the famous lines of Lamartine:
"Ami, vers l'Orient tournez votre paupiere,
"La verite nous vient d'ou nous vient la lumiere."
and for my benefit proceeded to render them into English:
Friend, toward the East direct thy longing eyes,
Truth to us comes only from whence the sun doth rise.
Then she surrendered to a reverie which I was loathe to
interrupt because I, too, was set athinking by her remarks and by
the nature of the surroundings. Here I was in the house of a
Syrian woman who had fought her life-battle and won, and but
for the advantage of gratifying her aesthetic tastes, she looks upon her material wealth as a mere incident, a transitory matter
unworthy of being considered an object in life, and recalls with
longing that supreme manifestation of the simple life still practised in those parts of the East as yet little touched by the material civilization of the West.
I had made up my mind not to interrupt the silence of my
hostess. There are, at times, moments of silence that impart
to the soul more joy, more true felicity, than the most eloquent
of words.
I do not recall how long this condition lasted, but when
finally my hostess chose to speak I observed that she did so with
the feeling of one who is awaking from a pleasant dream. Her
eyes lighted with an uncanny fire j a charming smile played
around her delicately moulded lips, and her voice, bearing the
sweetness of the thought that had been engaging her mind, sound-
�DECEMBER, 1926
41
ed like the angelic notes of the song-birds heralding the coming
of the dawn in the enchanted hills of Lebanon.
"I have been on a long journey," she began, "to the land
which I shall ever cherish and love and look to in my spiritual
hunger for my sustaining and satisfying manna. Although I
left that fair land when quite young, still I retain of it the sweetest memories that shall accompany me throughout life. Rather
is it now, looking in retrospect, that I begin to appreciate all the
more the true spirit of the East as reconstructed in my imagination from the incidents which I observed in my childhood. It
is now that I can perceive the true significance of the deep spiritual motives that influence and guide the people of the East in
their daily lives. I could relate scores of such incidents from
which I now draw valuable lessons, but the one deepest in my
consciousness is that of the old man of the mountain who, to my
youthful imagination and impressionable disposition, appeared
to me as the living likeness of God."
I showed by my attitude that I was anxious to hear the story.
Expectation must have been written all over my countenance as
I leaned forward with the impulse of one who would not miss
a word.
She proceeded:
"When I was but a child of ten, my father was called upon
once to make a sudden trip to one of the interior towns of Mt.
Lebanon situated quite some distance from our summer home.
It was a torrid day in July and despite the pleadings of my anxious mother, father insisted on departing before sunset so as
to reach his destination in the early evening. Being much devoted to my father, I begged him to take me along, and he, not
wanting to delay his departure nor to leave me in my tearful
and pitiable condition, consented to take me with him. Mindful,
however, of the heat of the day and the length of the journey,
he asked me if I were hungry or thirsty, but I, elated at the prospect of the horseback ride, could not think of a moment's delay
to eat or drink. Quite natural for a child, you know.
"The first stage of the journey was ideal. Travelling on
the rough road at some pace the horse plunged and swayed and
I found in that a great delight, all the time holding fast to the
waist of my father so as not to roll off the saddle. But the novelty of the thing soon wore off and I began to feel the pangs
of hunger and thirst, mostly the latter. I would not, however,
complain at first for fear of a scolding, and even when my mouth
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
was parched to an unbearable degree, I would not utter an open
complaint, but I groaned and cried to call attention to my condition. Intuitively, my father discovered my misery and made
every effort to buoy up my spirits: 'In a few minutes,' he would
say, 'we shall come to some habitation where I can get you a
drink;' or, 'the sun is now setting and you will not feel the heat
and the thirst as much,' and like sayings which only aggravated
my plight and made me cry piteously.
"There is no suffering, my friend, to equal that of extreme
thirst when, while you are in the full possession of your senses,
yet you feel life ebbing out of your body by the slowest and
most tormenting process; when you pant for a drop of water
as a drowning man pants for a breath of air; when the very air
you breathe becomes like scorching flames; when you impulsively clutch at your throat as if to stop the wasting life that is
actually flying with ever exhaltation. It is a terrible feeling
that only those who have gone through such an experience as
mine can possibly realize.
"Such was my condition before the end of that memorable
trip. I had stopped groaning and felt myself on the verge of
collapse when my father, holding the reins with one hand, supported me with the other. It was now dusk and no habitation
was in sight. My father kept up his encouragements.
"All of a sudden, father stiffened in the saddle and uttered
an exclamation of delight. He could see a dim light in the distance and he pointed it out to me joyfully. He sunk his spurs in
the flanks of the horse and it flew as if it had taken wings. My
spirits rose in proportion as the light drew nearer.
"At last we arrived, and behold! a sight greeted our eyes
that for the time being made me forget all my suffering and
misery. Squatted on the ground before the low door of a small
hut was an old man than whom I had never seen in my whole
life any that was more venerable, more saintly in appearance
or sweeter in that divine expression of love and tenderness radiating from his countenance. On a mound he had placed a lamp,
beside which was a jar of water. The lamp was his beacon to
guide wayfarers to his abode; the jar of water was his haven
for the rescue of men's lives. As we approached he raised towards us eyes that were heavy with tenderness, moist with tears.
His whole being seemed to radiate a spirit of sanctity. He was
dressed in white and his snowy beard, reaching to his waist, made
him appear to me as the living God whose image I had seen paint-
�DECEMBER, 1926
'49
ed in like manner.
" 'Drink, my children,' he said to us, motioning to the jar,
'for you must be thirsty travelling in these arid wastes.'
"We drank and accepted the old man's invitation to rest,
and, encouraged by the kindly look in his eyes, my father, while
thanking him profusely, expressed surprise at his living in such
a wilderness with no apparent object other than to supply water
to thirsty travellers.
" 'May my unworthy deed find grace in the eyes of God,'
he said. 'My sins must have been heavy,, and to devote my life
to their expiation is all that I can offer. May no father suffer
what I have suffered.'
"At these words my father ventured a few formulas of
solace and comfort and asked the old man if he would not be
so kind as to relate to him the reason for his sorrow.
" 'Know, my son,' said the venerable man, 'that at the time
the urge of emigration began to grip men's souls in our country,
luring them by hopes of ready fortunes, my only son, then in
the prime of life, in disregard of my wishes, left home for the
land across the sea. For three years he was away, during which
time the eyes of his mother and mine never dried. With every
mail we wrote urging him to come home that he may be with us
in the closing days of our lives, but he would not return emptyhanded. Finally, God softened his heart and he ceded to our
entreaties. He landed in the country and was making his way
home where all our neighbors had gathered to welcome him.
Night fell on the appointed day for his arrival and he did not
come. Our joy gave way to anxiety, but still we waited
and hoped. That night which we spent waiting for him seemed
like ages, and anxiously did we expect the breaking of dawn to
go out and seek him. The wilderness in this section of the mountain was at that time infested with beasts of prey and we were in
fear some misfortune had befallen him. We trudged our way
with heavy hearts in this desolate land until we reached this spot,
and here we found our dear boy, the object of our love and the
inspiration of our hope, dead — dead from thirst, nearly at the
threshold of his house, after having travelled thousands of miles
to come and give himself up to our loving embrace.'"
At this juncture my hostess was moved to tears by the depth
of her emotions at recalling the sad account of the old man's suffering, but she proceeded:
"At that time I recall having wept copious tears, as did my
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
50
father, at the pitiful sight of this old man broken down with the
weight of his sorrow, and my father comforted him in kind
words and bid him resign to the will of God.
" 'God's will be done,' finally said the old man, resignedly,
'I shall try to keep alive the memory of my beloved son by devoting my life to an act of charity that other fathers may not
suffer as I have suffered. I have sold all my worldly belongings and built myself this hut on the spot where my son died
that I may ever be near him, and that I may give water to unfortunate travellers that they may not perish of thirst. This
mound is the grave of my son, and on his grave, as long as I
live, there shall ever be a jar of water for those who would not
perish as he has perished. God's hand has sustained my wife
and me in this work which we have now kept up for the last ten
years, she and I taking turns at fetching the water from the faroff spring and keeping vigil on the grave, night and day.'"
There was another pause by my hostess, and, as before, I
took care not to be the first in breaking silence. Finally, she resumed:
"Now, my friend, don't you think that such a devotion to
a vow, such a sublime conception of charity, such a deep feeling
for God and man is a beautiful indication of the unfathomable
spirituality of the East?"
I readily assented.
THE VISION OF ABU YAZID
When Abu Yazid, early Persian mystic, was asked, "How
didst thou gain thy rank and by what means didst thou win unto
this station?" he replied:
"One night in my boyhood I came from Bistam. The moon
was shining and everything was still. I saw a presence beside
which the eighteen thousand worlds appeared as an atom. Agitation fell upon me, and a mighty emotion overwhelmed me. I
cried,. 'O Lord! A court of this grandeur, and so empty! Works
of this sublimity, and such loneliness!' Then a voice came from
heaven saying, 'The court is empty, not because none come, but
because we do not will it; since it is not everyone with a face
unwashed that is worthy to enter this Court'"
: :, .: ; '
i
�DECEMBER, 1926
Si
The Three New Syrian Saints
By MOST REVEREND BECAHRA CHEMALI,
Maronite Archbishop of Damascus.
FROM ANJfRTICLE IN ARABIC
(On October 10,192/6 eleven martyrs who met death in the
massacres of Damascus in the turbulent year 1860 were beatified, or otherwise raised to the -position of saints by the Catholic
Church. Eight of the eleven were monks of the Franciscan
order who maintained a mission in the city, while the remaining
three were brothers from the old and well-known Maronite
family of Masabki. Added significance to the beatification is
given by the fact that these saints are the first to be recognized
by the Catholic Church from among the followers of the Eastern
Churches since the division between East and West. Due credit
for bringing the matter to the attention of Rome should be given
the author of the following account of the life and martyrdom
of the three brothers. Archbishop Chemali no sooner learned
of the intention to beatify the Franciscan monks than he petitioned for an investigation into the worthiness of the three brothers
to be raised to the same rank of honor as the other eight. The
Holy See responded by sending to Syria a special mission of investigation which promptly ratified the claim.) —Editor.
In the year 1860 the governor of Damascus was a ruthless,
cruel despot by the name of Ahmad Pasha at-Turki (the Turk),
who took pleasure in shedding the blood of his subjects and robbing them of their properties.
On the 9th of July of that year, this governor hinted to
some of his soldiers and followers to draw the sign of the cross
on the streets and public highways of Damascus and say that the
Christians did it for the purpose of aggravating the Mohammedans. But this plot did not succeed, and the leaders of the good
Moslems in the city and the consuls of the Foreign Powers were
moved against him, and they warned him not to repeat such
practices in the future. The governor then released some Christians whom he had arrested. That same afternoon some of the
ruffians of the city, with the help of the governor's men, began
�I:
52
fHE SYRIAN WORLD.
to discharge their guns in the streets, and entering the Greek Orthodox Church (in the Christian quarter), murdered the refugees
of Hasbaya and Rashaya (which towns had already been attacked by the Druzes) together with the priests they encountered
there. They then set fire to the patriarchate and the cathedral,
and started to pillage the houses until desolation prevailed in the
Christian quarter.
On the next morning the conflagration reached Bab Tuma
and devoured the monastery of the Franciscans, the Maronite
Church and the monastery of the Capuchian missionaries. For
five days the destruction through arson and pillage continued,
and had it not been for the protection of thet Emir Abdul-Kader
and his men, and a number of the big Moslem leaders, not one
Christian would have remained alive.
Amidst such scenes of havoc and horror occurred the martyrdom of the three Christian brothers, Francis, Abdul-Mu'ti and
Raphael Masabki and their families. When the fire was spreading in the Greek Orthodox quarter they were in their house adjoining the monastery of the Franciscan Fathers. The men, thinking that the Moslems would not attack the women and children,
left these behind and took refuge in the nearby monastery, where,
one hour before midnight, the abbot closed the gates securely,
and gathering all those present, said, "let us all enter the church."
They entered, and there recited the litany of all saints. Then
the abbot urged them to make confession and prepare their souls
for any catastrophe. The monks came first, then the refugees
as the abbot proclaimed with a loud voice: "Let us ask the intercession of Our Lady, the Virgin Mary, on her be peace." This
was followed by a procession of the Host and holy communion.
Following which all repaired to the roof of the monastery except
Francis Masabki who remained behind kneeling before the image
of the Mater Dolorosa.
At one after midnight the Moslem mob entered the monastery from a roof and from a secret door which was pointed out
to them by a former trusted servant of the monastery, Hassan
Ghallaf, a Moslem.
The first one they encountered was the abbot, Father Manuel, who said to them: "I have a secret treasure, follow me and I
will show it to you." They followed him gladly as he went
straight to the altar, and, lighting two candles, he consumed the
Host to save it from desecration, and, turning to his pursuers,
said: "This is the treasure I told you about. I have none other."
i
�M
DECEMBER, 1926
.-
'
',
St
They fell upon him and killed him oil the altar. Then, turning
around, they saw Francis Masabki, kneeling in prayer before the
altar of the Virgin Mary. They immediately recognized him,
for he was one of the prominent men in the city, and they came
to him and addressed him saying: "Shaykh Abdullah ( a Moslem
leader) has sent us to save you and all your family, and those
who pertain to you, on condition that you renounce your religion,
and wear a different garb." To this he answered: "Shaykh Abdullah may retain my money (and he had been indebted to him
for a huge sum of money), and he may be able to take my life,
but my religion none can take from me. I am a Nazarene and a
Christian."
"Then we will kill you," they remonstrated.
"In that case," he replied, "I will be with my Master who
said in his Gospel, "Fear not those who kill the body but are
not able to kill the spirit.'" Saying this he began to pray, but
they did not leave him to finish his prayer, as they attacked him
savagely with their swords and axes.
The other two brothers met their fate with this same characteristic bravery and tenacious fidelity to their religion. When the
attackers had entered the monastery, Abdul-Mu'ti was on the
roof. He ran down to take refuge in the church beside his brother, but the Moslems met him in the church court in front of the
door. They stopped him and pressed on him to change his religion, offering him amnesty and safety if he did. But instead,
Abdul-Mu'ti began to shout at the top of his voice: "I am Christian! Kill me, for I am ready!"
The third of the martyrs, Raphael, was hiding in one of the
nooks of the monastery when the persecutors discovered him.
"Turn Moslem and you will be safe!" they urged on him. But
he, without a word, fell on his knees and began to pray. They
severed his head from his body and trampled on his corps and
went their way.
In this way the three Syrian brothers won the crown of their
beatification.
The Masabkis come from an ancient family dating back to
the 13th century, according to an old manuscript in which it is
related that a Maronite priest called Ya'koub resided in the
quarter of "the Outer Masbak" or foundry, in Damascus, near
the church of St. Ananias. This priest, who won through his
diplomacy the protection of one of the Ayoubite princes, was
called Masabki after the name of the quarter in which he resided.
:
--3~.'- g&KMBMaa
�54
THE SYRIAN WORLD
In the year 1293, when the persecution of the Christians in
Damascus became very severe, this priest went to Lebanon to
acquaint the Maronite Patriarch Gabriel Hajula with the sad
conditions of the Christians in Damascus, and to tell him that the
Moslems would spare the Christians if they isolate themselves
from the Franks (do not allow the Franks to interfere with
their affairs). The Patriarch consecrated him bishop and sent
him back to Damascus. But he no sooner arrived there than he
found that the persecution was at its height. He fled, taking a
ship to Cyprus, where he died broken-hearted following the news
of the murder of his son Francis in Zabadath (a town in the environs of Damascus).
In the latter part of the 15th century the Masabki family
returned to Damascus, while the brother of Francis migrated to
Ayn Dara, in the Buka', and hence his descendants were called
by the family name of Ayndari, after the name of the place.
The three Masabki brothers were direct descendants of this
family in Damascus.
Francis, son of Ni'mi Masabki, was a tall, full-bodied,
bright-faced man. He was of good character, gentle and genial in
his, dealings and conversations. He was seventy years old when
the massacres of Damascus fell in 1860.
He was a man of extreme piety and generosity. His home
was a hostelry to all foreigners, especially the people of Lebanon, for there were no hotels in those days in Damascus. He
amassed a great fortune through his thrift and diligence, and attained a high social station. His name was synonymous with honesty and business integrity. He became the representative of the
Maronite Patriarchate in Damascus as well as the agent for the
Lebanese silk merchants. It is perhaps through this source that
he amassed his fortune, and became one of the "prince merchants"
of Damascus.
Neither of the two other brothers shared Francis's acumen
in business. Abdul-Mu'ti, a tall, slim, pale man, was ascetically
inclined, loving solitude and abstaining from the company of
women. He taught in the school of the Franciscan Fathers,
where he spent the whole day long in instructing the youth with
the principles and creeds of Christianity. For a time, when he
became tired of teaching, his brother opened a shop for him, but
he did not succeed. One of his daughters, who died in 1911, became a nun in the Order of Charity.
The third brother, Raphael, was a short, thin, swarthy man
The Ca
erectec
of th
used
�<-
A MODERN CHURCH IN SYRIA
,
i
The Cathedral of St. Peter in Al-Jedaidat, in the plain of Marj'ioun,
erected by the late Patriarch Geraigiry. All churches in Syria are
of the same substantial construction. This particular church was
used by the Druze rebels as barracks when they seized Al-Jedaidat in the fall of 1925.
�MMWMMMMMM
THE
a*
TIVITY IN BETHLEHEM
I'
This massive basilica was erected near the grotto in which Christ was born, in the city of Bethlehem, by
Emperor Constantine, and later greatly enlarged and decorated.
o o T o
- Q.9
O
i. en
g3 5* ^ ^_ P-fX
ft a n
2 C? o
u,ti K8 .Ki • 1 C
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�DECEMBER, 1926
'55
with black eyes. He is described as "adorned with simplicity in all
matters, and not owning a thing of the possessions of this world".
He devoted himself to the worship of the Virgin Mary, and was
50 years old when he met his martyrdom.
A fourth brother of the Masabkis, Abdullah, was a priest,
a graduate of the Maronite school in Rome. There were two
sisters besides, one married to a man from the Shabtini family,
and another married to Joseph Sheeha.
MORE COMPASSION THAN KNOWLEDGE
\
Al-Junayd, the foremost of the early Mohammedan mystics, wrote to a friend of his who had complained to him that
people did not understand his writings and were always misconstruing them:
" Men are in need of compassion, so try to be compassionate to others, though God may have made thee wretched unto
thyself. Come out of thy state and address people from thy
heart according to their different stations, for that is more to the
point for thee and them."
I
/
The following story illustrates the esteem in which al-Junayd was held by his contemporaries. On a certain night al-Junayd could not go to sleep, so he got up to repeat his prayers.
He did not find the emotion usually attending him when he said
his prayers, so he went back to sleep, but did not succeed. At
last he opened the door and went, outside, and there he saw, lying
on the road, a man wrapped up in his 'aba, who, when he noticed
al-Junayd, raised his head and exclaimed: "Now!" Al-Junayd
was surprised and asked the man what he wanted, and the man
put the following question to him: "When does the malady of
the soul become its medicine?" Al-Junayd answered: "When
the soul disobeys its own desire, then does its malady become its
medicine." The man then addressed his inner self saying: "I
have repeated to you the same answer seven times, but you refused, until you heard it from al-Junayd."
�$6
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Bethlehem and Nazareth
In History
Christmas day with its joyous festivities, its log fire, its holly
and candles, its cheer-bringing gifts, its Santa Claus with his
jingling bells and panting reindeers, would be an empty farce
but for certain events which took place more than one thousand
nine hundred year* ago in two little, insignificant towns in Palestine.
Bethlehem and Nazareth! What sacred memories they recall to the millions upon millions of human beings living on the
surface of this little planet of ours? In Europe, in China, in
America, in the heart of Africa, in Australia, in the islands of
the Pacific, in every habitable part of the earth, songs of praise
and joy are raised in which the memory of these towns is glorified.
The town in which the Child Jesus was born, and the other
town in which He was raised, and where "He grew in stature and
wisdom before God and man", are too well-known in tradition.
They are part and parcel of the "old, old story" repeated and enacted every year, yet ever new and refreshing. But, strange to
say, these two towns, to most Christians, are mere names on which
the Christmas story conveniently hangs, as on a Christmas tree.
They were inconspicuous towns when Christ was born, they
are still so now, although ever since, they have been, from time
to time, instrumental in much of what passes for history in the
annals of mankind.
Bethlehem, the modern Beit-Lehm, which in Hebrew means
"the house of bread", is situated on a limestone ridge 2500 feet
above sea level, five miles south of Jerusalem. All around it
stretch fertile fields in which are grown wheat, barley, olive, almond and vine. The wine of Bethlehem is famous and is considered among the best in all Syria.
There is little mention of Bethlehem in the Old Testament.
Sometimes the compound name of Bethlehem-Judah, or Bethlehem-Ephrat, or Ephrata is used. The first is to distinguish it
from a town still smaller and less conspicuous by the same name
in Galilee. This latter town was known as Bethlehem Zebulun.
The other compound name is believed by Biblical scholars to
�'DECEMBER, 1926
57
preserve the more ancient name of Bethlehem. In George Adam
Smith's excellent Atlas of the Historical Geography of the Holy
Land the name Bethlehem does not appear till the coming of
Israel into Palestine in the period 1500-1250 B. C. Before that
it was simply known as Ephrat, or Ephrata. In the story of the
return of Jacob from his uncle Laban and the death of Rachel
on the way, the writer, (Gen. 35-19), implies that the name was
no more current in the days of the people to whom the story was
written, although quite common when the events of the story
occurred. For he says, "and Rachel died, and was buried in the
way to Ephrat, which is Bethlehem."
The beautiful story of Ruth, which every Syrian boy or
girl should know, for it is one of the most beautiful gems of
literature, falls in Bethlehem. The name occurs in Judges, where
the obscure Ibzan of Bethlehem is said to have judged Israel
after the death of Jephtha, the Gileadite.
Coming down to the time of David, the name of Bethlehem
is mentioned, once in connection with a story that stands out in a
vivid and dramatic manner.
The story is brought forth by the writer by way of exalting
the bravery and loyalty of the three "mighty men of David".
David, with his small band of valiant heroes headed by the three
heroes, was in the cave of Adullam, while the Philistines, his
enemies, perched in the valley of Rephaim, with their garrison
in Bethlehem. David became very thirsty and cried out: "Oh,
that one would give me a drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!" Then, to continue in the words of
the Biblical narrative, "the three mighty men broke through the
host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David:
nevertheless, he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto
the Lord. And he said: 'Be it far from me, O Lord, that I
should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in
jeopardy of their lives?' Therefore he would not drink it."
"Biar Daud", three wells, still stand in front of the. great Basilica
of Bethlehem.
The most memorable mention of Bethlehem, however, in
the Old Testament is the one in the Prophet Micah, and which is
the basis for the tradition that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. The prophet had been prophesying about Zion, "the
daughter of troops", and the return of its glory. Then he turns
to Bethlehem and says: "But thou, Bethlehem Ephrata, though
�58
THE SYRIAN WORLD.
thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall
He come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel j whose
goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." The prophet must have had in mind, when he made this prophecy, the
fact that David, the ideal king of Israel, came from Bethlehem.
For his father was known as "Jesse the Bethlehemite".
After the time of Christ, Bethlehem remained a "little
town", leading a peaceful life, though at more than one time,
because of its sacred associations, causing bloodshed and war between Christians and non-Christians, and among Christian nations of different denominations.
In the second century, Emperor Hadrian destroyed Bethlehem and planted in its place a grove "sacred to Adonis". Probably in doing that the heathen emperor bears testimony that
Bethlehem had already become a sacred shrine to the followers
of the new and thriving religion of the "Nazarene."
In the year 315 A. D., the site of Bethlehem was still "a
wild wood." Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor,
cleared it, and built in it a basilica. Soon after, in Saint Jerome's
time, a cave in the rock, near the basilica, was venerated as the
stable in which Mary and Joseph sought shelter that holy night
of old when Christ was born. In a neighboring grotto, Jerome
himself prepared the first translation of the Bible into Latin.
The basilica, to which Emperor Justinian added but which he
did not rebuild, is the oldest in Palestine, and one of the oldest in
the world. Some of the ornaments, the mosaics, however, are
as late as the 12th century, and come from the court of the
Byzantine Emperor Manuel Comnenus, while the rafters were
contributed by Philip of Burgundy in the 15th century.
In the year 1850 a squabble between monks of the Latin
and the Greek Orthodox Churches, instigated by France and Russia, it is presumed, over the possession of the key of the chie£
door of the basilica, and the right to place a silver star in the
Grotto of the Nativity, was one of the direct causes of the Crimean war, and, indirectly, one of the causes of the sad events of
1860 in Syria.
The town of Nazareth was never of any consequence before
the time of Christ. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"
was not an expression of condemnation as much as one of contempt.
Strange to say, the name of Nazareth does not occur in the
�DECEMBER, '1926
59.
Old Testament, the Talmud or Josephus. This lead one Biblical scholar, T. K. Cheyene, to identify Nazareth with Bethlehem
of Zebulun, which in the Talmud is sometimes called Bethlehem
Naseriyyah. However, we must assume that it was known simply as Nazareth in the days of Christ, or Nazareth of Galilee.
Like Bethlehem, Nazareth is on a high plateau, 1602 feet
above sea, level. It is in a hollow formed by hills surrounding
it. It has today a population of 10,000 and is quite a thriving
town like its sister Bethlehem, which latter town shows visible
signs of the prosperity which has come to it through the emigration of many of its sons to North and South America.
A beautiful industry of mother-of-pearl inlaying and olivewood carving thrives today in Bethlehem. Most of the objects
sold are mementoes of the Holy Land.
Some scholars identify the mountain on which Christ ascended and was tried by the Evil One, with the modern JebelSih. From the top of this mountain one can view the larger
part of Palestine. Mount Tabor, the "great plain" of Esdraelon,
Mt. Carmel and the Bay of Acre, are all visible from that height.
One can only visualize with the eye of imagination what the quiet
and peaceful environment of the town in the hollow of the hills
had on the little boy Jesus, and still more what a thrill of spiritual energy and ambition must His frequent visits to the top of
that mountain have sent through His soul.
The history of Nazareth after the time of Christ is almost
as scant as that of Bethlehem.
Epiphanius, a Church Father, contemporary of Jerome,
mentions that until the time of Constantine, Nazareth was populated only by Jews. In the 5th century a church stood overthe
supposed site of the house of Mary and in the 6th a large basilica
was added.
In the days of the Crusades, Nazareth came into eminence,
and it was again reduced to comparative insignificance when retaken by the Mohammedans.
There is only one spring in the town, known simultaneously as
"Mary's Spring", Jesus' Spring", and "Gabriel's Spring". Undoubtedly it is the same spring from which Jesus often drank,
and to which, as a little boy, He must have accompanied His
mother, as little children still do in Syria and Palestine, when
their mothers "go to the spring" to fill their jars, and bring them
home gracefully balanced upon their heads.
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
Famous Arab Lovers
VI
Kais and Lubnah
An evil jinni must have pursued those "famous Arab lovers", for even those of them who were married, and lived happily with their spouses, had something overtake them to destroy their happiness and shatter the dream of their bliss. Perhaps
that is why they were "famous". For had they lived like other
ordinary couples, happy and contented with the world, we would
never have heard of them. It is this element of contrariness
and suffering, of privation and denial, which has brought to the
surface the chivalry, sacrifice and undying faith latent in the
hearts of the lovers. All famous lovers of the operas, and most
famous lovers of history, were unfortunate lovers.
The particular type of misfortune and misery which beset
our present hero differs radically from that of the previous ones.
He had little difficulty in winning his lady, but he had a hard
time in retaining her. When he lost her, his remorse was so
great that he could never overcome it. His remarriage only added fire to his passion for his first wife, and reminded him of
the paradise from which his folly had driven him.
Kais was a victim of his filial devotion. His love for his
parents cost him his happiness with his wife, and brought about
a separation which was in truth the breaking of his heart in two
halves. Ever after, the one half he retained looked in vain for
the other half, and although at one time it seemed very near,
in the end it completely eluded him. He died of a broken heart.
The story of how Kais fell in love with Lubnah is reminiscent
of Jameel and Buthainah's first love, only Kais came much earlier, for Kais, who, we are told, lived in "the wilderness of
Medina", wooed, won and lost in the reign of Mu'awiyah, first
Umayyad caliph, who ruled in Damascus in the middle of the
seventh century A. D.
One day, so the story goes, as Kais went about his affairs
in the heat of the day, he chanced upon the tent of Lubnah, the
�DECEMBER, 1926
61
daughter of Hubab. He stopped and asked for a drink of water,
and behold, there emerged from the tent a tall and beautiful
maiden who handed him water in a vessel, and when he had
quenched his thirst, she boldly looked up to him and said:
"Would you deign to come in and cool yourself inside the tent?"
Kais was not loathe to do so, and waited not for another invitation. He went in, and Lubnah smoothed a place for him to
rest, and busied herself in entertaining him. After a while her
father returned, and in accordance with Arab customs of hospitality, slaughtered a camel for his guest. Kais remained the rest
of the day, and as it began to turn cool, he turned his face homeward, but he had already left his heart behind in Lubnah's tent.
Kais kept Lubnah's love a secret for a time, until when he
could bear it no longer, he bared his heart to Lubnah and found
that she reciprocated his love "tenfold". He went away elated
with joy and laid the matter before his father, a rich cattleman,
who tried to persuade him against the match, as he had already
arranged for his son to marry one of his brother's daughters,
presumably to keep the wealth in the family, as some do these
days. Disappointed and disheartened, Kais went to his mother
only to receive the same kind of an answer.
Then Kais remembered that he had a powerful friend, alHussein the son of Ali, who, as a baby, was nursed along with
him on the breast of his own mother. To al-Hussein did Kais
go and lay before him, his plight. Without hesitation al-Hussein
went to the tent of Lubnah's father and requested him to give
his daughter in marriage to Kais. Lubnah's father could not turn
down such a distinguished mediator, the son of the cousin and
the son-in-law of the Prophet. He bowed to al-Hussein in obediance saying:
.
"Had you but sent a word it would have been sufficient,
but you know that the custom of the Arabs prescribes that the
father of the suitor should come in person and ask for the hand
of his son's bride. This would be the more proper way."
Al-Hussein then went to Kais's father and prevailed upon
him to proceed to Lubnah's folks and betrothe her for his
son. This the father did in compliance with al-Hussein's wish.
Kais and Lubnah lived happily together for ten years during all of which time Lubnah proved to be barren. Barrenness
in a wife was in those days considered a calamity which often
lead to divorce or the despise of the wife, but Kais was so fond
of Lubnah that his love for her did not diminish on this account.
�62
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Still there was more than the wife to consider. Kais was a dutiful son, and his parents urged him incessantly to divorce Lubnah
and marry another, so as to perpetuate the family name. At
first Kais resisted his parents, and would not listen to their entreaties and solicitations, until the father swore by a solemn oath
that the same roof shall not shelter him and his son together
unless the latter^ divorce Lubnah. Torn between his devotion
to his wife and his filial duty to his parents, he at last surrendered to the wishes of his parents and divorced his wife.
It was then that Kais discovered how much he loved his
wife. Her parents came and took her away, marrying her to
another man, with whom she was not happy, while Kais consoled
himself by reciting doleful lays giving expression to his deep
remorse. Some of this poetry preserved in al-Aghani is extremely pathetic and touching, springing from a heartfelt experience
that cannot but be genuine.
Where else do we ever come upon such despondent loneliness, such depressing sadness, so eloquent and tender in the original Arabic, as in these freely translated lines:
"An evil seduction is Lubnah," they told me;
"Divorce her, nor be thou dismayed."
Alas! how foolish I was to listen to their words,
And by their evil counsel be swayed!
All loved ones beside thee, sweet Lubnah, seem now,
As the juice of the wormwood to me;
My ears, now I miss thy voice, no other voice find sweet,
My eyes no pleasure in all that I see."n
Kais was married again. But Arab traditionists inform us
that "he never lived with his wife, smiled to her, nor spoke to
her."
After his divorce, such union was vouchsafed him
only in the sweet memories of the past over which he dwelt, as
on some enchanting, idyllic paradise from which he was driven
by his own folly. There, in that paradise, with imaginary flowers that never fade, a sun that never is dimmed by clouds; where
nature is ever radiant and beautiful, and only man is treacherous
and cruel, Kais took refuge from the bitter reality of his sorrow
by living over again the scenes of his love with his belpved Lubnah. He sang:
�*,
i—
DECEMBER, 1926
63
"If between Lubnah and me a thick wall were built,
And obstacles, unsurmountable, high.
To the same setting horns of the sun do we turn,
'Neath the high dome of the same azure sky."
Not long after, death separated, or, more correctly, united
the two lovers for ever and aye. Some say she died first and
he followed, while others contend that he died first and she afterwards.
FROM THE ARABIC
He who believes in God and the Judgment Day, let him
speak benevolently or otherwise keep silent.
He who shields his brother in this world, God would shield
him in this and the next world.
He who has not one of three things his works avail him not:
Righteousness to deter him from sin; forbearance to help him
from vile; and wisdom with which he could live among his fellow-men.
He who honors his brother believer, honors God.
He lies not who, to reconcile between two persons, says
only good things and reports good things.
Accept the apology of your brother believer unless you
know he is lying.
He who deceives a brother believer or harms him is not of us.
How often does one carry wisdom to him who is wiser than
himself?
A man who feeds others and gives thanks to God is often
more righteous than one who fasts and prays.
Two drops are above all most valuable, a drop of blood in
the way of God and a drop of tears in fear of God.
�_i——
64
THE SYRIAN WORLD
"Hands That Touch But Never Hold"
(GIBRAN)
(To the Gibran drawing of THE GREAT MOTHER.)
By BARBARA YOUNG
And
And
The
Was
Mary Mother looked upon the Child,
saw Him fair.
love and loveliness of all the world
cradled there.
She sang to Him, and called Him tender names,
As mothers will.
My dove! My lamb! She watched Him as He slept,
So wee and still.
She carried Him upon her gentle heart.
My boy! My Son!
My bird! My flower of life! Her loving words
Were never done.
Then, pondering His beauty, she was blest
And came aware;
And knew Him for the very Son of Man,
That Baby fair.
She came
My boy!
But only,
Thy way
aware, and knew, and said no more
My Son!
God, who watcheth Him with me,
be done.
She came aware, and knew that love is wise,
That life is sweet;
And stood above the wavering first steps
Of those small feet.
She reached her hand and touched the Baby hair
On His bright head.
Yes, so. Go on! Another step alone,
Alone, she said.
Oh Mary Mother, wise beyond the hour,
Beyond the day!
O hands that touch but never, never hold.
It is life's way.
�!
'DECEMBER, 1926
65
With Our Contributors
One almost longs to shake off ers that this is an exclusive conthe fetters of instinct and tribution by GIBRAN to THE
prompt age so as to the sooner SYRIAN WORLD.
partake of those exquisite pleasures which KAHLIL GIBRAN SO
The pageant which DR. JOHN
eloquently describes in his peer- HOWLAND LATHROP conjures
less style. ,But one must needs for the edification and enlightbe a disciple of GIBRAN to feel enment of our readers denotes
with his feeling and see with his master ability to "translate
his vision. In him it is the soul the spirit of the Christmas story
of the true artist which sees into the realities of present
through the veil of matter and life". Wisdom should not be
is transported to the vast realm confined to those: who deal with
of the unknown. Of him it can the abstract. Men of practical
be truly said that his feet rest usefulness have the applied
on the ground but his head rises wisdom and well may they dehigh above the clouds.
serve credit. Here they are arEvery Lebanese and Syrian rayed as "the wise men of tomay well be proud of GIBRAN day" in such an imposing paand his work. He is the recog- geant as only a man of the
nized leader in his school of learning of DR. LATHROP could
thought. He is ever referred form for review. DR. LATHto as the author of the "Pro- ROP is a friend of the Syrians
phet", that masterpiece of con- and in his capacity as minister
ception and expression which of the Church of the Saviour in
has been translated, in the Brooklyn, N. Y., he contributes
course of two years, into seven- much towards bringing about a
teen languages and has wafted better understanding between
the magic spell of GIBRAN'S old and new comers to America.
mysticism to every corner of the Welcome, DR. LATHROP, to
earth. In "Youth and Age", the ranks of our contributors.
GIBRAN gives us a word picture
of one of his trance-like moods
As a champion of Syrian culthat is captivating by its subtle
ture,
a defender of Syria's claim
charm, and it is indeed with an
unreserved feeling of pleasure to its plac© in the sun of world
that we announce to our read- history, DR, PH. HITTI takes
�'66
his place in the first rank of our
publicists not only in the United
States, but throughout the
world. His contributions in his
chosen line, history, are several
illuminating books in Arabic and
one in English, and he has by
no means reached the point of
satiation. His article in this issue of THE SYRIAN WORLD is
an eulogy and an exhortation.
His arrayal of historical facts;
his quotations of recognized authorities, together with his own
deductions (and conclusions,
should not only make us stop
to think, but prompt us to act.
We feel happy in our ability
to assure our readers that DR.
HITTI is one of our regular
contributors.
'THE SYRIAN WORLD
cal color, he will become a favorite with our readers, and to
that end we have asked him to
cultivate a disposition towards
liberality in (his contributions.
Bless the heart of the author
of "Bless Their Hearts", for he
seems to be such an expert at
hearts' troubles and hearts,
ways, and can create characters
that are so lovably human. At
the time we introduced WILLIAM CATZEFLIS to our readers
as the |able translator of Shahrazad, we promised them some
original contributions from his
versatile pen, and we are happy
in the thought that the promise
was not long materializing. We
may venture another prophecy
in promising more erudite, entertaining and effervescent conBe it real or fictitious, the tributions from our friend
name IBN EL-KHOURY is well CATZEFLIS.
chosen for the subject the writer treats in this issue of THE
SYRIAN WORLD. We hope this
As usual, our able collaboraintimate sketch of life in Leb- tor, HABIB I. KATIBAH, proves
anon will find favor with our his fondness for research by
readers, especially that it seems giving us a new interpretation
to be so trud as to details and so of an old tradition. It would
appreciative of the simplicity of seem somewhat improper for
life and manners of the good Syria and the East to monopolmountain folk who supply the ize everything; but here are the
majority bf Syrian immigrants facts bearing on the tradition of
to America. We feel certain Santa Claus, based on competent
that if in his future contribu- authority, that carry back the
tions along this line he is able origin 6f this delightful legend
to maintain the standard he set to somewhere near Syria if not
for himself in his present article * to. Syria itself.Nevertheless, it is
by his prodigious wealth of lo- traced directly to the Near East,
I
�I
1 •
'DECEMBER, '1926
and KATIBAH'S article holds out
the light that enables us to see
more clearly into the dark recesses of ancient history. Of
course it behooves us to be somewhat modest, but what can we
do?
The ever ready camera of
Miss SUMAYEH ATTIYEH seems
to have caught many an interesting snapshot of both East
and West which she displays in
quite a humorous vein to readers of THE SYRIAN WORLD in
her contribution of this issue.
As a lecturer, traveller and
earnest student, Miss ATTIYEH
knows both how to instruct and
entertain. We may add that she
is quite modest, for though she
may not be as "green" as she
claims, she is that from the
point of view of age at least.
It may be considered indeed
a stroke of good fortune for
Miss SIMONE FRANCE to have
interviewed M. Henri Ponsot,
the new French High Commissioner in Syria for THE SYRIAN
WORLD. We are naturally interested in the fortunes of Syria,
and it is well for us to have a
glimpse at how these fortunes
are to be shaped. Syria has had
a plethora of High Commissioners during France's short
incumbency of the mandate,
and it is refreshing to learn
from Miss FRANCE'S account
r
67
that at last France has sent there
a High Commissioner who
would, and could, stay to develop some form of a stable policy.
Miss FRANCE, as may be readily
inferred, is French, but we
know enough of her to convince
us that, even though she is inclined to be sympathetic, she
can be absolutely unbiased. She
is a graduate of L'Universite
de Paris of Paris, and of
Columbia University of New
York and specializes in psychology and in the study of international affairs, and we feel
sure that her training has served
her to good purpose in appraising M. Ponsot as executive and
diplomat.
Out of the distant past D(R.
F. I. SHATARA conjures for our
readers a figure who was a prodigy of learning and whose influence in the medical world
made itself felt not only in
Arabic-speaking countries, but
in Europe as well. Ibn Sina is
one of the great luminaries of
the East, and DR. SHATARA naturally feels proud that one of
his own profession and his own
race should have made such an
indelible impression on the face
of time. Mayhap, with the example of Ibn Sina to emulate,
someone of our contemporaries
will strive to render such signal
services _ to his race and to the
world at large. At least this is
�'63
?HE SYRIAN WORLD
what we surmise DR. SHATARA'S
What a beautiful poem GIBpurpose to be by holding out RAN'S drawing inspired Miss
the achievements of Ibn Sina to BARBARA YOUNG to compose?
the light.
It is both a tribute to GIBRAN
as an artist and to Miss YOUNG
We wish we could refrain as a poet. We are glad to anfrom complaining of M. J. nounce to readers of THE SYRNAIMY. He has the gift for IAN WORLD that, from time to
creating jewels in both poetry time, they shall enjoy the lyric
and prose but he deals out his productions of this gifted auproductions to his many admir- thor, poet and elocutionist who
ers at starvation rations. Why ranks high in the literary world
not let us have more glimpses of America.
at those "spheres that are far
away" and share in the thrill of
EDITOR.
their melodies, friend NAIMY?
Spirit of The Syrian Press
Under this caption we hope to present from time to time a microcosmic picture of the Arabic press, not only in this country, but wherever
Arabic dailies and magazines reflect the opinions of responsible, thinking
writers who are treating the different problems that confront the Arabicspeaking world from all conceivable angles. Needless to say, we will take
no part in the discussions reproduced, nor assume any responsibility. Our
task will simply consist in selecting, to the best of our knowledge and
with utmost sincerity, what we think is representative of the public opinion as expressed in these editorials.
Editor.
PAPER URGES SYRIANS
TO VOTE
"Syrian-Americans ought to go to
the polls as a matter of patriotic
duty. If they so do, they will have
a political status, and local politicians will take cognizance of them,
as they do of other Americanized
immigrants, among whom we find
many whose worth has raised them
to positions of responsibility. But
even if we seek no political offices,
we should try to raise the political
status of the Syrian immigrants.
This will only come when the Syrian vote is a solid block, not dispersed here and there, or totally lost."
(As-Sayeh, New York, Nov. 4,1926.)
HINTS TO PONSOT
They say that Ponsot is a freemason. Let him then know that our
first need is for some good cement
wherewith wet may reinforce the
I
�"DECEMBER, 1926
crumbling structure of our homeland.
The courtship of Italy to Syria
reminds us of the proverbial courtship of that bridegroom who chose
a bride and his family were quite
pleased with her, only, she and her
family were not!
Ponsot remains silent. Evidently
he had a reaction after he(had heard
the lengthy speeches of welcome
with which he was addressed in Beirut and Damascus.
(As-Sayeh, N. Y., Nov. 18, 1926.)
,
ITALY OR TURKEY?
The Powers will do well to restore Syria to Turkey for the majority of the Syrians prefer the
Turks with their barbarity to the
principles of the French Revolution.
The restoration of Syria to the
Turks will be the best solution, for,
to quote a common Arabic proverb,
"this dilapidated church deserves
this one-eyed priest".
There may be truth in the rumor
that the mandate for Syria may be
given over to Italy, or there may not
be. But we believe that France will
gain much in this transfer. It will
thereby win the friendship of a
Power which desires its friendship
and wishes to be its ally, and it
will also help Mussolini find an outlet for the hundreds of thousands of
Italians who increase at the rate of
half-a-million a year. Furthermore,
it will facilitate Mussolini's project
to attack Turkey in the future, and
thus cut its sinews and relieve the
world of its evil.
The methods of the French administration are certainly better
than those of the Italian one, but
if the Syrians do not want France,
let Italy go to them and show them
what is what.
(As-Sayeh, N. Y., Nov. 1, 1926/
69
ADMONITIONS TO CITIZENS
The American citizenship, whose
certificate some of the Syrians and
Palestinians carry, does not allow
its bearer to absent himself from
this country except for a period of
two years. At the end of that period the absentee must apply to the
State Department for an extension
of time, for a legal reason. Should
he fail to do that, his new citizenship will drop off, and the State Department will not consider him from
henceforth as an American.
The case, however, with those who
go to their own country is different.
They also say that a merchant who
goes back to the country of his
birth but is connected with American firms may stay as long as he
pleases, since he is serving his new,
adopted country and selling its products.
Many of the Syrians who carry
American citizenship papers go to
the country of their birth and are
engaged in work that has no bearing on their new country, to which
they finally return for permanent
residence. These go back and forth
to the American consulate and pester
the officials with a new request or
demand every day; and after two
years lose their new citizenship and
return to their old one.
Bearers of American citizenship
should observe the laws of their new
country, and not limp between the
two sides. They should not forget
their obligation to the country which
was good to them; which treated
them as she did its own children,
not distinguishing between them and
her original ones. Let us be one
hundred per cent. Americans, and
take pride in that we are a part
of this free and just nation.
(Mirat-ul-Gharb, N. Y., Nov.8,1926.)
�THE SYRIAN WOKLD
70
About Syria and Syrians
PRES. BAYARD DODGE
MADE AN LL. D.
On October 11th, in the Faculty
Room at Marquand House on the
campus of the American University
of Beirut, the degree of Doctor of
Laws was conferred on President
Bayard Dodge by a representative
of Occidental College of Los Angeles, California. In conferring the
degree, Dr. John Carruthers said in
part:
"Bayard Dodge, descendant of a
distinguished American family; son
of the late Cleveland Hoadley Dodge,
benefactor of the peoples of the Near
East; schooled in the Princeton University tradition of "World Service";
trained to seek "the truth that
makes men free" by men of mind
and soul at Union Theological Seminary; guide to the youth of this
University by life and precept, delivering many from student perplexities into lives of poise and purpose
and clean manhood; drafted by his
own talents, forced by conscience
and prompted by love to serve, suffer and share in the human and
institutional chaos wrought by the
war, serving modestly, quietly, efficiently and tactfully in the strategic
spirit of great service the needs of
this University so renowned and
deeply beloved.
"The President of Occidental College would have me say, on behalf
of the Trustees and Faculty of that
California Institution, that the Far
West and Near East by virtue of
this ceremony thus symbolize a kind
of Academic Entente of Educational
Effort."
• ; j&i
The report of this ceremony as
published by the Arabic press of
Beirut was made the occasion for
giving renewed testimony of the
genuine love which Syrians in general bear for the President of the
American University.
DR. HITTI LECTURES
ON SYRIAN CONTRIBUTION
On the evening of November 17
the International Institute for Young
Women of the Y.W.C.A. of Brooklyn gave a special entertainment
that was attended by nearly two*
score ministers of the Brooklyn
Heights and their wives and at
which the principal speaker was.
our Dr. Philip K. Hitti.
The young ladies of the Institute,
of various nationalities, formed native tableaux and sang folk songs
and gave recitations in English which
proved that they were being helped
greatly by the organization.
Dr. Hitti spoke on the contribution of Syria to world civilization
and deprecated the myth of Nordic
superiority. He said he stated these
facts in all humility and for the
avowed reason, of inviting a fairminded appreciation of his race. His
remarks were well received by the
learned and sympathetic audience.
PROMINENT SPEAKERS
AT SYRIAN DINNER
"The Daughters of Syria" held a
dinner and entertainment at the Hotel St. George, Brooklyn, on November 17th, for the purpose of raising
funds to build a Syrian Protestant
:
;'
�. HVHHBMMM
DECEMBER, 1926
'
Church in Brooklyn. From the point
of view of attendance, the affair was
a signal success, the large dining
hall of the hotel being filled to capacity.
One of the gratifying features
was the presence at the dinner of a
number of nationally known speakers including Mr. H. L. Redfield,
a prominent churchman of Brooklyn;
Syud Hussein, an eminent East Indian lecturer and the editor of THE
NEW ORIENT; and Miss Sumayeh
Attiyeh, the gifted Syrian orator
who is widely known as a Ohautauqua speaker. Rev. K. A. Bishara,
Minister of the Syrian Protestant
Church, presided. Prof. Alex. Maloof was at the piano while Midhat
Sirbagy gave several operatic selec*
tions in Arabic and English.
EL TOWER APARTMENTS
OPENED IN PITTSBURGH
November 10th was a day of
pride for Pittsburgh Syrians, and,
in a sense, for all Syrians everywhere in the United States.
The occasion was a singular one.
Mr. Latouf Naffah, a Syrian from
Mt. Lebanon, had set that date for
the opening of his new apartment
hotel, El Tower, and invited to it
a hundred or more guests from
among men and women prominent
in the political, social and literary
life of the city.
Prominent Syrians from Pittsburgh and neighboring cities were
there also in force, and they had the
satisfaction of hearing some of the
most eulogistic comments on the enterprise and honesty of their race as
exemplified by Mr. Naffah.
The El Tower was described as a
dream realized, a crown adorning
the crest of the highest hill of Pitts-
71
burgh, an epic in the history of
the city, a monument to Syrian
enterprise in America and a
pattern
from
which
«ther
cities could copy as a creation of
grace and beauty. Mr. Naffah proved to be a man of vision and undaunted courage. A wild wooded
hill was transformed by him into a
garden spot of enchanting beauty.
It is for that reason that prominent
men of Pittsburgh hailed in him a
sort of benefactor to the city by his
contribution to it of this artistic
erection in stone and morcar.
The Pittsburgh Post's account of
the inaugural banquet states that
Harry Diamond, assistant city Solicitor, acted as toastmaster. Speakers included Charles Andrews, prominent Pittsburgh Syrian, Edward
M. Kenna, road commissioner of Allegheny County, and Salloum A. Mokarzel, of New York, and others.
SYRIAN WOMAN
LEADER IN MUSIC
The leading figure in the musical
world of Shreveport, La., is a talented Syrian young woman, Miss Louise
Yazbeck, who is acquitting herself
honorably in many civic activities
of the city both to her own credit
and to that of her race. It is a
pleasure to learn that during the
celebration of the National Music
Week of this year, she was elected
chairman of the local Committee of
the city and the success which attended her efforts elicited high praise
from national headquarters. She
broadcasts regularly from station
KWKH, Shreveport, and the Orient.
al programs she is introducing hare
brought her many expressions «f
commendation and delight from radio fans. She now conducts a wellattended music studio of her own.
�72
SYRIAN JEWS DEMAND RIGHTS
Among the many delegations
whom the new French High Commissioner received on hia arrival to
Syria was a delgation representing
the Jewish community in Beirut and
Syria.
In connection with this visit, the
"Jewish World", a newspapr published in Beirut, devotes a lengthy
article to the discussion of what it
terms, "the neglected rights" of the
Jews in the regime of the previous
High Commissioners.
Aware of the rising cry among
nationalists and many others for the
elmination of the sectarian issue
from politics, the "Jewish World"
defends its request for special consideration of the Jews as a separate
entity by saying that it demands for
the Jews their share of offices in the
government, "not for the sake of the
offices in themselves, but to preserve
those rights and traditions which are
only appreciated by the people of
each sect, especially in this land in
which each race has its traditions
and customs not shared by others."
THE POLITICAL SITUATION
IN SYRIA
M, Henri Ponsot, the new French
High Commissioner in Syria, arrived at Beirut Oct. 13. His reception
was as pompous as that given all
previous High Commissioners. He
attended the traditional mass at the
Latin church; was visited by government officials and tihe clergy and
returned their visits; made a tour of
inspection throughout all sections of
the mandated territory and was acclaimed with great manifestations
of welcome; but never did he on any
occasion make a direct political sta-
THE SYRIAN WORLD
tement or declaration of policy.
While in the Druze Mountain, the
center of the present revolution, he
announced that he held for Syria
the best of intentions and would do
everything possible for its future
welfare, but under no consideration
would he commit himself to a specific policy.
Some Syrian papers declare that
M. Ponsot is simply confining himself to a thorough study of the situation and that about the middle of
December he will return to Paris
with a detailed exhaustive report,
and there decide with the Cabinet
on a policy that would be carried
out energetically and decisively.
>4
i.
An Egyptian paper of Cairo published a report that M. Ponsot was
fired upon while in Damascus, but
the attempt on his life failed. The
report was later denied.
News of revolutionary activities
are becoming very meager, although
Egyptian papers friendly to the
cause of the revolution report the
continuance of fighting. Some powerful leaders of the Atrash clan have
surrendered to the French and are
now, according to reports, negotiating for the surrender of the other
chieftains, but Gen. Andrea would
countenance no surrender except it
be unconditional.
No new developments of consequence have taken place in the matter of the transfer of the French
mandate over Syria to Italy. Mussolini is reported to have thundered
dire threats ii the mandate were not
given him, but France seems not to
have taken the least cognizance of
the rumors. It would seem plausible that France is awaiting the report of M. Ponsot before declaring
herself definitely on the subject.
:,
4MHHHBHMBI
;
�I
v
STATEMENT OP THE OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, CIRCULATION,
ETC., REQUIRED BY THE ACT OF CONGRESS OF AUGUST 24.1912.
Of The Syrian World published monthly at New York, N.Y., for Oct. 1,192«.
STATE OF NEW YORK.
COUNTY OF NEW YORK,
Before me, a Notary Public, in and for the state and county aforesaid,
personally appeared Salloum A. Mokarzel, who, having been duly sworn
according to law, deposes and says that he is the publisher of the The
Syrian World, and that the following is, to the best of bis knowledge and
belief, a true statement of the ownership, management) (and if a daily paper, the circulation), etc., of the aforesaid publication for the date shown
in tfhe above caption, required by the Act of August 24, 1921, embodied in
section 411, Postal Laws and Regulations, printed on the reverse of this
form, to wit:
1. That the names and addresses of the publisher, editor, managing
editor, and business managers are:
Name of—
Post office address—
Publisher, Salloum Mokarzel
104 Greenwich Street.
Editor, Salloum Mokarzel
104 Greenwich Street.
Managing Editor, Salloum Mokarzel
104 Greenwich Street.
Business Managers, Salloum Mokarzel
104 Greenwich Street.
2. That the owner is: (If owned by a corporation, its name and address
must be stated and also immediately thereunder the names and addresses
of stockholders owning or holding one per cent or more of total amount of
stock. If not owned by a corporation, the names and addresses of the individual owners must be given. If owned by a firm, company, or other
unincorporated concern, its name and address, as well as those of each
individual member, must be given.)
Syrian-American Press, Salloum A. Mokarzel, proprietor, 104 Greenwich St.
3. That the known bondholders, mortgages, and other security holders
owning or holding 1 per cent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages,
or other securities are: (If there are none, so state.) None.
4. That the two paragraphs next above, giving the names of the owners, stockholders, and security holders, if any, contain not only the list of
stockholders and security holders as they appear upon the books of the
company but also, in cases where the stockholder or security holder appears
upon the books of the company as trustee or in any other fiduciary relation,
en; also that the said two paragraphs contain statements embracing affiant's
the name of the person or corporation for whom such trustee is acting, is givfull knowledge and belief as to the circumstances and conditions under
which stockholders and security holders who do not appear upon the books
of the company as trustees, hold stock and securities in a capacity other
than that of a bona fide owner; and this affiant has no reason to believe
that any other person, association, or corporation has any interest direet
or indirect in the said stock, bonds, or other securities than as so stated
by him.
5. That the average number of copies of each issue of this publication
sold or distributed, through the mails or otherwise, to paid subscribers during the six months preceding the date shown above is.
(This information is required from daily publications only.)
S. A. Mokarzel.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this first day of October, 1926.
[SEAL.]
Salem J. Lutfy.
(My commission expires March 30, 1927.)
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Newspapers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Salloum Mokarzel, a Lebanese American intellectual, founded<em> The Syrian World</em> in 1926. Salloum Mokarzel was the younger brother of Naoum Mokarzel, the publisher of the Arabic-language newspaper <em>Al-Hoda. </em>Together, the Mokarzel brothers ran Al-Hoda Publishing, and in 1909, they published <em>The Syrian Business Directory.</em> </p>
<p>Mokarzel created <em>The Syrian World</em> in order to document and celebrate the culture and history of "Syria." At the time, Syria referred to the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. The publication was primarily aimed towards second-generation children of immigrants, but Mokarzel hoped that it would also appeal to the general American public.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><em>The Syrian World</em> was published between 1926 and 1932 as a journal. In 1932, the format was changed from an academic journal style to a newspaper style, which continued until the periodical's end in 1935. After the death of his brother Naoum, Salloum took over the publication of <em>Al-Hoda.</em></p>
<p>The articles in <em>The Syrian World</em> cover a variety of topics spanning from the practical to the theoretical. Practical subjects include international and domestic travel, historical and contemporary Arabic and Arab-American art and literature, and the mental and physical health and hygiene of immigrants. More theoretical, philosophical, and ideological subjects include ideologies of race, the changing role of women, the formation of Syrian and Lebanese-American societies, and the political and psychological relationships between immigrants and their countries of origin.</p>
<p>All issues of <em>The Syrian World</em> are available, along with full indexes for the first four volumes. For volumes five and six, there are tables of contents at the start of the issues.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabs--United States
Arabic periodicals
Newspapers
Arab American Newspapers
Creator
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Salloum A. Mokarzel
Source
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New York Public Library
Publisher
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Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926-1935
Relation
A related resource
<em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mokarzel Family Papers</a>
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11299/175685" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annotated Index to the Syrian World, 1926-1932</a> at the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center Archives
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Al-Hoda Newspapers</em></a>
Language
A language of the resource
English
Contributor
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Processed by Claire A. Kempa, 2015-2017. Collection Guide written by Claire A. Kempa, 2017.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 August.
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The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings.
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NS 0002
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This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
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Identifier
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TSW1926_12reducedWM
Title
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The Syrian World Volume 01, Issue 06
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926 December
Description
An account of the resource
Vol . 1 Issue 06 of The Syrian World published December 1926. The issue is focused around Christmas. It opens with an article discussing "The Spirit of Christmas" and is followed by a poem by Kahlil Gibran. Overall, this issue focuses on what Christmas is like for the Syrian and Lebanese people. It also includes a historical discussion of Bethlehem and Nazareth and their importance to Christmas. The issue closes with excerpts from the Arab press.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals
Arabs--United States--Periodicals
Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals
Language
A language of the resource
English
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Syrian-American Press
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Coverage
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104 Greenwich St., New York, NY
Format
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Text/pdf
Type
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Text
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
1920s
Christmas
Kahlil Gibran
New York
Poetry-English
Religion
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/f234231e33fa44be357a1118b89b722c.pdf
bd1a4afca91c7cf76a6a2a334c6c40ca
PDF Text
Text
I
N., P. & J. TRABULSI
MANUFACTURERS OF
Ladies' PRINTED & Fancy
SCARFS
MEN'S
&
BOYS'
SWEATERS
MEN'S MUFFLERS
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FOR THE JOBBING TRADE ONLY
JVEW YORK
599 BROADWAY.
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1
THE
SYRIAN WORLD
SALLOUM
A.
MOKARZEL,
Editor.
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS
104
GREENWICH STREET, NEW YORK,
N. Y.
By subscription $5.^0 a year.
Single copies 50c.
Entered as second-class matter, June 25, 1926, at the post office at New
York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879.
VOL. I. No. 77"
JANUARY, 1927
Contents
PAGE
From My Note-Book of Travel
By AMEEN RIHANI
3
The Consular Mass in the Near East
By THE EDITOR
7
Selections from the Arabic
15
The Contribution of the Syrian Immigrant to America
By REV. K. A. BISHARA, PH. D.
16
Wisdom Sans Humor
19
By H. I.
KATIBAH
Sects of Islam
:
23
What Really Counts
27
Famous Arab Lovers — VII — 'Antar and 'Abla
28
Progressive Medicine
By
34
DR.
H. A.
ELKOURIE
J
- , ,,„:,; .,.,, -
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CONTENTS (Continued)
.
PAGE
The Value of Knowledge
S6
Fatima (a short story)
37
By
The Syrians in Australia
By
HASSAN SUBHI
42
HON.
A. A.
ALAM
To Adversity
45
Please, Santa!
4^
By
MARIE EL-KHOURIE
Editor's Comment — The Dawn of a New Era?
47
With Our Contributors
50
Spirit of the Syrian Press
53
Readers' Forum
55
About Syria and Syrians
5^
Political Developments in Syria
5#
ILLUSTRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE
The Church of the Capuchins in Beirut
The Holy City of Jerusalem
Emissaries of Charlemagne with Haroun al-Rashid
Crusaders Carrying the Original Cross in Triumph
Mashrak El-Azkar — Proposed Bahai Temple in Chicago
A Detail of one of the Windows of the Bahai Temple
Ibn Saoud, King of Nejd and the Hejaz
A Scene in a Residential Street in Jerusalem
���SYRIAN WORLD
VOL. I. No. 7.
JANUARY, 1927
From My Note-Book of Travel
By AMEEN RIHANI
THE SACRED COW
I first met her in, Bombay, strolling down the street, taking
the air, even like her biped contemporaries. Two or three cows
sometimes walked together, without a chaperon, without anyone
to say, Ho! and no ^one seemed to mind. The traffic, the police,
the pedestrians moved along nonchalantly, somnolently. The
taxis stopped to let her holiness pass; and now and then a man
or a woman would approach her, touch her reverentially, for a
blessing.
Noble-looking animals are the temple cows, and they would
take the prize at any cattle show in America or Europe. Expansive, shapely, graceful of line 5 — the best rounded figures
in the world — quite Oriental. And such complexion! Whether red or black or a shade between, the skin has an impeccable
gloss j it bespeaks the harmony and peace within. For they do
not live in eternal fear, these sacred cows; — the obsession of
the shambles is not upon them.
On the contrary, they live in eternal bliss, which is ignorance
and the daily feed. Moreover, they have the freedom of the
city, and everywhere they find servants and friends. One of
them I saw stop and shake her head in an irritated manner.
Two or three Hindus came instantly to her assistance, and gently
she turned her head as one of them pulled a big fly out of her
fB/Blgam&ts&sm*
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4
U1HE SYRIAN WORLD,
ear! She then proceeded on her promenadej and the pious rescuer of the cow and the fly — a double mercy — went home in
the caressing folds of a double reward.
.
AT THE RACES
The lower classes of the East are less offensive in a crowd
than their brothers of New York or London. The Oriental
crowd, except at a political meeting nowadays, is quiet, orderly,
gentle. It may wear loud colors, but it is not loud-lunged. It
moves like a sluggish stream in a body without a ripple. It has
no angularities, no spinosities: neither a temper, nor a heel. One
is safe in an Oriental crowd, even comfortable.
As for the upper classes, I have also met them at the races.
The men, whether in native or European clothes, and the women, whether in shoes or in sandals, in silk or cotton saris, are
utterly devoid of the affectations that mark the Europeans. The
English are gentlemen in office and out of office; but the pose
of the English official at a public function is ridiculous. The
Oriental is beginning to see it, to see through it; which fact the
Honourable gentleman will soon or late realize. He can, at
least, leave his flunkeys at home; for when they accompany him,
he cannot but be conscious of the glory they lend to his 'state',
and he has to study how to behave for them, as well as before
the public. Hence, the uppishness which no politeness can assuage.
Indian nobility, too, was at the races; but it moved about
sans flunkeys and sans pomp — almost meekly. The men carried binoculars, to be sure; but they did not hold them up to
their eyes like the Honourable Sir Charles Fudge, C.S.I., C.I.E.,
etc., with straight rigid fingers and thumb to cheek. Nor did the
begums, in gowns or ample folds, sit down in the garden to smoke
cigarettes and cross their legs to exhibit to the full a hose of silk.
Neither pudency nor pruriency is here concerned. But the
contrast, no matter ,how unprejudiced one may be, persists. You
have, on the one hand, a pose, an affectation, a studied gesture,
no matter how esthetic; while on the other are the calm and
comeliness, the simplicity and the natural grace of the better
class Orientals, men and women. I am certain that even a fairminded Englishman, Mr. Wells or Mr. Chesterton, for instance,
will turn away at such a gathering from his compatriots to pay
f
�JANUARY, 1927
5
his homage to the simple grace and unconscious charm of India.
One thing, however, is deplorable — the utter European manner of some of the younger set, who speak, English even among
themselves, and lisp and put on airs like Arthur-Smith and MaryJane.
A NOMADIC GOVERNMENT*
Four months at Poona, which is 2,000 feet above the sea;
two months, October and November, at Mahablashwarj and
about December we go down to the lowlands, we return to Bombay for the winter season. We must avoid the heat, as well as
the cold: we must be comfortable in order to be able to govern
India. Indeed, we must keep cool, and we must keep fit, for
thy sake, O India. That is why in April we pack up and, with
our 'cloaks' and flunkeys, go up to the hills again; — back to
Mahablashwar; for neither Bombay nor Poona are just right
for our comfort and consequently for the good of government
and country. About the end of May, or the beginning of June,
however, Poona invites us to its spring and its soft, cool breezes,
and for thy sake, for thy good, O India, we come.
This is the happy cycle of the three-capitaled Government
of Bombay, which, moves with the seasons, regardless of time or
money. Thus, too, I am told, all over India. If a Resident or
a Governor, with his staff and council, his military and civil
departments, his flunkeys and A. D. Cs. and servants, lives in
such extravagance on the revenues of India, what may be the
higher state of His Excellency the Viceroy and Their Highnesses
the Maharajahs?
MAHATMA SASSOUN
Through the native quarter to the Museum. Not a trace
of civilization, European or Oriental, modern or ancient, considered from the point of view of soap and social order. As if
the English had not been in the country three hundred years j —
as if 'the naked sages of India* had not been preaching cleanliness and manliness for many centuries before the coming of
Clive. The houses are tumble-down; the streets are noisome,
and the hand of decay is upon everything. Yet, here are human
�V
THE SYRIAN WORLD
beings reconciled to the filthiest and most depressing condition
of life. I despair of humanity and all the efforts of its sages
and prophets, aye, and all the achievements of its men of science
and invention, when I see this side of the Orient.
The milkman brings the milk in beautiful brass utensils,
swinging in ropes from the end of a long pliant pole, which he
carries on his shoulder. The utensils are not covered, and they
hang so low that they almost touch the ground. The air, the
dust, the germs, the mud, they do not exist in the world of the
milkman, nor in that of his customers.
A(flock of cooli-women pass, almost in native buff, carrying
big trays upon their heads. Naked from the feet up as far as
possible, naked from the shoulders down as far as possible} and
the waist-cloth which they wind tightly like a sash, is of brilliant
colors —| yellow, green, red, orange, or blue. Beautiful figures,
undressed and undraped, rare on the vaudeville stage or in the
'celluloid' world j they are what the pious Moslem calls a fascination and a snare to humankind. But they walk the streets of
Bombay with a mincing step and a swing of the arm, and no one
is ensnared, not even interested.
Some of these cooli-women I saw at the Museum. It was
a day for the people, I think, and they were all there in family
groups. Men carried their children and women lugged their
babes. The young men were interested in the ethnological exhibit, the women gaped at the stuffed tigers, and they all crowded around the cases containing the deities of India. The cooliwomen were absorbed as every one else, and no one seemed to
notice their nudity. Aye, the very people I had seen in the
moldering squalor of the town had become students of history
and anthropology^ and they filled the Museum with the odors
that suggest neither musk nor ambergris. The stench of the
people in the temple of knowledge!
But every attachment, every ideal must take with these people a religious form, or they are not content. Statues, for instance, can only represent the divine. I stood on the stairs watching the women as they passed before a bust of David Sassoun.
They stopped before it, gazed at it in silence, touched it reverentially with their fingers, which they applied to their foreheads. But David Sassoun is more worthy, perhaps, of their
adoration than the god with the elephant-trunk,
***i*l*iiwiimt**»<&
i
�JANUARY, 1927
~
The Consular Mass in the
Near East
By THE EDITOR
I
The report of the signing of a treaty between France and the
Vatican on December 6, 1926, in Paris, "regulating the honors
to French representatives in the Near East", would seem to consolidate anew the position of France as protector of the Christians in that part of the world.
According to the Paris dispatches reporting the signing of
the treaty, this is the first important diplomatic move of the
Papal Nuncio, Monsignor Gaglione, since assuming his post.
The treaty, we are further informed, is designed to remove
causes of friction in the French protectorates and countries where
France is regarded as "protector of the Christians". By the
former is meant Syria in particular, and by the latter all Mohammedan countries of the East. The immediate cause for the new
treaty is the hesitation lately displayed by the Italian prelates
in these countries to render the traditional honors to representatives of a republic which sponsors no state church, and it may well
be surmised that behind this attitude of Italian prelates there is
a political motive.
The treaty provides that representatives of France where
she is either the mandatory power, as in Syria, or occupies the
position of guardian of Christianity, as she will be considered in
Egypt and elsewhere, will receive "Consular Masses". At these,
on the occasions of Christmas, Easter, the Pentecost and the Fourteenth of July, they will be seated on thrones near the high altar,
being received by the clergy with all ritualistic honors.
The treaty further implies that attendance at these Masses
by non-Catholic French representatives will not be a tribute by
them to the power of Catholicism, but homage offered by the
Church dignitaries to France whose role from the time of the
Crusades has been that of protector of the faithful.
What transpired during the conversations leading to the
signing of the treaty may never be made public. Undoubtedly,
the Vatican is anxious to mend the broken threads of its relations
�'8
WHE SYRIAN WORLD
with France, hence its readiness to acquiesce in the demand of
France that the presence of non-Catholic representatives at solemn religious services of the Church should not be misconstrued
as tributes by them to the power of Catholicism. France has now
effectively and definitely severed all connections between church
and state. It is electing a president of the Republic who is Protestant and effacing as rapidly as practicable all memories of past
religious rivalries and feuds such as gave occasion to the massacre
of St. Bartholomew. French representatives abroad are also appointed more for their party fealty than their religious affiliations. Two recent illustrations are to be found in the resignation,
on the one hand, of Ambassador Jusserand from his post at Washington, by which France lost the prestige of its ambassador being
the dean of the diplomatic corps; and, on the other hand, in the
appointment of Gen. Sarrail to the post of High Commissioner
in Syria, where he set himself frantically at breaking traditions
as would the proverbial bull in a china shop.
But aside from all these considerations, France seems to
have been amply able to prove to the satisfaction of the Vatican
her right to continue in the role she has been acting ever since
the Crusades as protector of the Christians in the East. Not only
does she evince hesitation at breaking traditions in foreign
lands, but rather seeks to renew her right to enforce their observance. Hence it is not now a question of one of her representatives, such as Gen. Sarrail, taking it upon himself to refuse attendance at the diplomatic Mass, but rather a part of his official
duties to do so. France, to be sure, is determined on maintaining
her prestige in the East, and although she looks upon the religious
question in one light as regards her internal policy, she looks
upon it in altogether a different light in matters of foreign relations.
It is quite likely that the action of Gen. Sarrail, at
the time he was High Commissioner in Syria, in refusing to attend the traditional political Mass, precipitated the discussions
which culminated in the conclusion of the treaty between France
and the Vatican which was signed in Paris on the sixth of December. Gen. Sarrail's appointment had no justification except
in the fact that the spoils belonged to the victor, and as he had
been a staunch "regular" in the radical party which came into
power and swept M. Herriot into office, he was sent to Syria as
occupant of the only high diplomatic post available at the time.
/
�CRUSADERS CARRYING THE ORIGINAL CROSS IN TRIUMPH
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�It was for the purpose of wresting this city of Palestine, Syria, from the hands of the Moslems that the
Crusades were waged for two centuries.
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EMISSARIES OF CHARLEMAGNE BEING RECEIVED BY HAROUN AL-RASHID
From a painting by J. Kockert.
**
�THE HOLY CITY OF JERUSALEM
It was for the purpose of wresting this city of Palestine, Syria, from the hands of the Moslems that the
Crusades were waged for two centuries.
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WHERE THE DIPLOMATIC MASS IS HELD IN BEIRUT
The Church of the Capuchins, or the Latin Church, where the tradition of the Diplomatic, or Consular Mass
is observed
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JANUARY, 1927
'
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9
Once there he proceeded forthwith to prove himself a thorough
radical. One of his first official acts was to refuse attendance at
the diplomatic Mass, because such action would be interpreted
as favoring one religious faction in the country as against another.
And Sarrail wanted to introduce an altogether new order of
things. Of what significance is it to him to observe a tradition
that has been handed down from one generation to another for
almost eight centuries and which, particularly in Syria, where
religious prestige is so jealously guarded andx upheld, is considered in the light of an act of faith? Are we not in the day of a
new era? And is not he, Sarrail, of World-War fame, coming
to Syria to enlighten it and give it the benefit of his advanced
political creed rather than maintain those antiquated traditions
which have rotted with extreme age?
Sarrail may have been very honest of purpose, but he certainly had not the adroitness of a diplomat to carry his policies
out. The great mistake which he committed was in reversing
himself and showing preference for Mohammedans by subsequently attending a celebration at a mosque after having refused
to take part in the traditional services at the church. The effect
was to fan into flame all the hatreds and religious animosities
that had been simmering for centuries.
Added to this action of her High Commissioner in Syria,
France found herself confronted with many other problems
threatening her standing as the protector of Christians in the
East. Now Italy is casting covetous glances at Syria and England pursues relentlessly her policy of strengthening her prestige by knocking down the props from under her rivals. It is
of special significance that the dispatches reporting the signing
of the new treaty between France and the Vatican refer to the
reluctance of the Italian prelates in the East to accord religious
honors to representatives of a republic which sponsors no state
church. Why Italian prelates?
The problem, therefore, is not local nor restricted to one
incident. It is general in the whole East and threatens the de
cheance of French prestige if not remedied promptly and effectively. The Papal Nuncio in Syria had faithfully reported
to the Vatican the Sarrail incident and conversations on the subject with the French government followed. Immediately the
book of traditions is opened and France forcefully pleads her
case in defense of her traditional right as protector of Christians
�10
THE SYRIAN WORLD
in the East. The case is apparently proven to the satisfaction
of the Vatican and the new treaty which defines the rights of
France in her capacity as protector of the faithful is signed, notwithstanding the unfriendly attitude of Italian prelates.
Now what are the grounds on which France was able to
establish her case, and of what nature are those traditions of
which she appears to be so jealous and which she wishes to maintain and strengthen in spite of the fact that she is thereby put
in the position of a Catholic power, while in her home policy
she disclaims all connection between church and state?
The answer to this question must lead us all the way through
eleven centuries, back to the time of Charlemagne and Haroun
al-Rashid. The great emperor of the West and the equally
great caliph of the East had heard of each other and cultivated
a sort of mutual admiration. Times were peaceful and everybody was under the influence of a friendly disposition. The
Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land were well treated and the
Christian emperor felt himself owing a debt of gratitude to the
magnanimity of'the Mohammedan caliph, and, prompted by
this generous feeling, he sent to Bagdad a mission composed of
high dignitaries with appropriate presents. The envoys of Charlemagne were detained nearly eight months enjoying the hospitality of Haroun al-Rashid, and when finally they were permitted
to leave, they were loaded with such dazzling gifts as showed not
only the generosity of the great caliph, but the wealth of the
East as well.
Included in the gifts was an ingenious and magnificent
device for recording time, the first timepiece known to Europe,
and, what is of vastly more significance, the keys of the Church
of the Sepulchre in Jerusalem. This in itself was a carte blanche
permit to Christian pilgrims to visit the Holy places under the
protection of the emperor of the Franks.
These relations of amity and good-will were continued by
the successors of these two monarchs for several decades which
meant in those days a long time, during which pilgrimage from
Europe to the Holy Land flourished. To undertake the pilgrimage, the Christians of Europe naturally had to rely on some sort
of protection guaranteeing security, and this they enjoyed by
virtue of the friendship which existed between the emperor of
the Franks and the caliph of Islam. They then began to flock
to the Holy Lane! in ever increasing numbers. Some of the no^
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JANUARY, 1927
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bility lead armies numbering eight thousands of both men and
women. In time, Jerusalem was transformed into a regular
market place for the exchange of goods, and a special quarter
was built for the accommodation of Christian European merchants and pilgrims.
This condition, however, was not destined to last long. The
East was seething with plots and insurrections. The Abbasides
in Bagdad, heirs to the throne of Haroun al-Rashid, were tottering under the successive blows of the Turks who had filtered
into the Arab capital and were scheming to usurp power from
the hands of their masters. The great Arab empire became the
prey of ary number of provincial Emirs and contenders for the
caliphate. The Holy Land was not immune from the ravages
of these internal wars and the holy places of Christianity did
not escape desecration and pillage. Christian pilgrims were prohibited from entering the Holy City or bathing in the waters of
the Jordan and those of them who escaped death by massacre or
pestilence returned to Europe with harrowing tales of atrocities
and indignities. The cry was soon raised that Christianity should
deliver the holy places from the hands of the infidels and this
movement culminated in the great congress of Clermont in France
where Pope Urban II delivered his celebrated speech exhorting
the Christians to undertake the Crusades. The multitude responded with a great cry of "It is the will of God", and the
crusading movement was launched.
Why the Pope chose French territory for the issuance of
this appeal to Christian Europe to engage in wars which were
destined to rock the world and continue for two hundred years
causing inestimable losses in lives and property was explained by
the Pope himself when he declared in his speech that "I came
to French soil to make declaration of a holy war against the
desecrators of our sacred places because France has ever been
steadfast in her faith and ready to defend her title as the firstborn of the Holy Church. Once France rises to this holy war,
the rest of Europe will soon follow."
The account of what followed forms one of the bloodiest
chapters of the world's history, but in the end all Europe's efforts and all Christianity's armies failed and the Holy Places and
the Holy Land remained in the hands of the Mohammedans.
In the course of these long wars, however, many Christian
kingdoms were established in, Syria and not a few of the crusacl-
�12
THE SYRIAN WORLT>
ers intermarried with the Christian population of the country.
These latter chose to remain in the fair land of the East when
the last vestige of organized European military power was effaced and the last ship bearing the remnants of the great armies of
the crusaders had departed from Eastern shores. And then it
became not a question of contending for the possession of the
Holy Places by the sword, but by guaranteeing Christians the enjoyment of life and the right of free worship by diplomacy.
Europe had utterly failed in gaining a permanent foothold in the
East when even the king of France, St. Louis, had made a last
desperate effort to rally Europe to the cause of the Crusades,
going himself to the East at the head of a great fleet and a
great army, and fell captive in the hands of his enemies.
But the outstanding fact in this tragedy is that France was,
from the beginning to the end, the leader and the mainstay of
the movement, and now that it had failed she felt all the more
keenly her responsibility towards the protection of the Christians of the East and those of the crusaders who had chosen to
remain. The Christians of the East, particularly the Maronites
of Mt. Lebanon, had fought the common enemy side by side
with her men, and on numerous occasions offered, refuge to the
defeated crusaders in the fastness of their mountain. This partnership in arms, the equal sharing of a common peril, and the
exposing by Christian Europe of the Christians of the East to
the graver dangers resulting from the Crusades, bound Europe
with the strongest kind of moral obligation to protect the Christians of the East, and this duty fell more heavily on France by
reason of her position of leadership in these wars and in all
Christian activities.
The years that followed were replete with trials for the
Christians who wanted to make the pilgrimage, until, in 1313,
when Robert, King of Sicily, and his wife Sancie, went to Jerusalem and found that the Mussulmans had transformed the
church of the Holy Sepulchre into a mosque and had seized all
other places sacred to Christianity, they negotiated with the Mohammedans for the purchase of the Holy Places comprising the
Churches of the Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Nativity in
Bethlehem, for a consideration of 80,000 gold pounds. Now
this king of Sicily was of the French royal family, and on the
basis of this purchase, King Louis XIV of France entered into
negotiations with the Ottoman Sultan in 1685 for the return of
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the Holy Places to the custody of the Christians after they had
again been seized by the Mohammedans.
In later years, when the Ottomans had made secure their
ascendancy in the Islamic world and gained the caliphate by conquering Egypt in 1515 under Sultan Selim, France began to negotiate with Constantinople for the protection of the Christians
and for other commercial and political advantages. The agreements later entered into are what became known as capitulations,
in most of which were inserted clauses bearing on the position
of the Christians, both native and foreign.
Of the sustained interest of France in the Christians of Syria
and the East in general, the most recent illustration was her sending of a military expedition in 1860 to Syria under Gen. Beaufort to protect the Christians on the occasion of the religious disturbances characterizing that year and which culminated in the
massacre of the Maronites by the Druzes in Mt. Lebanon. The
Maronites are the special friends of France in the East and it
was principally through them that she established herself in Syria
following the World War.
Uninterruptedly, therefore, for almost eleven centuries,
France has been the protector and guardian of the Christians in
the East. During the early stages of this protectorate, the right
of France to act in this capacity was based simply on the initiative
she had taken in this field as the leading Catholic country of
Europe. Following the Crusades, however, this protectorate
began to take more definite forms and it was officially announced
and approved by encyclicals from Rome. The latest official pronouncement from Rome on the subject was when Pope Leo XIII
issued a famous encyclical on May 22, 1888 affirming anew the
position of France in the role of protector of Christians in the
East and forbidding Catholic missionaries, be they of Italian or
other nationalities, to have recourse in their grievances to any
other than French representatives.
This position which France enjoys as protector of the faithful in the East carries with it not only an obligation but a certain
amount of defined privileges, among which is that she alone, to
the exclusion of all other Catholic powers, should bear this title
and that her representatives in Eastern countries should be accorded special honors by the Catholic clergy in countries where
these privileges are in force. Hence the Consular Mass. This
combination of a politico-religious institution has been in force
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W&E 'SYRTAN WORLU
since 1742 and the first agreement between France and the Holy
See regulating the honors accorded French representatives in
the East has undergone many revisions on different dates, principally in 1804, 1817 and 1848. The latest revision is the one
now made with the signing of the new treaty in Paris on Dec. 6,
1926.
In the light of recent events, it would seem that a new
treaty embodying anew the definition of honors is inescapable,
and the Vatican appears to have made to France the concessions
which the change in France's new national policy necessitates.
Hence the reservation in the new treaty referring to French nonCatholic representatives. According to former versions, the rendering by the Catholic Church of special honors to French representatives, particularly where they appear in the role of protectors of Catholics, implied that they themselves should be of
the Catholic faith.
Here, for instance, are some of the honors which former
agreements between France and the Vatican stipulate:
Upon the appointment of a French Consul to a position in
the East, the priest of the Latin church in the city must offer a
Te Deum and reserve a special place of honor in the church for
the Consul. Then on all occasions when the Consul is to attend
the Mass, the head of the Latin mission (be it French, Italian,
or any other nationality) must send a special messenger to inform the Consul of the time Mass is to be celebrated, and upon
the Consul's arrival at the church, the head of the Mission must
receive him and offer him the holy water in person. During the
progress of the Mass the Consul is to be seated on the altar
in a special place of honor. Following the reading of the Gospel
the officiating priest advances and offers the Holy Book to the
Consul to kiss, and upon the offering of incense, the priest must
turn first to the Consul before facing the congregation. Finally,
upon the Consul leaving the church, the head of the Mission
again offers him personally the holy water.
On subsequent revisions, these honors were made to include
the following: Wherever there are Catholic educational institutions the French Consul is to preside at the final examinations
and commencement exercises. Upon the appointment of a new
Papal Nuncio it is the privilege of a French Consul to arrange
with the local authorities the ceremonies attending his reception,
and upon his arrival the Consul accompanies him in official cos-
�JANUARY^ 1927
rs
tume to the church and undertakes to announce his coming to
religious bodies, foreign representatives and the local authorities.
Immediately following the church ceremonies the Nuncio is to
pay a visit to the (French Consul as his first official act.
The observance of all these honors has been embodied in the
new treaty, with the further reservation referring to non-Catholic representatives. The position of France is now again definitely strengthened and her title reassured. 'It may be readily seen
that the French government of today is not actuated by the same
motives as prompted former governments to seek the title of
protector of the faithful, but France is still jealous of her special
privileges and has again succeeded in inducing the Holy See to
confirm her in her traditional role as the first-born of the Church.
SELECTIONS FROM THE ARABIC
The learned man is like a ship, if he makes a mistake he
perishes and many others perish with him.
In a tradition transmitted by Abdullah, the son of Omar, it
is related that the Prophet entered the mosque of Medina, where
he saw two groups, one occupied in devotional exercises, the other
in study.
"Both groups are commendable," said the Prophet." The
worshippers petition God. and mention His name. Should He
wish He may reward them5 should He not He would not; but
those in the other group study jurisprudence, and teach the ignorant. Verilv, I was sent as a teacher." Saying this, the Prophet
went and sat with the studious group.
"For thirty years," said Sari as-Sakati, (an early Mohammedan mystic) "I have been seeking forgiveness for once saying
'thank God'." When asked, "how so?" he explained:
"Once a conflagration broke in Baghdad, and a man meeting me, said, 'Your shop is safe.' I cried out in joy, 'thank
God!' Since then, I have repented for what I said, in that I
desired for myself a better lot than befell other Moslems."
�~"
THE SYRIAN WORLD,
16
The Contribution of the Syrian
Immigrant to America
By REV. K. A. BISHARA, PH. D.
When I was asked by a prominent American Society to
speak on the theme of "What can Americans learn from the
Syrian immigrant", I took it as a racial challenge and coined it
in this form: What is the use of the Syrian in America? To give
a brief, yet adequate answer to this question, I can do nothing
better than reveal what the Syrian is inherently, owing to his
great and unique heritage of the ages that makes it imperative
that he should, at least, endeavor to make the very best contribution to the general life of the great land of his adoption where
he has the fairest opportunities to develop his personality to the
highest pitch of efficiency by combining what is best in him with
the best of what he should be capable of acquiring in the glorious sphere of progressive human activity.
1 — At the very outset I feel fully justified in claiming
for the Syrian the most genuine type of up-to-date cosmopolitanism acquired through a long process of compulsory experimentation, he having come, in his own fatherland, in contact
with practically all the world powers of history, in consequence
of which he is able to feel at home wherever he happens to pitch
his tent on the face of this earth. It appears as though he were
pursuing his "Holy Scriptures" which are rapidly making of
the civilized world a "Greater Syria".
2 — In the next place, being for the most part of Semitic
descent, chiefly of Arab stock, uncontrovertially the soundest in
body and mind, the Syrian, in my estimation, is the most genuine
specimen of the German Superman — a splendid example for
the over-ambitious "Nordic" element in America to copy by way
of exemplification.
3 — Another contributory characteristic of the Syrian immigrant in America is the fact that he is naturally mystical, and,
at the same time, intensely practical. In this respect, the Syrian
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is supremely unlike his compeer oi any other nationality whatsoever.
.
4 — Another similarly anomalous characteristic of his is
that he is endowed with a progressively intensive mind wondrously tempered by a high degree of conservatism — something very
rare among the children of men, especially in this nervous age
of unaccountable changeability.
5 — The most remarkable trait of the Syrian is undoubtedly
the fact that he has been from time immemorial the world's
leader and the most vehement promoter and defender of religion
and ethics. As Phoenician, he flooded the markets of the world
not only with his "goods", but with his "gods" as well. As Arab,
he is still imbued with the idea of enthusiastically manipulating
the sword in the way of forcefully driving the entire world
within the pale of his Monotheistic Empire. As Christian and
Hebrew, he has given, the civilized world its Law, Religion and
purest Ethics, morally shaking the earth with the quake of his
volcanic aggressiveness, in such a manner that the "Missionary
Spirit" is still the mightiest factor in human progress.
The genuine son of Syria considers all material wealth as
being a contemptible thing per se, so much so that the "big
guns" of Wall Street are in his estimation mere children playing
with marbles — an extremely strange anomaly for a modern citizen of Ancient Tyre that taught the world how to make money.
6
From what has been stated, we naturally infer that
the character of a modern Syrian is a remarkable compound of
three prominent ingredients — namely, the prophetic, the intellectual, and the sentimental.
7
A most telling contribution of the Syrian in America
is his "life iat home", fortified by very strong filial-parental ties,
buttressed by extremely intense affections — a thing that fair
America urgently needs.
8
In like manner, this adopted son of Old Glory is a
proverbially God-fearing, law-abiding, court-hating citizen — a
total stranger almost to. all jail-rolls throughout the countryj
so much so that Syrian prison inmates are considered, as a rule,
racial intruders.
9
As to womanly honor and chastity, the Syrian stands
preeminently incomparable. Modesty is still with him the index
of feminine beauty and personal attractiveness.
10 — As a "spiritual force" in the world, the genuine Syr-
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WHE SYRIAN WORLD
ian has always been highly poetical, deeply musical, and affectionately emotional. Add to all this his uniquely brilliant intellect, and you have a relatively fair picture of the practical superman.
11 — The hospitality of the Syrian is matched only in the
tents of the Arabian Peninsula where this popular ideal is expressed as a motto in this simple Arabic strophe:
"Our visiting guest
is really our host."
12 — The last but not least contribution of the naturalized
Syrian in this great "Republic of the West" is his "Common
Sense" which is the product of the harmonious balancement of
the intellectual and emotional faculties in his wonderful personality — a fact that should make him highly "desirable" in "the
Land of the Free" and "the Home of the Brave" wherein the
torch of righteous and peaceful civilization is uplifted before the
eyes of all the nations of the world to the Glory of God and the
elevation of mankind.
AN ARAB'S DESCRIPTION OF THE USE OF A STICK
Al-Hajjaj, the notorious governor of Iraq, met a Bedouin
who was carrying a stick. He stopped him, and, wanting to jest
with him, said: "What is this that you are carrying in your
hand?" quoting thereby a passage from the Koran in which God
asks Moses the same question. The Bedouin, quick to recognize
what al-Hajjaj had in mind, replied:
"This is my stick with which I drive away beasts. I employ
it in my travels, recline on it in my walks, and volt with its help
across rivers. It saves me from stumbling, and protects me from
the heat of the noontime, when I throw over it my cape. With
its help I carry my knapsack, knock on doors, and drive away
dogs. It is my spear and buckler when battle waxes hot and
heroes meet heroes on the battlefield. And I shake it at my
sheep, and have for it other purposes."
Al-Hajjaj was quite pleased with this reply, in which the
Bedouin quoted in the last sentence the answer of Moses to God,
and rewarded him handsomely.
UMHMi
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TANU'ARY, '1927
Wisdom Sans Humor
By HABIB I. KATIBAH
I had gone to the Metropolitan Museum to consult a copy
of a technical magazine which I was told would be found only
there, and which I needed, before I could begin on a certain article. The true reason I went there was to play truant from the
drudgery of my routine duties. It was one of those periodical,
mild revolts which doubtless every one of us feels from time to
time, against the ennui of white-collar slavery. The magazine
was the excuse. I was rather relieved when the librarian, after
a little search, told,me that the magazine was discontinued and
the particular number I asked for was not there. With a tree
conscience, like a child who,had been informed that his teacher
was sick, and there was no school for the day, I went about my
real mission — a spree of civilized vagabondage.
It was about three in the afternoon, and realizing that the
time at my disposal was very short, I narrowed the field of my
rambling curiosity to the Oriental section where Turkish rugs,
Persian minatures and Chinese statues are ranged in haphazard
groups, silent witnesses of slumbering civilizations.
Presently I found myself before a jade statue of a Chinese
sage which arrested my attention. I must have passed that statue
several times on previous trips, but it was not until then that
it made a strong appeal to my fancy. Perhaps it was due to the
predominance in my mind of the Cantonese revolution in China,
and my reflections over its stupendous potentialities for the history of mankind. Perhaps, subconsiously. More likely it was
something about the statue itself that I had not noticed before}
something peculiarly different and strange.
It is extremely difficult for me to describe the conflicting
thoughts and emotions which struggled within me, the contrasts
that flitted in my imagination as I viewed in wrapt silence that
little Jade statue.
.
With his legs folded in Oriental fashion, the Chinese sage
was squatted pensively, striking his long beard. Not much different
from other Oriental sages and saints, that one could conjure from
the pages of Oriental history and travel books. Not different
�20
mE SYRfAN WORLD,
even from some Syrian sages I had encountered in life, except
in one particular instance which was strongly accentuated in this
dream in jade of an Oriental artist.
The corners of the mouth drooped strangely in an expression of perfect cynicism, and there was not on his face even the
flicker of a smile to relieve the depressing expression. If ever
an Oriental sage said "vanity of vanitites" to the procession of
life that passed before his omniscient eyes, that Chinese sage was
the one. There wasn't an ounce of humor nor whimsicality in
him. He was all seriousness, almost to absurdity. Could it be
possible, I wondered, for one to be so serious, and yet be a sage,
or even a saint? There was something weird, even pathetic in
this pensive figure from the distant past. One could not help
ask one's self if ever in his lifetime such a one ever cracked a
joke or laughed heartily; if he ever fell in love, or if he ever
did anything foolish. He must have, for where could he have
learned wisdom? Not from textbooks, to be sure. No wise man
ever learns it there.
Yet there was no harshness about him. His features relaxed in graceful folds and furrows. His was the wisdom of passive resignation j of a tolerant pessimism, that recognizes the inherent folly and weakness of man. He was sad, not angry j
charitable, not militant; disappointed, not chagrined.
And there I stood before him in reverent reflection, but not
quite reconciled to his attitude to life. I was tempted to draw
out my notebook to interview him. Wonder what a Chinese
jade sage in the Metropolitan Museum thinks about, said I to
myself in the fashion of a well-known cartoonist! What would
be his opinion of the gum-chewing flapper that plants herself
before him and exclaims: "Ain't he cute?" Wonder what he
thinks of jazz, if he had ever heard it, or of the swiftly changing styles of women which he might have observed from his
niche. Or if; he waves these questions aside as being too trivial,
what then would he think of the Great War, of the League of
Nations or of the revolution going on in his own country. Such
"wonders", of course, must remain as silent as my mute interlocutor. But one could imagine/that his answer would not differ
much from that of many an Oriental sage—paradoxical, deep, but
suggesting no avenue of expression. At any rate it would be
serious, or satirical, but never practical.
The trouble with Oriental sages, and even saints, is that
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JANUARY, 1927
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they lack a great deal in the sense of humor. As long ago as
the days of Herodotus this was noticed about them. For Herodotus tells us in his History that the Egyptian priests regarded
the Greeks as little children. He himself thought them much
"wiser" than his own countrymen, and as many Western devotees
of Oriental wisdom do today, he was initiated into the Egyptian
mystery of Osiris. But the wisdom of Egypt has turned to dust,
and the foolishness of the Greeks still brings us ever_ fresh joy
and delight. It is as refreshing now as it was when Phidias played with marbles, and Socrates jested with the Greek youths in
the agora of Athens. The Greeks learned the mysteries of life
by play and childish curiosity. Instinctively, because naturally
and in the simplicity of their souls, they sought "beauty" first,
and behold! they also discovered "truth" and "goodness".
The East has produced wisdom, but little art. Its literature
is inspirational, but somewhat oppressive, and little amusing.
The East "knows" or "believes", but seldom "makes-believe".
To be sure, this is dangerous generalization. One could
point here and there to Oriental gems of dramatic and epic literatures. In Arabic, we have the Arabian Nights or the Romance
of 'Antar. Similar works exist in Persian, Chinese and Sanskrit.
Certainly, the Hindu play Sakuntala is as genuinely beautiful
and exquisite as any Shakespeare ever wrote, and the Persian
Shahnama is very entertaining and dramatic. But is not the
scarcity of such literature in the East a proof convincing of our
contention? The whole Bible contains one near-drama, while
at about the same time that the prophetic literature of the Hebrews was at its height, three of the greatest dramatists vied
with each other in winning the plaudits and praise of the pleasure-loving, enthusiastic, child-like Greek theatre-goers j and almost every Greek was one.
"All work and no play," said the English proverb, "makes
Jack a dull boy." This is true not only of Jack, but of whole
nations. India is one example of martyrdom to seriousness. For
there is no doubt that if we think too seriously of the problems
of life, we must of necessity be lead into a pessimistic Schopenhaurian view of life and reality. Our recourse from such a gloomy
fate lies either in a vicarious contemplation of the Heavenly
joys, or the entry into a happy world of make-believe within our
souls, built up with the figments of our imagination.
But, miracle of miracles! this world of make-believe, if
�r
22
THE SYRIAN WORLD
only persisted in long enough, becomes real. We are lifted to
the plane of our wishes and lofty imaginings, as James Branch
Cabell expounds to us in his little, but very significant volume,
"Beyond Life". For, as the author tells us, and very wisely
and truly so, all romance, literature, and even religion are watered from this same eternal spring of make-believe. It is the
"condition without which" civilization is impossible, and life utterly unbearable. But it is not an "illusion", as the author here
wrongly avers. On the contrary, it is the very guarantee of the
eternal goodness of the Universe, of our unshakable faith in the
Tightness of the final outcome. The pessimistic view of life indicates defeatism on insufficient grounds. It sounds deep, but
in truth it is both shallow and hollow.
The famous scintillating Arab poet and cynic Abu-1-Ala alMu'arri once said something that is strikingly uncanny in its
subtlety and simplicity, confirming our suspicion that the Arabs
had a larger share of humor than their brother Orientals, the
Hindus or Chinese. Addressing a hypothetical physician and
astrologer, the custodians of agnostic wisdom in his days, he said
in one of his well-known couplets:
"Said the astrologer and the physician both,
'There is no resurrection'. Said I, 'that is up to you,
'If your opinion be true, I shall not regret it;
But should it false be proven to be, yourselves you will
rue. > j>
Changing the Arab poet's wisdom a little to suit our purpose, we may say with an equal air of nonchalance and bonhomie:
If the view which holds that life is a mistake, happiness an illusion and our esthetic aspirations a mockery be true, well may we
enjoy this illusion while it lasts. But should these things prove of
eternal as well as of temporal significance, what a tragedy must
be our lugubrious sacrifices to a cruel idol. How vain must be
our sadness, and what a calamity our wisdom!
"Trust in God," said the Prophet Mohammed, "but tie thy
camel's leg," (i. e., lest it run away).
�JANUARY, 1927
23
Sects of Islam
Fourth and concluding article of the series dealing with Islam,
the -predominating religion of Syria.
Tourists and casual observers who visit Syria show a neverfailing surprise at the multiplicity of its sects and religions. Newspaper correspondents have more than once made this serve them
for a feature story when there was nothing exciting, and other
sensational subjects were exhausted.
There is some justification for this curiosity, even though
it may be exaggerated. Perhaps there are no more religions and
sects in Syria than there are in the United States itself. But this
country is so vast, and the customs and behaviors of its people
are so much uniform that we do not notice them.
Where in this country could one sit in a cafe or public
garden as he would, say, in Damascus, and review a motley procession of every color and every variety of garb extant in this
age of conformity and standardization? There in an hour's time
one could see dark brown Senusis from Tripoli in Africa, with
flowing, white robes and turbans; slim, sinewy Wahabis on their
hajeens from the heart of the Nejd desert; proud, muscular
Sikhs from India, or in quiet mien and slow pace, some Sufi
shaykh counting the beads of his rosary. Jewish rabbis, in their
ceremonial caps and long beards, may follow on the heels of
a patriarch of some ancient Eastern church with his retinue of
bishops and priests.
Similar processions one could see in Cairo, or, not long ago,
in Constantinople. But in no other little country of its size,
perhaps, could one find as many strange sects, and as many colorful habiliments and paraphernalia distinguishing these sects one
from another, as in Syria.
More particularly is this true of Islam which, owing to the
fact that it has no definite, dogmatic theology or central authority,
has shown a decided tendency to split into sects and schisms embodying the differences of opinion of its thinkers and "diligent"
theologians, as well as its innovators and trouble-makers, ever
�24
THE SYRIAN WORLL
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since its early contact, first through Syria, with the ancient and
contemporary worlds of thought.
In a well-known Arabic authority on the history of Islamic
sects written in the 11th century, one could count no less than
one hundred divergent sects, orthodox, heterodox, esoteric or adventitious ones. Naturally many of these sects or schisms differed very little, and many more were subdivisions of major sects.
But the truth remains that they had 'registered enough influence
on the minds of a sufficient number of people to merit classification as separate schools of thought. In the majority of cases the
schools are called after their founders, who were not always
actuated by the sincere desire to seek the truth, but often by
political motives or personal aggrandizement or even egoistic idiosyncrasies. Most of these schools and sects have passed away,
leaving behind them only a list of complicated names, a nightmare to any conscientious student of Islamic religion.
According to the Statesman's Year-Book, there are 1,500,000
Sunnites in Syria, 113,804 Shi'ites and 110,000 Druzes. To these
we may add the Moslems of Palestine, given by the same authority as 590,890, the overwhelming majority of whom are
Sunnites. There are 7,028 Druzes in Palestine, and 265 Bahais.
From these figures it may be readily seen that although there
are various religions and various sects, the large majority of the
Moslems, who are the majority in Syria and Palestine, are of
one sect — Sunnites. These Sunnites, however, are further divided into slightly different schools of jurisprudence, i. e., interpretation of the religious law and the traditions of the Prophet,
namely, Malikites, Hanafites, Shafi'ites and Hanbalites. Of
these four scho6ls the strictest and most orthodox is the Hanbalite, after Ahmed Ibn Hanbal, a contemporary of the caliph
al-Mamoun, and the most lenient is the Hanafite, after Abu Hanifa, a contemporary of Haroun al-Rashid.
Still, Dr. Frederick Bliss, in his book "Religions of Modern
Syria and Palestine", informs us that there are 98 religious or
dervish orders in Islam today, of which at least 9 have representation in Syria and Palestine.
These "religious orders" are quite distinct from the sects
referred to above, and represent ramifications of what was originally in Islam one movement, Sufism, by far the most significant
and interesting
Of this movement which once produced great religious
�„
Courtesy The New Orient.
MASHRAK EL-AZKAR
The Proposed Bahai Temple in Chicago, designed by Louis J- Bourgeois.
�) '
Stete
*
/
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A detail of one of the win dows of the Bahai Temple
.
�\ :[
JANUARY, 1927
25
teachers, analysts and physicians of the soul with its complicated
emotions and complexes, there remains today but the empty husks
of meaningless ceremonies and bodily movements intended to
induce ecstasy in its votaries.
A modern concoction of Sufism and Shi'ism with a dash of
universalism has found expression in a sect which, originating in
Persia in the middle of the 19th century, found a temporary
asylum in Syria. This sect, known under the name of Bahaism,
has quite a number of followers in the United States.
Originally the Bahai movement did not differ from other
Mahdi movements which, from time to time, made their appearance in Islam. Its founder, Mohammed Ali Mirza of Shiraz, came to think of himself as the new Mahdi, the Bab, i. e.,
the Door, "by which the infallible will of the hidden Imam, as
the highest source of all truth, reveals itself to all the world."
He considered himself "the manifestation of the Spirit of the
world; the reappearance of Moses and Jesus; the embodiment
of all the prophets" (Bliss). He was also a reformer, teaching
the equality of the sexes and the rejection of the veil. His new
ideas aroused the wrath and opposition of the orthodox "mullah", or religious teachers, who brought about his execution in
1850, while still in his thirties.
/
The followers of Mohammed Ali Mirza were persecuted,
and those who escaped found asylum in Turkish soil. But soon
after the death of the founder, the Babists split, some following
Subhi-Azal, the Dawn of Eternity, the pupil designated by the
Bab to be his successor, with their headquarters in Cyprus, and
others followed Baha-Ullah, "the Splendor of God", Baha for
short. This latter taught that he was greater than the Bab.
He compared himself to Jesus, and the Bab to St. John the
Baptist. A quarrel between his followers and those of the more
conservatice Babists, the followers of Subhi-Azal, in Adrianople,
caused the Turkish authorities to exile the Baha to cAkka (Acre),
in Palestine, which became the Mecca of the Bahaists in his days
and the days of his successor and son, 'Abbas Effendi, called
'Abdul-Baha or Ghussni-'Azzam, "the Greater Branch", who assumed the leadership of the Bahais in 1892. 'Abbas Effendi
came to the United States before the World War, and many of
our Syrian countrymen had the occasion to meet him and converse with him in the Arabic language. Today the Bahai movement has grown strong enough in this country to enable it to
�a&wagaswwft I I'Ni'fliililiiaMa
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
produce a magazine, and its followers are contemplating building a temple in Chicago which, it is said^'will be one of the wonders of the world in grandeur and beauty.
Another modern movement in Islam whirh had its origin
in Syria and attained its greatest influence abroad, is that of Wahhabism.
The antecedent of Wahhabism is a puritancial reform started by a Mohammedan, thinker of the 14th century by the name
of Taki-ud-Din Ibn Taymiyya who taught in the mosques of
Damascus. He opposed all innovations in Islam, such as the
belief in the intercession of the saints, walis, the honor paid their
tombs or shrines and other concessions to popular faith. He rejected Sufism and Islamic scholasticism, accepted by Mohammedan theologians and known as the science of disputation, kalam.
He also rejected the principle of Ijma', consensus of religious
doctors, which is one of the most democratic features of Islamic
theology. He was a Hanbalite.
Ibn Taymiyya was a strict adherent of primitive Islam, as
known in the days of Mohammed and the Orthodox Caliphs.
To him the Koran was the only and final authority in religious
matters. The elastic traditions, Hadith, which served subsequent
Moslems as an alibi to introduce many a social and political measure befitting the spirit of the time, he banned equally with other
and less significant innovations.
Ibn Taymiyya died in prison in the year 1328. He wrote
many books on theology and jurisprudence, but despite that his
movement seemed to have slumbered until, one day, almost three
centuries later, it was resurrected by Mohammed Ibn AbdulWahhab who studied under a follower of Ibn Taymiyya. Abdul- Wahhab proved to be an apt student, for he found in Ibn
Taymiyya's books an eloquent expression of what he had often
felt himself. Coming out of the heart of the Arabian Desert,
the son of a local chief of the oasis of 'Awniyyah, Nejd, and suddenly brought in contact with the civilized life of a city like Damascus, the young lad could not but notice the demoralizing and
degenerating influences of a city-made civilization on Islam. Ibn
Abdul-Wahhab had come to know Islam from the Koran, and
had instinctively appreciated its austere, ascetic spirit* being himself a stern son of the same desert which produced the Prophet.
Abdul-Wahhab went to Arabia to preach the new reforms
of Ibn, Taymiyya, but made little headway until he succeeded in
�JANUARY, 1927
/
27
converting a powerful Arab chieftain by the name of Mohammed Ibn Sa'oud, around whom rallied the powerful tribes of alUtoub and 'Niza. From that time on, Wahhabism became not
only a religious reform, but a political movement with stupendous possibilities. Today it is one of the problems which beset
Syria and the Arab world generally.
One cannot close this brief series on the history and development of Islam without taking cognizance of the transformation which it is undergoing now, a transformation before which
all, the past sectarian divisions and dissensions pale into insignificance. We mean the new spirit of reform and modernism, vividly objectified in the Kemalist movement. The fundamental
division in Islam today is one of fundamentalism and modernism,
the former tending to conserve the old traditions and institutions,
symbolized by the caliphate, while the latter borrows its terminology and symbols from the modern world of Western ideas
and nationalism. It is the direct offspring of the European universities and the missionary establishments in the East which,
paradoxical as this may seem, are mostly of fundamentalist leanings. Recently, the Arabic press echoed the sensational news of
a Mohammedan professor's trial in Cairo. This professor, a wellknown liberal, is a graduate of al-Azhar University, the oldest,
and perhaps the most conservative school of religion in the
world, and a professor of literature in the modern national University of Cairo. A year before that another professor, a shaykh
of Azhar itself, was tried by his colleagues and expelled from his
post because he taught that the caliphate is not art essential institution in Islam. These two incidents, along with what is going
on in Turkey, Persia, Syria and other Moslem countries, indicate
that the modernistic tendencies in Islam are growing in extent
and strength every day.
WHAT REALLY COUNTS
The relative merits of poverty and wealth were being discussed in the presence of Yahya Ibn Mu'adh ar-Razi, an early
Mohammedan mystic, and he remarked: "On the Last Day it is
not poverty and wealth that are weighed, but patience and gratitude."
�mmmmmm
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
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\
Famous Arab Lovers
VII
Antar and 'Abla
In the precincts of al-Kaaba, the sacred shrine of the Arabs
in Mecca, there were supposed to be hung from the walls seven
of the greatest Arabic poems, kasidas, of pre-Islamic days. From
that tradition comes their name, al-Mu'alakat, the "Posted Ones".
Arabs were very fond of poetry, and we must imagine the seven
poets who left us their works on the walls of al-Kaaba as the
immortals of the Arabs before Islam. Their poems were chosen
by acclamation at the celebrated fair of 'Okaz, held annually at
a little oasis north of Mecca.
One of these famous "Posted Poems" was a monument not
only to the poetic genius of its author, but to his superhuman
valor, his noble chivalry and his indomitable love. It was, incidentally, a monument to the tolerance of the Arabs and their
spirit of fairness, which knew no color lines nor racial distinctions.
The poem referred to was that of 'Antarat-ul-'Absi, —
'Antarat of the tribe of 'Abs, — more commonly known as 'Antar. He was a black slave, and the son of an Ethiopian mother,
also a black slave, by the name of Zebiba. He was, furthermore,
the lover of 'Abla, the black-haired, black-eyed Arab princess,
and daughter of Malik, of the tribe of 'Abs.
The romance of 'Antar and 'Abla is a record of tribulations,
persecutions and the final triumph of personal worth and superior courage over adverse circumstances, wealth and rank; it is
another illustration of the common, yet very wise adage, that
nothing stands in the way of true love
At the time 'Antar lived, in the last decade of the sixth century, two generations before the advent of Islam, physical
strength and bravery were the two foremost qualities. He who
possessed them to a greater extent than the rest was the most
valuable man in the tribe; for it was a time of constant wars
and raids, sudden attacks and sudden retreats. If, added to these,
pne could recite poetry, he becomes the model hero, the cynosure
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�JANUARY, 1927
29t
of all the damsels and the envy of all the men in the tribe and
the terror of all enemies. This was 'Antar, every inch of his
huge black body.
Hardly could £Antar be called a handsome fellow. He was
nicknamed, " 'Antar the split lipped one", referring to his large
negroid lips. Far removed was he from wailing lovers like Majnun or dallying, venturing ones like Waddah, or versatile conversationalists and consummate artists of love like 'Umar Ibn Abi
Rabi'a. He was a he-man — a cave-man — and we are told confidentially by men who are authorities on the subject that some
young and handsome dames do fall for cavemen and their rugged qualities. Consider Othello and Desdemona. 'Antar was
a typical Othello, and 'Abja was his Desdemona. Only 'Abla
was a little more tantalizing, a little more exasperating than Desdemona. Certainly, her folks were much more stubborn and resisting to the advances of 'Antar than were Desdemona's folks.
'Antar did not win her by mere recitations of his exploits. His
prodigious adventures, which he undertook solely for the sake
of her black eyes, before he won her, remind one of the twelve
labors of Hercules.
At one time, the tribe of 'Abs was the most powerful tribe
in Arabia, and all other tribes paid tribute to its king. But time
and constant wars told on the 'Absians, so much so that in the
days of King Zohair, the uncle of Shaddad, the fortunes of the
tribe of 'Abs were very much run down.
It was for this reason, as perhaps also for the oppression
of the king, that ten men of valor of that tribe went out to seek
their fortunes by the edge of their swords, foraging peaceful
people of other tribes and seizing their cattle.
They arrived at the dwelling place of the tribe of Jezila
of Beni Kahtan, and finding the number of the men too great for
them, attacked the outskirts of the grazing grounds, where a
handsome, buxsom, full-breasted Ethiopian slave woman was
tending the flocks of camels belonging to the tribe. With her
were two little boys, her own, helping her hedge the animals
together. Shaddad and his men drove away the flock of camels
with the woman and her two sons. No sooner had the eyes of
Shaddad fallen, on the slave-woman, who gave her name as Zabiba, than he was enamoured of her. He turned to his men and
said: "I will give you my share of the booty if you leave me this
black slave-woman." This they did, and Shaddad took Zabiba
�30
WtfE SYRIAN WORLD.
to his own pasture, where, with her two sons, she tended his cattle
for him. In course of time she bore him a son. He was a tawny,
large-proportioned baby. He had a large head with bleary eyes
that stared out and flashed from his thick-haired head. His features were hard, and his nose and lips of negroid shape and size.
The bones of his legs were long and hardy.
Shaddad was transported with delight at the sight of his
son, and he named him 'Antar.
In those days a slave's son was not considered "legitimate"
until his father "recognized" him or "legitimatized" him. To
merit this the son must distinguish himself by some feat of valor
or remarkable achievement.
'Antar grew to be a strong lad, but he was relegated along
with his mother and two brothers to the menial occupation of
herding the cattle of the Shaddad family. It was his duty among
other things to take the cattle at noontime to the watering place
of the tribe, a solitary well, with troughs for the animals to drink
from.
One day 'Antar went there as usual, and while the watering
place was crowded with cattle herders and their cattle, a sturdy
slave barred access to the well. There were murmurs everywhere
but none dared to interfere, not only because the slave was known
to be fierce and strong, but because he was the slave of the powerful chieftain, Shas, the brother of Shaddad. At last a poor,
old woman raised her voice in complaint, and said something
about the rights of people other than the princes to the water of
the well. This did not please the slave and he struck her and
pushed her on her back, making her the laughing stock of all
those present. 'Antar's rage was roused. He attacked the slave,
and raising him high with his two powerful arms, he flung
him to the ground and killed him.
The news of 'Antar's chivalry spread in the tribe, and the
women folk, the young damsels and their mothers, hung around
him to learn from his lips the details of his chivalrous exploit.
Among these was 'Abla, the beautiful and proud daughter of
Malek, younger brother of Shaddad, who was fond of taunting
and bantering 'Antar. "How dared you," she said, shaking her
haughty head at him, "to kill the slave of a prince?" 'Antar
meekly answered that he struck the slave because he insulted a
woman. "Of course," replied 'Abla with a smile, "we knew all
the time that you were right, and we are proud of you!"
In spite of the protestations of Shas, 'Antar gained the favor
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�JANUARY, 1927
\
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n
of King Zohair as well as of his own master who henceforth assigned him to the light duty of "cooling the milk of the shecamels" in the wind for the high ladies of the tribe to drink.
'Antar had secretly nursed a love for 'Abla, and now that
he was coming to see her every morning to offer; milk, and after
his estimation had risen in the tribe, he became bolder in his
love, especially as he found that his love was encouraged by
'Abla herself.
On one occasion, 'Antar entered as usual to offer the cooled
milk to 'Abla and her mother, when the latter was combing
'Abla's hair which fell in thick, black tresses, over her shoulders.
He was struck with surprise, and did not move. But 'Abla, as
soon as she knew that she had been noticed, fled away and left
him gazing distractedly into space after her.
'Antar's love for 'Abla became known. He sang poetry in
her praise when he could hide his love no longer. This brought
upon him the displeasure not only of Malek, 'Abla's father, who
had hitherto defended and admired 'Antar, but also of Shaddad,
his natural father, and the envy of the princes and noblemen of
Beni 'Abs. For a black slave to raise his eyes to his mistress,
who at the same time was the belle of the tribe, was something
unheard of in the annals of the Arabs, a preposterous insolence
not to be condoned or tolerated. Among those who raised their
voices highest in condemnation of this aspiring slave, was (Ammara, a cousin of 'Abla who cast longing eyes on her, and was
considered the most proper and logical aspirant to her charms.
Back to the tending of cattle for 'Antar, and there he would
have remained but for another incident which brought out his
mettle, and proved to the proud Arabs of the desert what a
poet of another clime long after proclaimed, "that a man's a
man for a' that."
This occasion was a raid on Beni 'Abs in which they were
taken by surprise. The battle raged fiercely and the mighty
warriors of Beni 'Abs, the noble sons and cousins of King Zohair were routed and the women and booty were carried before
the enemy. Then somebody mentioned 'Antar, and Shaddad and
Malek hastened to fetch 'Antar, who was watching the progress
of the battle from afar as he tended the cattle. "Why tarry you
here, O 'Antar," cried Shaddad, "see you not our plight? Veril,
the women folk have been carried away, and among them is
<Abla."
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WME. SYRIAN. WORLD,
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But 'Antar did not allow his passion to run away with him.
He answered coolly:
"When was a slave, a tender of cattle, supposed to be a warrior? Verily, I know how to milk the she-camels and lead the
cattle to pasture, but I know not the art of war."
—"This is not a time for jesting," pleaded Shaddad. "We
know your prodigious strength and courage, and you are the
man for it."
—"So be it," replied 'Antar, "I will come to your help if
you promise to recognize me after the battle." Shaddad accepted hastily. "Attack and you shall be a free man," he pledged.
—"One thing more," added 'Antar, "if I bring back 'Abla
and the rest of the women folk, she is mine."
Malek consented and bound himself by an oath to do so.
Fortified by the promises of his father, Shaddad, and inspired by the hope of winning 'Abla, 'Antar, riding his black
charger, with his favorite sword in hand, rode into the ranks of
the enemy like a whirlwind. He fell upon them like a lion
seeking his prey, as he sang in the martial, spirited Arabic meter
known as rajz:
)
"I am the black slave 'Antarat,
Every man protects his own women folk,
Be they white or be they dark."
The battle was won. 'Antar came back with the women
folk and the booty; but it was a long time before he finally won
his beloved 'Abla, whose love for him now had become quite
entrenched. Shaddad recognized his son 'Antar, but Malek balked at the fulfillment of his promise. In this he had the support
of all the "Absian chieftains, including Shaddad himself, who
was rather jealous of his black son. They intrigued against him,
and employed every means to prevent the promised marriage.
At last they determined to demand of 'Antar a dowry which they
thought would be impossible, and would lead to his certain death.
They laid down as their condition that 'Antar bring a thousand
camels, of a brand only found in Persia, then a powerful kingdom. 'Antar did not even hesitate. He buckled on his sword,
rode his trusted charger and set on his way to bring back the booty.
Before he went he had been assured by his mother Zebiba, that
'Abla still loved him, and would marry nobody else. "Comfort
the heart of 'Antar," 'Abla communicated to Zebiba, "and tell
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�JANUARY, 1927,
S3
him from me, that even should my father torture me to death
in trying to change my mind, I would not desire nor ask for
other than 'Antar as husband."
Having reached the Persian border, 'Antar was attacked
and taken prisoner. Bound on horseback, he was led before the
king. He was on the point of being executed, when came news
that a fierce lion of extraordinary size and strength was ravaging the country. It was related to the king that even armed
warriors fled before this lion. 'Antar offered to rid them of the
lion if they would set him free and grant him his life. The king
granted his plea, and 'Antar eagerly went out to meet the
lion. He rushed on the savage creature and transfixed it with
his lance with a single thrust.
The Persian king was so pleased with 'Antar that he gave
him not only one thousand camels of the kind he required, but
much wealth and precious gifts besides.
'Antar was finally married to {Abla but not until other exploits and ventures and many raids and battles had been undertaken.
In all these adventures, 'Abla and the thought of her sustained the hope and valor of 'Antar. E. H. Palmer has a beautiful translation of some of 'Antar's famous poems, in which he
pictures himself in the midst of battle, and thus speaks of his
beloved 'Abla:
"My 'Abla sitteth night and day at ease,
On downy cushions, while my nightly seat
Is on the hard back of my bridled steed.
My cushion is the saddle deftly set
Across the withers of a noble horse
With sturdy legs, plump-shoulders, broad of girth."
The romance of 'Antar in time became one of the most
popular prose epics in Arabic literature. It is even today one
of the best Arabic sellers, and many who hardly have read anything else of Arabic literature recite you page after page of the
'Antar romance, with its prancing saj' and spirited martial poetry.
Translations and adaptations of the 'Antar romance are found in
English and French. Lately a Syrian poet, Shukri Ganim, residing in Paris, made a dramatic version of 'Antar, which was well
received by critics during its short run on the French stage.
v
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
Progressive Medicine
"l
By DR. H. A. ELKOURIE
. Progressive Medicine or, rather, preventive Medicine, is a
subject teeming with untold benefits. Unfortunately, the laity
has not availed itself of the countless good results preventive
Medicine can accomplish. A man's age depends on his stomach. He can be robust, healthy, active, and live four-score and
more years carrying his virility to the last j or he may be indolent,
irritable, lazy and die early in life. His stomach and how he
treats it is the determining factor. He may choose the former
or better route, or he may follow the latter way to his sorrow and
destruction.
The Syrians being very susceptible to fall slaves to their
stomachs and a majority of them being by the very nature of
their mode of living unable to properly exercise the care, and
caution, necessary to the promotion of good health, furnish an
especial field of service for the Medical man, hence the usefulness, almost the necessity, of this article.
The writer does not attempt to prescribe a panacea for all
ills with the limited advices contained in this article, but he is
sincerely hopeful that the simple admonitions herein detailed
will greatly benefit a large number of the readers of THE SYRIAN T^ORLD and add many years to their lives of comfort.
Had I the authority I would absolutely forbid the elaborate
evening dinner and the after-theatre lunch. These two traditional habits, one engulfing the Syrians, and the other the native
Americans, are the direct cause of many serious and injurious
stomach and intestinal disorders, producing constipation, poisonous absorption known as toxemies, and indirectly predisposing
serious and various defects and diseases in the vital organs and
especially the heart and liver.
It has been proven time and again, beyond the peradventure
of a doubt that wherever peoples live on a simple diet answering
the calls of nature promptly, stomach trouble and intestinal pathalogy are practically unknown. Notable among these are the inhabitants of many parts of India. Rich foods such as fats and
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sweets, are the most difficult to digest, and they are the very
class usually indulged in late evenings.
It is not possible to outline a food formula which will fit
every case, but a few simple rules will add much to anyone's
health and comfort.
Two outstanding conditions prevalent among people of today need to be corrected: The first is Obesity; the second is improper food and more food than one should consume. The first
condition, of course, is a secondary one and dependent upon the
second plus insufficient excercise and, consequently, deficient elimination.
The question is, how should one live in order to maintain
an equilibrium, and a co-ordination between the different organs
to insure a normal health?
The following suggestions are based on an experience of
twenty-five years, together with the affirmation obtained from
other experiences which make the suggestions I am about to outline almost infallible.
Every person not engaged in work sufficiently laborious to
exercise his muscles should take some exercise early in the morning before breakfast. These exercises should be proportioned in
ratio to the amount of resistance an individual may have, and
gradually increased until the maximum stage is reached, and always before breakfast. After a period of rest breakfast should
be made up of whole wheat bran with sweet milk, eggs, fruits
and bread.
The whole wheat bread is the only bread worth considering
at all. It has been found that the vitamins in the wheat are
mainly in the hull; therefore whole wheat bread should be the
routine in every home.
The noon meal should be the heavy meal, contrary to the
general practice.
It is better to avoid the evening meal altogether if possible.
This rule should be imperative with the obese.
Where an evening meal is needed is should be limited to
milk, bread and fruit.
The noon meal, of whatever nature it may be, should have
at least two varieties of raw vegetables.
Any family can, in a short time, adjust itself so that
breakfast and the late noon meal, say about two o'clock, will become a cherished and a likable rule, not to mention the health
and longevity this rule of life induces.
�36
WJiB SYRIAN. WORLD.
The most injurious habit prevalent among our people is
the alcoholic stimulation imbibed just before meals, producing a
capricious appetite and an overloading of the stomach, only to
be followed by dilatation and stasis, or inability to properly contract and propel.
This pernicious habit should be stopped and instead a slight
amount of light wine or beer taken at least an hour before meals
with a slight amount of salads (or maza) after every drink.
Water is the greatest natural eliminant at our command — and
the Creator provided us with an abundance of it.
The people who go to springs receive benefits not because
of any special merit in the water itself, but rather because they
go to drink water and they drink more water than they are accustomed to drink at home. A glass of water every two hours
is the minimum that an average adult should drink and much
more is better.
In summing, let me emphasize the principal points of advice which are so simple to follow and so wholesome in effect.
First: Exercise frequently to, a point of profuse perspiration,
avoiding extreme fatigue.
Second: Avoid heavy evening dinners and particularly sweets
and fats after 6 P. M.
Third: Use whole wheat bread exclusively, and drink large
quantities of water.
If these simple rules are religiously observed, the need for
purgatives will disappear, physical efficiency will reach its maximum, and life will be filled with vigor and comfort.
THE VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE
Be one of four: a learned man, a learner, a hearer of learning, or a lover thereof} but be not the fifth one (one who hates
learning,) lest thou perishest. •
Ali.
"My sons," counseled a wise man, "seek after knowledge,
for it is much better that your generation be condemned for not
giving you an opportunity, than it be condemned for your having
lived in it."
Two hungers are insatiable: the hunger for knowledge and
the hunger for wealth.
The more the conditions of the ignorant one are enhanced,
the more abominable he becomes.
i
�JANUARY, 1927
37.
Fatima
The prize winning story in the contest inaugurated by "Al-Muktataf" of Cairo, for original short stories by Arabic authors, appearing in the Jan., 1926 issue of that publication.
By HASSAN SUBHI
In one of the largest and most-thickly populated quarters
of Cairo there stands a lonely, deserted house, long uninhabited
and known as "The Ruins". The old men and women of the
neighborhood were in accord that it was the meeting-place of
the evil spirits, and many harrowing stories were circulated about
it. Superstition enveloped it with a mantle of darkness in the
midst of that bright section. Surrounding the house were spacious grounds which echoed the dreary screeching of the bats,
and the nocturnal noises, reaching the neighboring houses, served
to further entrench superstitious fear in the hearts of their inhabitants.
On a certain day the, neighborhood was startled with astonishment and surprise, and every body was talking excitedly, because an unknown, mystericus man had occupied the deserted
house. Those who saw him des<- bed him as a middle-aged
man, with a bent back and a huge, hooked nose. He had an
ugly face, and his sight was poor. He entered the house about
the time of sunset, walking with the help of a stick in one
hand, while with the other he was being lead by a horrid-looking,
black slave. The neighbors' superstition was doubled, for they
concluded that the stranger was surely a sorcerer and a trainer
of devils.
The strange occupant was never seen to leave the house
except on Friday, to attend the mosque prayers, then return to
his home. Whenever he left the gate of his house or returned,
he was followed by the glances of the neighbors, who spoke in
suppressed whispers.
Next to that house stood a magnificent mansion in which
lived a great nobleman, Latif Pasha by name, with his wife
Nadir and his daughter Fatima, a beautiful girl of nineteen who
lost her mother from childhood.
This Latif Pasha was in the fifth decade of a life spent in
riotous and licentious living, taking to himself two and three
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
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wives at a time, until, as he reached the decline which leads to
old age, his shoulders were already stooped with a burden of an
ill-spent youth. His wife was an overbearing, extravagant, spoil
ed woman — a virago who had not the least concern towards her
husband, except as to mulct him of money to regale herself with
gorgeous gowns, jewelry and precious perfumes. So obsessed was
he with her beauty that he overlooked her follies and was ready
to fulfill her every desire.
But as to Fatima, the black-eyed girl, with the long, jetblack hair hanging gracefully over her shoulders, she was of a
different type. The loss of her mother covered her comely youth
with a thin veil of an untimely serenity. Then came her
step-mother with her petty persecutions which despoiled her of
what gayety she had left. She made up her mind to accept her
own fate resignedly and bear the bitterness of her lot.
Latif Pasha was sinking deeper and deeper in debt, and his
wealth was dwindling fast. It was not long before he was faced
with the inevitable result, and suddenly, one day, bankruptcy
stared him in the face. His mansion with all his valuable possessions were to go under the gavel of the auctioneer. It was
only then that the scales of folly fell off his eyes, as before him
gaped the deep pit of utter poverty. That night he was making
plans to leave the house in which he was brought up in the lap
of luxury.
On the next morning, as the household were making ready
to leave, their eyes overflowing with tears, while the Pasha was
sullenly walking to and fro, stopping to heave a sigh from time
to time, there appeared on the scene the black servant of the
strange neighbor next-door. He asked for an interview with the
Pasha.
When the two were alone, the servant said:
"My master has sent me to you on a very serious errand."
"And pray, who may your master be?" growled the Pasha.
"Know you not who I am?" ventured the servant. "I am
Said, the servant of your new neighbor, Mukhtar Effendi."
"And what could that mean to me," interrupted Latif Pasha, "seeing that he had secluded himself from all men, while
in an hour or more I shall leave this house, and your master
will cease to be my neighbor? But granting that I do remain,
my soul does not incline to sorcerers of his ilk."
—"Be not so hasty, my lord, in your condemnation. For
'
\
aSWSlBW
�JANUARY, 1927
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s
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39
I have been sent to speak to you expressly about this house."
—"I am no longer the proprietor of this house."
—"I am well aware of this, for it is my master who bid the
highest for it, and it is now his."
—"Have you come, then, to hasten our departure from it?"
—"Nay, but he has sent me to ask you to remain in it."
At hearing this the Pasha opened his mouth and eyes wide
with surprise, scarcely believing his ears.
—"I do not understand what you mean," he finally told
the servant.
—"What I said is clear and comprehensible," he responded.
"My master desires that you remain in this house, and, besides,
wishes to give you five thousand pounds."
—"Are you mocking me?"
—"I beg of your lordship the patience to listen to the rest
of my tale. My master does not give away his money. He
asks you in compensation to give him your daughter Fatima for
wife."
At this the Pasha laughed a sardonic laugh, saying:
—"Your master must be mad to think that I will give my
daughter in marriage to an ugly old sorcerer. Poverty is much
more preferable to what you are proposing to me."
When the servant asked the Pasha to reconsider the matter, he shouted in his face: "Depart from me, you black accursed
slave!" But Said remained stationed in his place.
At this time, Nadir, the Pasha's wife, and Fatima, his daughter, who had heard the angry shouting, came to see what the
matter was. He related to them what had happened as he cooled
down a little. And much as Nadir approved of the proposition
which the black servant made, as it would have, without any effort, restored her to her former career of luxury and squandering, she did not dare to open her lips. But Fatima cut short the
silence as she spoke:
—"O father, I accept the man as my husband; do not turn
away this hand of assistance which Providence has extended us.
Willingly do I accept to offer myself a sacrifice to save my family
from this humiliating disgrace. Please do not hesitate to consent."
Nadir was not slow to add her approval, and the Pasha,
faced with the acceptance of his daughter and the approval of
his wife, gave in.
\
MHIBBBBBBMBMBfe
�'40
'THE SYRIAN WORLD
/
And thus it came about that the marriage was consummated.
Fatima entered her husband's house with a trembling heart,
preparing herself for the ordeal as the echo of what she had
heard about the house sounded in her ears, and its dark, forboding phantoms flitted before her eyes as she sat waiting in her
room for her bridegroom.
Mukhtar Effendi entered, and taking Fatima in hand, showed her the different rooms in the house. To her surprise they
were well-furnished with expensive and gorgeous furniture;
chairs and tables inlaid with mother-of-pearls, velvet and silk
sofas, and balconies shaded with jasmine trees, while the delicate
scent of musk filled the air, and sparkling chandeliers cast their
soft shadows on the walls and the floor.
At last they came to a vast room with a fountain in the
midst of it from which the water spouted and fell like strewn
pearls. As she gazed in a daze of amazement, Mukhtar Effendi
took hold of her hand, and she felt a cold shock pass through
her veins. Her husband seemed to surmise her state of mind,
for he smiled and said:
—"I pray that you will find in the new house enough to
make you forget your loneliness."
His voice was kind and gentle, and his words as sweet as
if they fell from the lips of a youth; they restored to Fatima
the warmth which she had missed, and raising her head as if
from a distant dream, she looked up again only to be reminded
by his white beard and his ugly, hooked nose that she was before
the old husband of her sad reality. Quickly she bent her head
in silence, and resumed her pensive mood.
But he continued with his strangely sweet voice and his
gratiating smile:
—"Fear not. For you have passed from your parents' house
to 6ne pervaded with gentleness and consideration; to a house
in which you shall be the sole ruler, and your will supreme.
Whatever you ask of luxury or happiness shall be yours, and
nothing will be done except with your own compliance and desire. Does this satisfy you?"
As he spoke, Fatima could not but wonder how such a sweet,
youthful voice could come from a mouth covered with such a
white, long beard, superimposed by that large, homely nose. She
looked up again, and her eyes met his eyes. Strangely enough,
they, too, brimmed over with a light of youth and vigor. As if
v
�JANUARY, 1927
W
fearing that her husband was noticing her scrutinizing glances
she bowed her head once more, as her face was suffused with a
rosy color of shame.
Midnight came, and Mukhtar Effendi kissed his wife and
went to his room.
Fatima could not sleep that night. She lay awake as she
recalled first the vision of an old man with a white beard, which
made her shrink in fright, then' the vision of a man with a white
forehead and captivating eyes which brought her cheer and relaxed her features with a flutter of joy.
It was dawn when Fatima woke to the music of singing
birds which seemed to come from every quarter of the room.
They were all singing together from their golden cages. She
arose refreshed and happy, but had no sooner rubbed the sleep
from her eyes than her husband entered the room, and approaching gently, told her that urgent business had called him out
of town. She was a little despondent to think that she was being
left alone on the very first day of her wedding. Then, enfolding her kindly in his arms, her husband kissed her, saying:
"Be not despondent, for my absence will not last more
than two months, during which time I have arranged that nothing of the means of pleasure and happiness shall be lacking you
in this1 elegant house, which, thanks to my faithful servant Said,
is what you see now. For it was he who repaired it, improved
its appearance and decked it with all kinds of ornaments, until
it has become a beautiful sight. He will be a good companion
to you, and will relate to you many a story."
For the first time Fatima felt a strange attachment to her
husband, as she replied:
—"Do you think that all this will take your place with me?"
—"Furthermore," continued the husband, "I have sent for
my nephew Shakib, who will soon be here and take over my
affairs in my absence. My home will be open to him, and you
may receive him without the formality of a veil, for he is very
dear to me. I am sure you will treat him with hospitality, and
will make him feel at home, for he is a young man of noble character and considerable refinement and education. He is a trusted physician, and I do not hesitate to leave you with him." Saying this, he kissed her and bid her farewell.
(To be continued in the February issue.)
�'"——
42
THE SYRIAN WORLD
f
The Syrians in Australia
By HON. A. A. ALAM, M.L.C.
Australia, the land of untold possibilities, of unlimited opportunities and vast stretches of undeveloped land, is a veritable
paradise for the Syrians, who by nature and by experience, running back into long centuries of history, are a race of pioneers
and adventurers.
There is perhaps no country in the world today in which the
ratio of individual and collective prosperity runs so high as in
Australia. With an area of 2,974,581 square miles, a little smaller than that of the United States, and a population not quite
six millions, the estimated value of Australia's chief production
totals 346,662,000 English pounds, per annum, or approximately one billion and five hundred million American dollars. Compared with the vast wealth of the United States this is a very
small showing, but in Australia, the distribution of wealth
is more proportionate, and the average worker or family man is
comparatively more prosperous. There is no pauperism in Australia, and very few could be called poor or needy.
The Syrians in Australia have shared in this general prosperity of the country. Unlike the Syrians of the United States, they
came to a country still very far from being developed, and among
peoples who had not been long settled. They were pioneers
among pioneers, and now all alike share in the reward of their
early struggles and labor.
As a class, the Syrians are well-to-do. There are many
men of wealth among them and almost all are in the employers'
class. The majority of them go into business, as most Syrians
do, I suppose, everywhere. In Australia, they are in the control
of many department stores. Through their long credit system
and friendly trust of the thousands of farmers and cattle raisers
all over the country with whom they have come in contact every
day, these Syrian merchants have done a great service to their
country of adoption. They carried with them to Australia a
system that was long in use in their motherland. For it was a
customary thing for Syrian farmers to wait for the "crop" be\i
�JANUARY, 1927
43
fore they could pay the merchants and shop-keepers of the nearby towns for goods bought at various intervals of the year. It
was not at all difficult for the Syrians to do the same thing in
Australia and to bring with them their age-old common sense,
tact, and sympathy, which are often present in this class of society,
but not as often recognized and remembered, as the less complimentary attributes of shrewdness and business acumen.
There are many Justices of the Peace and Magistrates among
the Syrians in Australia.
While most of the Syrians have taken to business, there
are many among them who are farmers and producers. There
are also quite a few manufacturers and wholesale merchants.
But far more important than the material success of the
Syrians in Australia is their social and intellectual one, which, I
am happy to say, is comparatively high. The older generation
of Syrians who have never had the chance to go to schools, see
to it that their children have a good education. Sometimes the
parents go to the extent of denying themselves a life of ease and
affluence to be able to send their children to some boarding schooi
or college. Now many of the second generation of Syrians, and
even some of those who came from Syria, are making good in
various professions.
Not long ago the Australian newspapers featured the brilliant case of a Syrian Australian, Fred Callil, who was acclaimed
a prodigy. For at the age of seventeen, he took his B. A. degree
and two years later his M. A. from the University of Melbourne.
At the age of twenty-four he was appointed professor of ancient
history and languages. He won more scholarships, called in Australia bursaries, than any other student of Australia. He is also
the youngest professor in Australia. The father of this young
Syrian prodigy is Khalil Fakhr, a wholesale merchant, originally
of Bsharie, Lebanon.
Dr. Frank Gaha, son of Ibrahim Gaha of Zahle, is another
example of the highly educated Syrian of the second generation.
Up to thirteen, Frank received no education whatsoever, but so
outstanding was his natural intelligence that when his father, a
successful grazier, sent him to St. Joseph's College, in Hunter's
Hill, Sydney, he graduated at the top of his class in nineteen
months. He took his degree at the Sydney University, went to
Europe and returned with more degrees than any other doctor
in Australia.
�44
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Still another case is that of Rashid Arida of Charters Towers, Queensland, who migrated to Australia at the age of thirteen. At fifteen he was an employer of labour. Just prior to
the War, he was offered a seat in the Upper House or Legislative Council of Queensland. He refused for business reasons,
but accepted the Queensland Government's offer as government
representative on the Townsville Harbour board. Mr. Arida
has a masterly command of English and is recognized as an eloquent and forcible orator, being most prominent in the public
life of Queensland.
It is misleading to single out prominent cases like these. The
first two are typical of the brilliant intellectual development of Syrians in Australia. Within the next decade the Syrians will have a big proportion of University graduates. I made
it my custom to ask about Syrian students in the different schools
of the land which I used to visit in my travels. Invariably the
answer has been either that the Syrian students are at the top
or very near it.
These future citizens of Australia have attained as high a
standard of living and personal conduct as any prevailing in Australia. In education, culture, music, painting, conversation, etiquette and dress, the Syrian children would not suffer from comparison with the children of any group. They speak English
excellently and without accent.
Syrians, on the whole, assimilate with the English race more
easily and naturally than some other races do. They avoid "colonization" as much as possible and whenever they have a chance.
Some of the most fashionable and luxurient homes in the exclusive residential section of Sydney belong to Syrians.
I must not conclude my article without saying a word about
THE SYRIAN WORLD, and what it means to the generation of young Syrians, not only in the United States or in Australia, but wherever the English language is spoken or read, It is
only a matter of time when Syrian papers in these countries
which are printed in Arabic will pass away. THE SYRIAN WORLD
has come to supply a long-felt need in the nick of time. It has
come to stay and I will not be exaggerating when I say that
it has a most brilliant future before it. I will not be surprised if
the results, in the non-distant-future, will stagger the imagination of its originators.
Nor is there any doubt in my mind that it is a needed and
1
I
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\
JANUARY, 1927.
\
'45
useful project. It will make of our sons and daughters better
citizens of their adopted countries, if they come to know something about the history, culture and achievements of their ancestors. Syria has always been a small nation, often under subjugation by more powerful neighbors or invadors, but despite
that, or perhaps because of that, it has meant spiritually a great
deal to the rest of the world. Better still it served the cause of
civilization by preserving the culture of the ancients and transmitting it first to the Arabs, and then to the people of Europe.
In my defense of the Syrian race against the Asiatic Exclusion Act of Australia, I stressed this point at every opportunity
I had. I was surprised to find out how little people knew about
Syria and the Syrians, although they must have studied about the
Holy Land in their Sunday Schools more than they have about
their own. But seldom do people remember that the Holy Land
is a part of Syria, and that its people belonged originally to the
same race that produced Christ and the prophets of the Old Testament.
Ignorance is the principal cause of misunderstanding among
races and nations, and any agency that seeks to throw light on a
people and its culture, and make them known to each other, is
welcome. THE ,SYRIAN WORLD, I repeat, is fulfilling a long-felt
need. It is a boon to the Syrians in the English-speaking countries.
TO ADVERSITY
Translated from the Arabic by J. D. CARLYLE.
Hail, chastening friend Adversity! 'Tis thine
The mental ore to temper and refine,
To cast in virtue's mould the yielding heart,
And honor's polish to the mind impart.
Without thy awakening touch, thy plastic aid,
I'cJ. lain the shapeless mass that nature made;
But formed, great artist, by thy magic hand,
I gleam a sword to conquer and command.
Abou Menbaa Car a wash.
�&HE SYRIAN WORLD
46
\
Please, Santa!
Bring me:
A wee doll, symbol of the child I want ever young
in my mother-heart and in my arms.
A -pop-gun with which to protect my illusions.
A bow and arrow with which I may reach the
furthest points of knowledge and wisdom.
A sled to descend swiftly the steep hills of human
arrogance and worldly ambition.
A choo-choo car in which I could give a comrade
a lift across the torrid sands of human endeavors.
A bugle on which I may learn to ,put rythm into
my song of triumph and melody into my sigh
of defeat.
MARIE EL-KHOURIE.
^sasBSjtrassKJ.
ammmmmmm
., -
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�JANUARY, 1927
\
n
EDITOR'S COMMENT
THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA?
Even a cursory gleaning of the Arabic press of the East
these days would disclose the existence of a titanic struggle taking place between the old and the new; the fundamentalists and
the reformers; the orthodox and the liberals. It is a painful
travail into which the East has been suddenly thrust as a result
of the World War and the letting down of the bars in the face
of Western influences. Undoubtedly, a predisposition to such a
condition existed long before the war and was brought about by
the gradual infiltration of foreign influences, principally through
Western educational institutions; but the bursting into bloom of
the seeds so long and so carefully nursed came about only within
the last decade. What radical change the near future will bring
is beyond the range of reasonable reckoning. We can only witness the kaleidoscopic procession as it passes by and wait for what
the morrow may bring.
Of what has already occurred, however, one can pose for
a moment and make an effort at an analysis. One will readily
find that conditions have by no means entered the stage of stabilization. Chaos still seems to pervade every field of thought and
every line of activity. The actors in this vast drama are all in
great turmoil, and when they settle down to their parts no one
knows what the presentation will be.
And even of what has already occurred one cannot make a
thorough reckoning. The East — and only the Near East is
here implied — is so vast, its problems so complex, its nationalities so numerous, and the changes taking place in it so general
in their nature, that of necessity our remarks must be confined
to that section of it whose destinies and conditions interest us
most; namely, Syria and Lebanon.
In these two small countries whose combined population
does not exceed half that of the city of New York, there
seems to be raging a veritable storm of fury against old traditions. Of course not all the new divergences and innovations
are, to become accepted institutions, but undoubtedly some traces
�I
•4*
THE SYRIAN WORLD
of them will remain when a stable standard of procedure is born
out of the present chaos.
For now in Syria we can witness growing side by side, the
sublime and the ridiculous} the genuine reform growing out of
real conviction and the silly fad born of no other impulse than
that of mere imitation. The spirit of emulation is espcially
strong in Syria which, by reason of its proximity to Europe, is
prone more readily to fall under its influence, but it seems that
the good is taken together with the bad without the process of
sifting and sorting to determine the desirability of the commodity, and the result is not always wholesome.
Where these changes are most noticeable is in the religious
and social spheres. While previously Moslem women never
appeared in public unveiled, and respectable women of all religious creeds adhered to the strictest conventions, we now find
them patronizing freely games of chance of mixed attendance
and even maintaining such places of their own. Parisian styles
reach Beirut and Damascus even as quickly as they reach New
York, and social functions characterized by orgies of extravagance
are being indulged in by people of only slender incomes. The
jallah is satisfied with nothing short of the comforts of the prince.
Consequently, the whole social order is being demoralized and
emigration is causing severe depletion in the ranks of the population.
It is a veritable orgy of extravagance by the people, superimposed by a similar orgy of empty pomp and pretense by the
government, and the end does not seem to be in sight, nor the
result clear.
In the religious domain a similar, but somewhat more promising condition, seems to obtain. Heads of all religious denominations are struggling as desperately as ever to buttress their
prestige, but a separate, detached, civic consciousness appears to
be taking form. It is to be expected that in the process of transformation some eccentricities and wild vagaries should occur, but
time will temper the heat of the over-zealous. Such an instance
is where recently a Maronite poet named his son Mohammed
Maroun, a combination previously unheard of, and which was
heartily commended by som« and as heartily condemned by others. But this may stand out in history as a solitary, isolated instance. Similar exuberant manifestations of tolerance occurred
on the occasion of the declaration of the Constitution of the Turk-
�I
1
IBN SAOUD, KING OK NEJD AND THE HEJAZ
\
1
1
I1
The leader of the militant order of Wahhabites, known as Al-lkhwan, or
Brothers.
Courtesv The New Orient.
�UNI
ish Er
incxpi
becaus
leader
I
feet is
thefc
tivitie
stance
of lat
new e
A PHASE OF LIFE THAT IS FAST PASSING AWAY IN THE EAST
m\
<
of rel
gaine
Bishc
or th
comn
Only
Dr.]
he n
Jesui
):
\
i
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lows
\ oft!
I of i
comj
and
Mis;
opp<
It h
lead
sion
hant
and
rice.
cbro
hea
A scene in a residential street in J erusalem, showing Moslem women
going about fully veiled.
\
�JANUARY','1927.
/s
i
*
ish Empire in 1908, when Imam and Priest embraced publicly
in expression of a new era of tolerance, but the thing proved futile
because the masses were not ready to accept the change and the
leaders lacked sincerity.
,
But what is bound to prove of genuine value and lasting eifect is the spirit of conciliation lately displayed by the leaders of
the formerly antagonistic foreign educational and missionary activities, as well as by the clergy of the country themselves. Instances of such rapprochement have been of frequent occurrence
of late, and they indeed may be taken as unmistakable signs ot a
new era that augurs well for the country.
Such instances may well be considered landmarks on the road
of religious tolerance in Syria. The movement no sooner started
gained%idly in momentum. Now it is the Maronite
Bishop of Beirut attending a function in the American University,
or the president of the American University taking part in the
commencement exercises of the Maronite CoUege de h. Sagesse
\ \\ Only recently THE SYRIAN WORLD pub ished a contrition by
I Dr Bavard Dodge on "Educational Facilities in Syria" in which
Tesuit and other educational institutions. Then Dr. Dodge iollows by an eulogistic article published in Al-Kulliyah the organ
of^American*University, on the life and work of St. Francis
< of Assisi Al-Bashir, Arabic organ of the Jesuits, returns the
cLoliment by lauding the work of the American University,
andquXg from the Weekly Bulletin, organ of the Protestant
Missions. And many instances of like nature.
This is truly a manifestation of a new spirit diametrically
opposed to what had been prevailing up to only a short time.
It is an eloquent admission by foreign educational missionary
leaders that the country is in no need of stressing religious divisions and that the best service the country could expect at their
hS* their blazing before it the path of religious tolerance
andTheir preaching the Gospel of love and good-will put to prac-
i
j
*"* This indeed, is what would be considered for Syria the
dawn of a new era, an era that would bring with it a change of
heart and not be confined to a mere change of name.
i
>
�JANU
A PHASE OF LIFE THAT IS FAST PASSING AWAY IN THE EAST
dawi
hear
A scene in a residential street in J erusalem, showing Moslem women
going about fully veiled.
II
�rpirrviT'T limanlMIII II..IWIIInll!>lli»ll
JANUARY, '1927,
Mm"
»" I l I'1" """TT^l
"
'*9-
ish Empire in 1908, when Imam and Priest embraced publicly
in expression of a new era of tolerance, but the thing proved futile
because the masses were not ready to accept the change and the
leaders lacked sincerity.
,
<
But what is bound to prove of genuine value and lasting effect is the spirit of conciliation lately displayed by the leaders of
the formerly antagonistic foreign educational and missionary activities, as well as by the clergy of the country themselves. Instances of such rapprochement have been of frequent occurrence
of late, and they indeed may be taken as unmistakable signs ot a
new era that augurs well for the country.
Such instances may well be considered landmarks on the road
of religious tolerance in Syria. The movement no sooner started
gained rapidly in momentum. Now it is the Maronite
Bishop of Beirut attending a function in the American University,
or the president of the American University taking part in the
commencement exercises of the Maronite College de la Sagesse.
\
Only recently THE SYRIAN WORLD published a contribution by
I
Dr Bayard Dodge on "Educational Facilities in Syria" in which
he mentioned appreciating^ the work done by the Maronite,
Tesuit, and other educational institutions. Then Dr. Dodge tollows by an eulogistic article published in Al-Kulhyah the organ
\ of the American University, on the life and work of St. Franas
> of Assisi. Al-Bashir, Arabic organ of the Jesuits, returns the
:
compliment by lauding the work of the American University
and quoting from the Weekly Bulletin, organ of the Protestant
Missions. And many instances of like nature.
This is truly a manifestation of a new spirit diametrically
opposed to what had been prevailing up to only a short time.
It is an eloquent admission by foreign educational missionary
leaders that the country is in no need of stressing religious divisions and that the best service the country could expect at their
hands is their blazing before it the path of religious tolerance
and their preaching the Gospel of love and good-will put to practice.
This indeed, is what would be considered for Syria the
dawn of a new era, an era that would bring with it a change ot
heart and not be confined to a mere change of name.
�-
50
FHE SYRIAN WORLD
With Our Contributors
AMEEN RIHANI, author, delighted an admiring world.
poet, traveler, statesman, is one Among Rihani's works in Engof the products of early Syrian lish are the Book of Khalid, a
immigration to America of volume $parkling with literary
whom all Syrians, whether in jewels j the Quatrains of Abultheir native land or abroad, may *Ala, rivaling Fitzgerald's Ruwell be proud. His mastery of baiyat of Omar Khayyam j a
English is the envy of many an Song of Mystics and Other
aspiring writer, and in Arabic Poems j and the Descent of
Of his many
he has introduced a style of Bolshevism.
Arabic
works,
his "Kings of
writing with which he is identified wherever Arabic is spoken Arabia", based on personal
at the four points of the com- study and observation during
pass. In one of his articles his extensive travels in the
recently published in ASIA, he Arabian Peninsula stands prerefers to his having been given eminent. He is . a personal
the title of Ustaz, or professor, friend of Sultan Ibn Saoud,
and calls the appellation a ques- who has played the most protionable one. But not even his minent role in Arabia's, contemmost unfriendly critics would porary history, and it was the
agree with him on this point. ambition of Mr. Rihani to bring
Well merited, also, is the other about a confederacy of Arab
title conferred upon him by chieftains which would revive
competent authorities and uni- Arabia's glory of old. It was
versally subscribed to as the while on this ambitious mission
"Philosopher of Freike". By that the lure of travel took him
way of explanation we should to India and he there wrote the
mention that Freike is the little "Notes" which he contributes
town in Lebanon where he was to THE SYRIAN WORLD and are
born and which he now makes now published for the first
his home. It has now become time. It is indeed a privilege
the mecca of the intelligentia to accompany our gifted author
of the Arabic-speaking world, on his unique travels and enjoy
and its enchanting wadi, the advantage of observing life
through which courses the his- in the East with his singular
toric Dog River, is the scene of insight and consummate taste.
many of Rihani's literary crea- It is also a pleasure to record
tions which have thrilled and his heartily expressed approval
i,
.
..
.-
- :.•
-
�tflHMHEMlm
I
ft
JANUARY, 1927
of THE SYRIAN WORLD and his
promise to contribute to it liberally in the future.
il
I
I
MARIE EL-KHOURIE is
accustomed to giving and not
to asking. However, on the
single occasoin she chooses to
ask, she also chooses as a medium for her request the pages of
THE SYRIAN WORLD. And to
think; of the many nice things
she wants Santa Claus to bring
her! We are inclined to believe that hadn't she possessed
all these gifts she wouldn't have
been able to conceive of them.
Consequently, if dear Santa
should answer her plea and
bring her an over-supply, we
would ask her to "please pass
some around." Mrs. El-Khourie is ripe in experience and
knowledge and can share a good
deal With her countrymen, and
now that the pages of THE
SYRIAN WORLD are available as
a means of public expression
and exchange pf thought, we
are hopeful our native talent
will want to express itself
through them. Of jewels, Mrs.
El-Khourie is a connoisseur.
She not only deals in them, but
enjoys the distinction of producing artistic creations in them.
She also has the gift of creating
literary jewels, and it is in
these we ask her to play the
role of Santa Claus to our readers.
m
Rev. K. A, BISHARA is no
mincer of words and it may
well be seen that he is sure of
his grounds. Being the author
of a bi-lingual book in English
and Arabic on the "Origin of
the Modern Syrian", he has
gone fully into the history of
the Syrian race and can reinforce every one of his statements with historical facts. Rev.
Bishara is one of the highest
types of the products of the
missionary schools in Syria,
being ?. recognized scholar in
both English and Arabic. His
oratory is dynamic and we have
had occasion in a previous issue
of THE SYRIAN WORLD to make
reference to the telling effect his
eloquence created in the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church held in Baltimore
May 25-June 2. He is a constructive moral force in the
community not only as the
minister of the Syrian Protestant Church in Brooklyn, but
also through his many contributions of an educational and inspirational character to the
Arabic papers, chiefly Al-Hoda
of New York.
Dr. H. A. ELKOURIE is
a prominent example of the ambitious Syrian who by dint of
constant hard work reaches the
heights of his ambition. Soon
after having landed in America
he was seized with the desire of
�52
studying medicine, and forthwith he applied himself to his
self-imposed task until he graduated with high honors in the
face of, many handicaps. Now
he isi one of the prominent surgeons of Birmingham, Ala.;
and notwithstanding his large
practice he finds time to serve
his countrymen in many ways.
At one time he toured the country in the interest of promoting
the establishment of a SyrianAmerican College, and through
his interest in politics he was on
several occasions asked to run
for a number of high elective
offices, including that of a Representative in Congress. He is
considered one of the most gifted orators of the South, and in
the thick of political campaigns
is looked upon as a mainstay of
his party. For his first contribution to THE SYRIAN WORLD
he has chosen to give some valuable advice to his countrymen
in America within his professional capacity, but we hope
that in future contributions he
will have them share in the
benefits of his knowledge in
many other lines in which he is
equally as capable.
A. A. ALAM is a member of
the Legislative Council of New
South Wales, a state of Australia. He is Australian by birth
but Syrian by descent. While
still in the early thirties, he has
%HE SYRIAN WORLD
been able to rise to membership
in a council which comprises
some jof the best intellects of
the commonwealth, and this despite the fact that he is of foreign descent and in a country
where prejudice against Asiatics
rose to the white-point heat of
passion. Rather, it was largely
due to his courageous stand on
this issue that the Australian
electors returned him to the upper house of the State by an
overwhelming majority in recognition of his ability and fearlessness. During the heated
campaign of 1920, when the
main issue was the revision of
the Asiatics' Exclusion Act, it
was the purpose to include the
Syrians under the general classification of Asiatics as not belonging to the white race. Mr.
Alam championed ithe cause of
his kinsmen and waged such a
splendid fight that not only was
he elected but caused the
amendment of the Act in favor
of the Syrians. For this signal
service he is deserving the gratitude of his countrymen, not
alone for having championed
their cause so courageously as
for having set a standard for
service to race and devotion to
ideal that challenges surpassing
among Syrian immigrants. We
feel happy in our ability to say
this much, and by no means is
this all, about our Mr. Alam,
because through modesty he
;
\
�"c
55
JANUARY, '1927,
omitted reference to himself in
his contribution appearing in
this issue of THE SYRIAN
WORLD about the Syrians in
Australia. And particularly are
we happy to have an authority
such as Mr. Alam give our
readers the lucid and informative account of their fellowcountrymen in Australia contained in his contribution.
Spirit of The Syrian Press
Under this caption we hope to present from time to time a microcosmic picture of the Arabic press, not only in this country, but wherever
Arabic dailies and magazines reflect the opinions of responsible, thinking
writers who are treating the different problems that confront the Arabicspeaking world from all conceivable angles. Needless to say, we will take
no part in the discussions reproduced, nor assume any responsibility. Our
task will simply consist in selecting, to the best of our knowledge and
with utmost sincerity, what we think is representative of tine public opinion as expressed in these editorials.
Editor.
THE MISSION OF
"THE SYRIAN WORLD"
Syria, which has been unfortunate
in her geographic position which
made her a corridor for conquerors
and a battlefield for their armies,
has also been unfortunate in the publicity given her in most books, magazines and newspapers. Even some
of her own sons have abused and
contained her; and some of the missionaries who go there to trade with
their religion, also degrade Syria
and ridicule her, all for the sake of
money.
In many books there are unwarranted attacks on the Lebanese and
Syrians, and these books are written
by missionaries, who know well how
to collect money, as they know how
to tear down the aspirations of the
people, at one and the same time.
Their pupils are dispersed in dif-
ferent countries with strange garbs
and stranger ideas which have no
rhyme nor reason.
And in many of the American
papers and magazines we come
across articles belittling the Syrians
and Lebanese, who never had a publication to defend them against unjust attacks until "The Syrian
World" appeared.
It seems that might has authority
even on facts, and the weak has no
other recourse but to reason and
argument, in the hope that by this
means he may win supporters to his
sidei in this land of freedom, equality and opportunity.
(Al-Hoda, N.Y., Dec. 2, 1926.)
WHO ARE WE?
Is this an impertinent question?
We know no answer to it, otherwise
we would not have asked it.
Who are we in our homeland, and
�.
. Ill
i
54
who are we abroad?
The Lebanese is called in the land
of his immigration a Syrian. Is he
then a Syrian? If so what is tihe
sense of mentioning Lebanon? And
why do they not destroy the Bible
which distinctly declares the independence of Lebanon as well as its
beauty?
But even in Lebanon itself the
Lebanese is called Syrian, whereas
Lebanon is a high-sounding and
elaborate republic with many offices,
albeit few pupils and few soldiers—
it is, in other words, a republic by
name, and a remnant of feudalism
in fact.
We may not even send a letter
addressed to Lebanon, because Lebanon is not known by name, thanks
to those of its agents who squander
its wealth, secured by heavy taxation. Nor does any government recognize Lebanon, unless the Lebanon
press abroad agitate for this. As
for the Lebanon press in the capital
of Lebanon, Beirut, we know well
the reason for their silence. Similarly do we know the reason for
the silence of the Representative
Council and the Ministry!
Who, then, are we?
We are not Syrians, and we are
not Lebanese. Yet we seem to be
everything, and when one is everything he is nothing.
They speak of freedom and their
acts proceed from despotism.
As long as the majority (in Lebanon) is Christian there is no danger from it. The Mohammedan
majority around Lebanon, recognizing this, sought to crush the spirit
by oppressing the body, and for that
purpose asked Lebanon to forego the
privileges which it enjoyed centuries
before the coming of the French
mandate,
i
l nil V 'ii
.
'
.
li'ii ' "i
T'f"-~i
THE SYRIAN WORLD
As if France comes to us with
religious fanaticism hidden in its
pocket, while in truth it is farther
removed from it than any other
power on earth. Appearances, however, sometimes deceive.
(Al-Hoda, N.Y.. Dec. 4, 1926.)
PRACTICAL PATRIOTISM
Those eloquent pens, gliding over
paper as a train glides through »
plain, now call the Syrian emigrants
back to their mother-country.
Well may they call. For in our
hearts still burns that fire of patriotism, and in our breasts still
lingers that yearning for that enchanting blue sky, for those undulating green plains, for that Land
of Promise, the land in which the
first man made his appearance — the
land of the vine, the figtree, the
olive and the pine.
But, Oh free pens in the land of
slavery, are you not aware that in
our assimilation with a powerful nation we benefit for ourselves far
more than we can possibly do from
that weak country; and that in our
rallying under a foreign, powerful
flag, we may be able to live in peace
and tranquillity? The American flag,
however, is not a foreign flag, but
the flag of foreigners, united all in
the community of Americanism. For
tihe millions who are sheltered beneath this flag are all foreigners.
The only native Americans are the
Indians, and these no more own the
country; it is a community of foreigners mixed together as wine is
mixed with water, resulting in a
nation which treats all its children
alike, the native-born and the naturalized. The American flag does not
distinguish between the poor and the
rich, the employer and the employe;
* %
1
:
I
\
�/
I
I
'55
JANUARY, 1927
between the noble and the common;
it is the flag: of equality. Long: may
it wave over our heads. It was the
flag: for which our brave sons fought
in the World War, the proud flag;
that ever returned victorious from
the battlefield.
(Mirat-ul-Gharb, N.Y., Dec. 6,1926.)
REVERSAL OF OPINION
Captain Carbillet, the former
governor of Jebel-ad Druze, wanted
to play in that country the role
which Lord Cromer played in the
Valley of the Nile. He wanted to
improve the conditions of the peasants, who are the large majority
of the population, and to free them
/
from the oppression of their leaders. But Sultan Pasha al-Atrash
and his followers revolted against
him, and thus started the Druze revolution.
Yes, we did before blame Captain
Carbillet and General Sarrail who
refused to recall him; we did believe
that that was the immediate cause
of the revolution. But now we have
changed our opinion; we believe,
now, that what Carbillet intended to
accomplish in Jebel-ad-Druze was
democratic and just, but it did not
suit the members of the Atrash family who perceived in it a danger
to their ancient prestige and feudal
authority.
(Ash-Shaab, N. Y., Nov. 17, 1926.)
Readers' Forum
APPRECIATION OF HERITAGE
Editor, SyrianWorld:
As a second-generation Syrian, allow me to extend a personal message
to my fellow Syrians of the second
generation. It is a message of the
realization that has come into and
altered the course of my life. Important, not because of its consequence to me personally, nor for the
reason that I consider myself exemplary, but because I consider myself an average American-born Syrian, thoroughly Americanized, but,
withal, of Syrian blood.
What is this vast, important thing
that has imbued my spirit with fervent ardor and cool satisfaction, imbedding itself in the very structure
\
of my being? It is the realization
of my noble heritage, "a binding tie
of blood".
For this I give thanks to "The
Syrian World" which has presented
the facts and traditions of my ancestors and yours in a different light
than that in which I had hitherto
been accustomed to look at.
Now, owing to this realization, I
can look any man straight in the
eye and say, "Yes, I am a Syrian,
and mighty proud of it." By this I
do not mean in any sense that we
should detract one iota from the affection, esteem and allegiance that
we owe this glorious land of opportunity and liberty.
Anton Michael Jabaly.
Daytona, Fla,
�UlHE SYRIAN WORLD
56
About Syria and Syrians
SYRIANS IN BRAZIL
HONOR NEW PRESIDENT
Representing the Syrian community in Brazil, a committee of thirteen Syrian merchants in Sao Paolo
decided to present to the new President, Dr. Washington Luis, a memento of their devotion to the country of their adoption, and of their
admiration to the personality of the
new president.
The committee finally agreed upon a golden tray in the four corners
of which are reproduced in precious
stones four Brazilian flags, while in
the center is a map of Brazil in
diamond chips. A message embodying the loyalty of the Syrians to the
ideals of the Brazilian Republic
founded on the "brotherhood" of its
component elements, without regard
to race or color, is engraved on the
tray.
RECOGNIZING THE ABILITY
OF MISS ATTIYEH
In the December issue of the Lyceum Magazine of Chicago our Miss
Sumayeh Attiyeh is featured in the
most complimentary manner, two
beautiful photographs of her being
published on the cover together with
testimonials on her ability from such
eminent Americans as Ex-President
Theodore Roosevelt, Judge K. M.
Landis, Judge Henry Neil and others. Syud Hussein of the New
Orient also contributes his appreciation, and Edward Owings Towne,
President of the Four Arts Club of
America, expresses his admiration
in a poem from which we quote the
following:
In a far off city both famous and old,
Beneath stars of Eastern skies,
A child was born of a face so fair,
She was called, "Little Paradise".
The fairest flower of a noble race,
That was old when the world was
young,
From a line of Princes of Araby
This dark eyed maiden sprung.
Sumayeh Attiyeh, bright star of the
East,
We honor the hour of your birth,
Your tongue is of silver, your heart
is of gold,
No praise can equal your worth.
ACTIVE MISSIONARY
AND PROLIFIC WRITER
One of, the most active priests we
know of is Rev. Anthony Bashir,
archimandrite, and general missionary to the unchurched Syrian communities in this country of the
Greek Orthodox faith.
The Danbury Evening News, of
Danbury, Conn., devoted recently
quite a lengthy article to our friend
and countryman Rev. Bashir, in
which it cited some of his activities
for his church and his prolific contribution to the Arabic press and
literature.
Rev. Bashir has translated several books to the Arabic language,
including Papini's "Life of Christ".
Wagner's "The Simple Life", and
"Why I am a Christian", by Frank
Crane. He has also translated more
than 130 articles of Frank Crane,
appearing in various Arabic papers
here and abroad. He is an admirer
of Eahlil Gibran, the Syrian poet,
and has translated his "Prophet",
'.
�57
JANUARY, 1927
and is now busy on translating "Sand
and Foam", the latest work of Gibran.
In his extensive travels Rev. Bashir has been a valuable friend and
asset to "The Syrian World", whose
cause he has espoused enthusiastically ever since its appearance.
LEBANESE EMIGRANTS*
REGISTRATION
DISAPPOINTING
A report to the Senate of the Lebanese Republic on the registration
of Lebanese nationals abroad showed the prevalence of extreme apathy
to conform with the nationality
clause of the Lauzanne treaty. The
Government spokesman in the Senate enumerated the different steps
taken by the President of the Republic to facilitate the work of registration, principal among which
was his issuing of a personal appeal
to Lebanese emigrants; the appointment of Lebanese representatives at
the principal French consulates
abroad; and the extension of the
legal time for registration. All efforts, however, proved disappointing
considering the meagerness of the
returns.
According to official figures, Lebanese emigrants all over the world
total 158,240, of whom only 2,281
registered at French consulates in
compliance with the treaty of Lauzanne, or at the rate of 1 to 72. Complete registration returns up to Oct.
12 as given out officially by the Lebanese Senate are as follows:
Country
I
France
England
Italy
Spain-
Roumania
Greece
Germany
Belgium
Turkey
Cyprus
Egypt
Aden
Abyssinia
Transvaal
Nigeria
Bathurst
Sierra Leone
Sudan
Uruguay
Guatemala
Natal
French Guiena
Morocco
Mozambique
United States
Bolivia
Brazil
Argentine
Mexico
Haiti
Columbia
Chili
Ecuador
Holland
Portuguese Africa
Guadaloupe
4
1
1
2
1
2
118
1
14
33
53
7
21
7
7
13
5
131
31
6
29
36
757
127
329
14
12
7
315
1
6
1
SYRIAN BOY SCOUT CHAPTER
Miss Rose Knieser, of Olean, N.
Y., sends a clipping of a local newspaper! in which it is announced that
a new Boy Scout chapter composed
wholly of Syrians was organized by
St. Joseph's Church in that city.
Approximately 100, including parents of the boys, were present at
Number of the ceremony. The call to the color
Registrants was played by the Scout bugler,
&) with Miss Madeline Simon as ac23
companist on the piano.
40
Elias Eade, chairman of the troop
committee,
addressed the audience in
39
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
58
Arabic, repeating his remarks in
English. Then Scout John Knieser,
a member of the troop, appeared on
the platform, and using a signal flag,
wigwaged to F. B. Monson, Scout
executive, who presented the official
charter to the troop committee on
behalf of tfhe national committee.
Then Mr. Eade presented the official certificates to Scoutmaster Sol
Harris, and to the assistant Scoutmasters Joseph Knieser, Phillip Farris and Halum Mansour.
The Rev. N. A. Chemaley, pastor
of St. Joseph's Church, gave the invocation.
Political Developments in Syria
Mr. Ponsot, the French High Commissioner in Syria, should now be
on his way to Paris to submit his
report on conditions to the Cabinet.
During all the time he spent in
Syria he gave out no public statements of policy, confining himself
to the utterance of non-committal
platitudes. According to previous
reports, Mr. Ponsot will spend a
fortnight in Paris formulating with
the Cabinet what will be France's
definite and decisive policy in Syria.
The trend of opinion seems to favor
the granting by France to Syria of
a wider latitude of self-government,
and an agreement upon a treaty similar to that of Great Britain and
Iraq.
What may prove the hardest problem to solve is the reconciling of
the serious differences between the
State of Syria and the Republic of
Mt, Lebanon arising from the delimitation of the frontiers. The Syrians are insistant upon regaining
Beirut, the plain of Beka' and other
territories ceded to the Lebanese under the 1920 adjustment. The Lebanon Republic is beset with many
more grave problems resulting from
her limited resources and apparently
unlimited expenditures. There is a
veritable storm of protest being
raised against increased taxation.
The government has decreed the return to the gold basis and planned
its budget for 1927 accordingly, but
the population complains that the
high level of prices obtains in the
commodity markets as before the
going into force of the gold standard. In short, dissatisfaction is
rampant in all parts of Syria with
everything and everybody.
Dissension in the Ministry of Damad Ahmed Nami Bey, President of
the State of Syria, resulted in its
dissolution and the formation of a
new Ministry which was approved
by the High Commissioner. The principal reason for the disaffection was
the positive stand taken by some
ministers of the Nationalist Party
against the policy of the President
who favors a conciliatory attitude
towards France. The past month
witnessed a renewal of the agitation for the establishment of a monarchy in Syria, but most petitions
received by the High Commissioner
in his tour of the country to ascertain the popular feeling favored a
democratic form of reprensentive
government and stressed the necessity of a united Syria and the granting of almost all the demands of the
revolutionists.
The people of Rashaya, whose
town was pillaged and destroyed dux-
||
�JANUARY, 1927
ing the campaign of 1925 when the
Druzes invaded the territory of
Greater Lebanon, have petitioned the
authorities to grant them land nearer the original Lebanon boundary
where they could settle with a greater feeling of security. They reiterate
their threat that unless adequate redress and proper safeguards are given them there would be left to them
no other recourse than to migrate
and bring their grievance to the attention of the League of Nations.
Sir Henry Dobs, English High Commissioner for Palestine, stopped at
Beirut on his way back to Jerusalem
from Geneva. A banquet and ball
were given in his honor by the
French High Commissioner. He traveled by aeroplane.
Military operations seem to have
taken a secondary role. According
to French reports, the revolt in the
Druze Mountain has been quelled
and a civil government formed supported by a volunteer native army
of about 650 men. Positions in the
new government have been filled
mostly with members of the Atrash
clan who either remained loyal to
the French or later surrendered to
them. Not so, however, is the claim
of the revolutionists who insist that
their forces are being swelled by
new recruits now that the harvesting period is over. Sultan Pasha
Atrash is still holding out in Laja
from which fastness he makes numerous sallies against the French
and uniformly meets with success,
according to reports emanating from
the revolutionary information bureau
in Egypt.
What is of especial significance
is the focusing of the Syrian revolutionists' interest on the United
States for enlisting political support
and procuring financial assistance.
A general convention of the New
Syria party, representing the Syr-
59
ian revolutionistic movement in
America, has been called to meet in
Detroit, Mich., during the month of
January, and prominent nationalist
leaders have been invited to attend
from abroad. Among those whose
acceptance has been announced are
Emir Shekib Arslan, Ihsan Bey Jabery, Nasim Bey Sabaiha, and Toufik Yazegi. The Syrian press had
previously published rumors that Dr.
Abdul-Rahman Shahbandar had left
the theatre of war for Europe on his
way to America, but later report*
proved the early rumors unfounded.
What active part Mr. Charles
Crane of Chicago is taking in the
Syrian revolution cannot be definitely stated. The latest reports on his
movements declare him to be in
Egypt preparing for an extensive
trip in Arabia and the East in the
interest of promoting Arab unity.
There had also been reports that he
was active in mediating between
France and the Syrian revolutionists.
Some of the native Christian papers
openly accuse Mr. Crane of aiding
and abetting the revolution.
Badie Zabian, Secretary of the
Syrian Wounded Relief Committee
of Detroit, addressed an appeal to
the National Red Cross Headquarters at Washington for assistance,
but was refused on the grounds
stated in the following paragraph
in the reply of Ernest J. Swift, Director of Insular and Foreign Operations of the American Red Cross:
"We have given your request most
sympathetic consideration, for the
situation which you call to our attention is one which we have reviewed on several occasions. Unfortunately, however, this condition
of continuing poverty is of such a
nature that it does not come within
the scope of the work which the
American Red Cross is now carrying
on in foreign countries"
�I
'-.
N., P. & J. TRABULSI
MANUFACTURERS OF
Ladies' PRINTED & Fancy
SCARFS
t
MEN'S
&
BOYS'
SWEATERS
MEN'S MUFFLERS
HOLIDAY NOVELTIES
FOR THE JOBBING TRADE ONLY
599 SROADWAY.
-NEW YORK
��
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Newspapers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Salloum Mokarzel, a Lebanese American intellectual, founded<em> The Syrian World</em> in 1926. Salloum Mokarzel was the younger brother of Naoum Mokarzel, the publisher of the Arabic-language newspaper <em>Al-Hoda. </em>Together, the Mokarzel brothers ran Al-Hoda Publishing, and in 1909, they published <em>The Syrian Business Directory.</em> </p>
<p>Mokarzel created <em>The Syrian World</em> in order to document and celebrate the culture and history of "Syria." At the time, Syria referred to the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. The publication was primarily aimed towards second-generation children of immigrants, but Mokarzel hoped that it would also appeal to the general American public.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><em>The Syrian World</em> was published between 1926 and 1932 as a journal. In 1932, the format was changed from an academic journal style to a newspaper style, which continued until the periodical's end in 1935. After the death of his brother Naoum, Salloum took over the publication of <em>Al-Hoda.</em></p>
<p>The articles in <em>The Syrian World</em> cover a variety of topics spanning from the practical to the theoretical. Practical subjects include international and domestic travel, historical and contemporary Arabic and Arab-American art and literature, and the mental and physical health and hygiene of immigrants. More theoretical, philosophical, and ideological subjects include ideologies of race, the changing role of women, the formation of Syrian and Lebanese-American societies, and the political and psychological relationships between immigrants and their countries of origin.</p>
<p>All issues of <em>The Syrian World</em> are available, along with full indexes for the first four volumes. For volumes five and six, there are tables of contents at the start of the issues.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabs--United States
Arabic periodicals
Newspapers
Arab American Newspapers
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926-1935
Relation
A related resource
<em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mokarzel Family Papers</a>
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11299/175685" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annotated Index to the Syrian World, 1926-1932</a> at the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center Archives
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Al-Hoda Newspapers</em></a>
Language
A language of the resource
English
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Claire A. Kempa, 2015-2017. Collection Guide written by Claire A. Kempa, 2017.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 August.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
NS 0002
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
TSW1927_01reducedWM
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Volume 01, Issue 07
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1927 January
Description
An account of the resource
Vol . 1 Issue 07 of The Syrian World published January 1927. The issue opens with a travel journal entry by Ameen Rihani. This is followed by an article by the editor that discusses Christianity in the near east (Syria), and a treaty that was signed on December 6, 1926 between the Vatican and France. The story "Fatima" is also included (part I). This issue also contains articles that discuss the lives of Syrian immigrants in the United States and Australia. The issue concludes with excerpts from the Arab press and information about political developments in Syria.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals
Arabs--United States--Periodicals
Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals
Language
A language of the resource
English
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Syrian-American Press
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
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1920s
Ameen Rihani
France
New York
Religion
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Text
I
V
I
I
A
»T
��THE
SYRIAN WORLD
SALLOUM
A. MOKARZEL, Editor.
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS
104 GREENWICH STREET, NEW YORK, N. Y.
By subscription $5.00 a year.
Single copies 50c.
Entered as second-class matter, June 25, 1926, at the post office at New
York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879.
VOL. 1. No. 10.
APRIL, 1927.
Contents
PAGE
The Arabic Sources of Dante
By PHILIP K. HITTI, PH. D.
3
Lent and Easter in Lebanon
By IBN EL-KHOURY
9
Syrian Folk Songs — MyDay Is Bitter (Marmar Zamani) .... 17
Translation by AMEEN RIHANI
Syrian Proverbs
18
Signs of Syria's Rebirth
By REV. W. A. MANSUR
19
Oriental Wisdom
24
An Arabian Knight and a Desert Poetess
By DR. N. A. KATIBAH
25
Arab Sayings
26
�CONTENTS (Continued).
PACE
In the Days of Christ
27
By H. I.
KATIBAH
Sayings of Jewish Fathers
35
Tales and Legends of Araby
By Miss SUMAYEH
36
ATTIYYEH
Famous Cities of Syria — Jerusalem
39
Friends and Enemies
45
NOTES AND COMMENTS — By
THE EDITOR
A Wish
Questions on Syria Answered
Attention of Correspondents
A New Contributor
46
46
47
47
Readers' Forum
48
Spirit of the Syrian Press
54
About Syria and Syrians
56
Political Developments in Syria
59
ILLUSTRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE
Dante Alighieri
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalefn
The Sacred Rock in the Mosque of (Omar in Jerusalem
The Mosque of 'Omar, or the Dome of the Rock
A Panoramk View of the Holy City of Jerusalem
Three Illustrations of Dante's
INFERNO
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�THE
SYRIAN WORLD
VOL. 1. No. 10.
APRIL, 1927.
The Arabic Sources of Dante
By PHILIP K. HITTI, PH. D.
Dante is the greatest poet Italy produced. He is more
than that: he is Christendom's "sommo poeta". In any accredited list of the half dozen greatest poetical writers of all time
his name will undoubtedly figure as one. Homer, Dante and
Shakespeare — the great triumvirate of the world of poetry!
The work by which this greatest of mediaeval European
poets is known' to the world is the Divina Commedia. It is this
work that has made his name immortal. When the whole civilized world ('joined in 1921 in celebrating the six hundredth anniversary of the death of Dante, it was particularly on account of
this masterpiece of his that the anniversary was held. In the
card catalog of the Princeton University library, which I consulted the other day, I found no less than a hundred and fifty
cards indicating as many books dealing with the Divine Comedy
as translations, versions, commentaries and so forth. In the
same catalog, under the name Dante, there are over six hundred
cards. Perhaps no other work save the Bible has as many cards
as that. Such is the influence which the Florentine poet has
continuously exercised over the minds of educated men during
the last six centuries.
�'
,
_
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
"In the midway of this our mortal life,
I found me in a gloomy wood, astray,
Gone from the path direct; and e'en not to tell,
It was no easy task, how savage wild
That forest, how robust and rough its growth."
— Infernoy Canto I, lines 1-5.
These are the opening lines of the Commedia. The vision begins Thursday before Easter early in ,the morning in the
year 1300. The writer having lost his way in a gloomy forest,
and being hindered by certain wild beasts from ascending a nearby mountain, is met by the ancient Roman poet, Virgil, who undertakes to show him the punishmnets of Hell and Purgatory,
and finally leaves him in charge of Beatrice, Dante's erstwhile
sweetheart, who conducts him into Paradise.
Following Virgil as his guide and his escort, Dante is first
led through the two lower realms of Hell and Purgatory. Here
he finds popes, kings, emperors, poets, warriors, and Florentine
citizens of all social ranks, some of whom are personally known
to Dante and with whom he holds brief discourses. Hell is conceived as a vast conical hollow reaching to the center of the earth.
It has three major divisions: the first, composed of eight circles,
being outside of the walls of the City of Dis. The second division is reserved for unbelievers, tyrants and usurers, and lies
within the City. At the very bottom of the third is Lucifer immovably fixed in ice. The torments here are of the most terrible
character.
Purgatory which was visited next is divided into seven terraces corresponding to the seven deadly sins. It provides an
abode for those who have delayed repentance till death was
upon them. The penalties here are not degrading but are rather
a test of patience and endurance.
On the summit which the visitors then climb is the Earthly
Paradise. Here Beatrice appears and Virgil departs leaving
Dante in her charge. By her Dante is led through the nine
spheres of which heaven is composed to the Supreme Heaven,
or Empyrean, the seat of the Godhead. For one moment there
is granted him the Beatific Vision of the luminous Deity. Thus
the poet comes to a comprehension of all mysteries which are
the ultimate goal of mystical theology. Here the poem ends.
�'APRIL, 1927
5
The great problem in connection with all this is where did
Dante draw his material from? How did he get his inspiration
for writing what he did and as he did? Were there models,
prototypes, in the then current literature and in the mediseval
Christian legends which could have provided him with the necessary data and stimulus? Dante scholars assure us that there
was nothing of the kind. Dantists and Dante lovers and admirers have always dwelt with delight and pride upon the originality of his imagery, the richness of his description, and the unprecedented and unparalleled conception which the poem reveals
of the architecture of heaven and hell. "The poem is absolutely unique in literature," declares Professor Butler in the Encyclopedia Britannica (eleventh edition).
Thus Dante was enshrined on a throne by himself. This
throne he has held for the last six centuries as a unique figure
in the history of the world's literature.
I
Let us now leave this greatest of mediseval poets in his
niche of glory and follow another line of narrative. This line
will lead us into distant Arabia and into the remote Arabic-speaking countries of Islam.
In the first verse of the seventeenth surah of the Qoran the
following words occur:
"Praised be He [Allah] who made His servant [Muhammad]
travel by night from the sacred temple [of Mecca] to the far-off
temple [of Jerusalem]".
Here is evidently a reference to a night journey (isra? 'Lr"1)
which Muhammad took from Mecca to Jerusalem. The surah
"descended" in the year preceding the hijrah. The reference is
obscure. It is isolated and detached. In vain would one search
throughout the "Word of Allah" for further light on the subject.
But Allah's failure is only man's opportunity. The missing
elements of description, happening and detail have been more
than amply supplied by the traditionists, commentators, sufis,
mystics, philosophers and poets. A rich crop of stories sprang
up in course of time, to illuminate, supplement and complement
this Qoranic verselet. The Nocturnal Journey (isray) was only
a prelude to another and more important performance, the As-
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
cension (mi'raj ^}^» ) . The Mi'raj was the ascension of Muhammad into heaven on a white she-ass (buraq). The feat was
executed under the guidance of Gabriel starting from the Temple
of the Rock in Jerusalem. Traces of the hoof of the ass can still
be seen on the rock to the present day. The Rock itself was
tempted to follow Muhammad on his journey heavenward, but
was ordered by him to stop; and it can still be seen hanging a
little above the earth in the Mosque at Jerusalem.
Such hold has the story of the Mi'raj had upon the popular
minds of the Moslems that its festival, which falls every year
on the 27th of Rajab, is still celebrated until the present day
from Morocco to India and from Turkey to Sudan.
The different versions of the Isra? and of the Mi'raj which
began to make their appearance as early as the eighth century
were in course of time reconciled and fused together. In the
early part of the ninth century the fusion was complete. Baydawi was not sure whether the Nocturnal Journey was effected
in body or in spirit, though he leans to the' former theory. Bukhari, Muslim, and Tabari have preserved for us the authenticated versions. Later editions made Muhammad visit the infernal
regions. Fertile oriental imagination left out no detail as to the
structure of the regions of the after-life, the personnel of their
incumbents and the varieties of tortures inflicted and rewards bestowed.
At the hand of the sufi writers adaptations of the story
were made mainly of a mystical and allegorical nature. The
most interesting adaptation is that of al-Shaykh al-Akbar Muhyial-Din Ibn al-'Arabi of Murica, the prince of Hispano-Arab mystics, who died 25 years before the birth of Dante. The ascension
he depicts, modelled, of course, after the pattern of that of the
Prophet, appears in a voluminous work entitled al-Futuhat alMakkiyyah. Ibn-al-'Arabi makes the ascension symbolical of
the journey of the soul towards its creator in the highest heaven.
At the hands of literary men interested in style and satire,
the principle of miraculous ascension received another kind of
a treatment. The Syrian poet and free-thinker, Abu-al-'Ala' alMa'arri (972-1057), rightly described as "the philosopher of
poets and the poet of philosophers", devotes one of his books,
Risalat al-Ghufran, to the ascension of a profane and unreligious friend of his to the astronomical heavens and his descent to
hell. The story of what this Aleppo friend of his saw and said
.
'.
)
I,
�APRIL, 1927
7
on his visits to the upper and lower realms was meant to shock
the sensibilities of the Orthodox Moslems.
Let us now return to Dante and try and draw a comparison
between his Divine Comedy and story of the Isra* and Alrraj
as they occur in the Arabic literature.
Dante, as the supposed author, is made to tell the story.
Both journeys start after the principal actor had awakened from
a profound sleep. In the Moslem story a lion and a wolf bar
the road to Hell; in Dante's poem a leopard, a lion and a shewolf. Virgil performs for Dante the same function performed
by Gabriel — that of a guide, a master, and a protector. The
fierce demon who pursues Muhammad with a burning brand at
the outset of his Nocturnal Journey has his counterpart in the
devil who pursues Dante in the fifth pit of the eighth circle,
and in both cases the visitor escapes injury by the interference
of the guide.
The general architecture of the Inferno is but a faithful
replica of the Moslem Hell. Both are in the shape of a funnel
and consist of a series of stories each one of which is the abode
of one class of sinners. The greater the depth, the greater is
the sin and the punishment inflicted. Both Hells are located beneath Jerusalem.
The) resemblance between the torments in the two descriptions is striking. In Dante's Inferno the adulterers are swept
hither and thither by a hellish storm, and so in the Moslem
story. Gluttons and thieves are seen by Dante tortured by serpents, as are the tyrants and the usurers in the Moslem Hell.
The authors of schisms, according to Dante, are knifed by demons
and brought to life again only to be re-tortured indefinitely, and
so is the fate of the Moslem murderers.
The Moslem traveler, heartened by his guide, toils up a
steep mountain j so does Dante, encouraged by Virgil, ascend the
mountain of Purgatory. Purgatory is separated from Paradise
in both stories by a river, and each traveler drinks of its water.
At the gates of Paradise the Moslem traveler is met by a beauti\ ful lady who receives him kindly, and so does Dante — his lady
being Beatrice.
The architecture of both the Christian and the Moslem
Heavens is identical. As they pass through the ninth Heaven,
�8
THE SYRIAN WORLD
both travelers meet the spirits of the blessed. The souls are
grouped in the Heavens according to their respective virtues.
Both visitors — Muhammad and Dante — are dazzled by a
light which grows in brilliancy at every stage. In fear of blindness, they raise their hands to their eyes; but their guides calm
their fears, and God empowers them to gaze with impunity
upon the new light. Each visitor describes the Beatific Vision
in the same terms — God is the focus of an intense light, surrounded by nine concentric circles of myriads of angelic spirits
who shed a wonderful radiance around. In ia row near the center
are I the. Cherubim. At first both visitors are so dazzled by the
brilliancy of the light that they believe they have been blinded.
Both are incapable of describing the Vision and only remember
that they fell into an ecstasy that was preceded by a wonderful
feeling of supreme delight.
This brief comparison of the Divine Comedy with the Arabic
stories of Isra' and Mi'raj betrays so many points of resemblance,
if not coincidence, in the general architecture and ethical structure of Hell and Paradise, in the description of the tortures and
the rewards, in the general line of dramatic action, in the episodes
and incidents of the journey, in the roles assigned to the protagonists and to the minor personages, and finally in the intrinsic
literary value, that no fair-minded person can deny the dependence of Dante on the preceding Arabic version. The surprising
thing is that no one has before 1919 noticed this striking dependence and called the attention of the learned world to it. This
honor has been left to a Spaniard, Miguel Asin, Professor of
Arabic at the University of Madrid. Miguel Asin is a Catholic
priest. His work has put Dante in a new* light, and, naturally,
caused a great sensation in the intellectual world.
(The results of the researches of Father Miguel Asin which
Dr. Hitti has followed in this article, will be continued in the
next issue of THE SYRIAN WORLD.)
The acme of culture is that man become ashamed of himself.
Ali,
�.
DANTE ALIGHIERI
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Only so far afliicted, that we live,
Desiring without hope.
Inferno — Canto IV., lines 38, 39.
�Unceasing was the play of wretched hands,
Now this, now that way glancing to shake off
The heat, still falling fresh.
Inferno — XIV., lines 27-30.
�V
.
,
The storm blast of hell
With restless fury drives the spirits on.
Inferno — V., lines 32, 33.
RnHHHHHMHi
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�APRIL, 1927
Lent and Easter in Lebanon
By
IBN EL-KHOURY
The weary traveler, painfully making his way through the
trackless wastes of the desert, can experience no more joy and
relief at the welcome sight of the oasis than does the Lebanon
villager in his isolated mountain abode at the approach of Easter
after having gone through the rigorous privations of Lent, during which he earnestly endeavors to emulate the fast of Christ
as much as is humanly possible, and, like Him, successfully goes
through the ordeal without bending a knee to Satan.
Lent in Lebanon is to this day observed according to the
rules first laid down by the Church, when austerity was not a
sham and when privations were practiced in the highest spirit of
conviction and humility. No animal fats are taken in any form.
Milk and eggs may be given to the young and to the sick only
by special dispensation. No food in either liquid or solid form
is permissible between midnight and midday — not even smoking
is tolerated before the noon hour; and this, to be sure, not through
any consideration of health, but out of sheer and absolute pious
motives. My own father related to me an experience in which
he observed a farmer smoking while driving his pair of oxen to
the field in the early morning of a Lenten day. The offense was
obvious and there was but one course to follow: He intercepted
the man and reprimanded him severely, taking away from him
his tobacco pouch for safekeeping until after the lunch hour.
But this case was an exceptional one, the general rule being
to practice self-denial through personal conviction and without
coercion. The good Christian people of Lebanon, by virtue of
their seclusion and consequent immunity from the demoralizing
influences of modern civilization, even to: this day seem actuated
and governed in their religious observances by the same altruistic
feelings which obtained among the early Christian Fathers.
Due to this seclusion, as well as to their tenacity to their
faith amid a surging sea of Islam which has for centuries wasted
its furies against the sides of their mountain without once completely overcoming its resistance or gaining a permanent foothold
�10
THE SYRIAN WORLD
in it, the Christians of Lebanon have been able to retain in its
primitive simplicity many an old custom that may be traced back
to the earliest days of Christianity. To observe some of these
customs one would fancy himself witnessing an actual scene conjured to life from the pages of the Gospel. The patriarchal
form of life, still prevailing in the remote villages of the mountain as it had been exactly two thousand years or more, lends
still more color and emphasis to these customs and throws them
in sharp relief against the infiltrating influences of modern agencies. One would have to search arduously and long for any other
part of the world where early Christian popular practices still
prevail in almost their exact original form as they do in Lebanon.
And perhaps at no other season of lthe year do these customs
display themselves in all their significance and symbolical allusions as in the season immediately preceding Easter. To one who
is of the outside world to witness the enactment of the melodramatic scenes of the bringing back to life of Lazarus, of Palm
Sunday, of Passion Week, and, finally, of the great feast of
Easter, as they are observed in Lebanon in the simple and unaffected manner of the good Lebanese, it would be truly to live
and witness with the Apostles the most salient incidents in the
life of Christ, and finally His crucifixion and resurrection. All
passion plays that are now being enacted in America and Europe
fade in realistic effect when compared with the spontaneous and
mass production of the passion and other scenes from the life
of Christ as enacted by the people of Lebanon.
The outstanding public demonstration with which Lent is
ushered in is the ceremony of "Meeting the Monk". It is observed on the first Monday of Lent, and it may well be mentioned here that Lent in Lebanon, unlike the manner of the Latin
Church, begins on Monday. For the reason above stated the
first day of Lent is called "Monk's Monday". The ceremony
is primitive in its simplicity of form and purpose. Its origin is
rooted in the earliest times of Christianity in Lebanon when
the disciples of St. Maron, all monks, went? forth from their
isolated monastery and scattered in all directions, visiting the
converts in the towns to guide and advise them in the conduct
of prayers and the observance of Lent. This visit of the monks
became traditional, and although there are now in, every locality
an over-supply of priests, Monk's Monday is still observed till
our present day.
.
*
ill
�APRIL, 1927
11
The traditional method is for all the townspeople to gather and proceed in a processional march, covered with ashes and
broadcloth, to a distant point on the outskirts of the town to welcome and escort the visiting monk. Later this custom was modified so as to imply only escorting the village priest from his
residence to the church on the first Monday of Lent in ceremonial
style. But, alas! this once dignified and worthy celebration has
degenerated in some populous localities to the point where it has
lost its original character altogether. City people, for instance,
observe by common consent Monk's Monday as a legal holiday.
The whole city shuts down and everybody repairs to the open
country on a picnic, and, at times, indulges in much worse forms
of amusement. The Mohammedans join with the Christians in
observing the holiday, and if, on such occasions, it should be the
misfortune of some monk to run into a company of revelers, he
is immediately set upon and seized and carried in mock procession into the city amid the worst form of boisterous hilarity.
Not so, however, are the conditions still prevailing in the
comparatively isolated villages of the higher mountain. To the
mountaineers of these regions Lent remains that exultantly religious institution observed in all humility and mortification of
soul and body. During the first five weeks of Lent these pious
Christians would drink deeply at the fountain of religious observances because everyone is required to attend church services
morning and evening except for compelling reasons. Consequently, as Lent advances, one can observe on the drawn, serious
faces of the men and women that deep feeling of religious conviction permeating their souls which makes them fancy themselves
in actual company with Christ during those long days of trial
and self-denial. The whole atmosphere of the village would
appear impregnated with a spirit of sanctity, and a heavy silence
would fall on the small cluster of houses perched high on the
hill broken only by the dirge-like ringing of the bell calling the
inhabitants to church.
The fifth Saturday of Lent witnesses the first public enactment of incidents in the life of Christ. This would be the day
commemorating the miracle of restoring Lazarus to life and
falls on the Saturday immediately preceding Palm Sunday. The
performance is left to the care of the youth — young men and
boys who dress in loose, flowing robes as they are understood to
have been in the days of Christ, and who form themselves into
�*
12
THE SYRIAN WORLD
a regular touring company with defined roles to play. They
travel from house to house and are welcomed in every instance
and a suitable place cleared for them to enact their drama. The
boy playing the part of Lazarus stretches himself full-length
on the ground and feigns death while the others form themselves into a circle around him, some standing, others kneeling,
and all striking themselves on the face and breast and emitting
loud cries of lamentation. The two boys impersonating Lazarus's
sisters would moan and shriek and throw themselves recklessly
on the body of their dead brother. Towards the end, all prostrate
themselves over the body and give vent to piteous moans, while
the leader would recite in a lugubrious tune a special incantation
the origin of which is lost in the folds of the remote past, but
which is still passed down from one generation to another orally.
Then fhe boy impersonating Christ steps forward to the center
of the ring and, in the manner described in the Gospels, raises
his hands to heaven and prays, and Lazarus the dead comes back
to life. Then a great shout of joy rings through the house and
the troupe is rewarded for its labors in coin or gifts of diverse
natures. The money thus collected is in the end divided between
the actpjs, and the clothes and food given to some deserving
family in need.
Of quite a different nature is the celebration marking Palm
Sunday. This occasion is interpreted in its true meaning and
made a festival for the young. Children are attired in their
gayest dresses to "go and meet Christ". Everyone must have
a decorated candle so as to form a fitting part in the procession
that is to follow. As a substitute for palm leaves, laurel and
olive branches are used liberally.
Mass is celebrated with all the ceremony of other festal occasions, but the feature of Palm Sunday is the candle procession
inside and outside the church. This takes place at about the
conclusion of the Mass when the priest descends from the altar
carrying the Host while an acolyte, walking backwards and facing him, would be swinging the incensor. All the children with
their candles now lighted would join the procession falling in
line in the wake of the Host, and those who are too young to
walk are carried on the arms of their parents. Many a time the
god-parents contend with the natural parents for the right of
carrying the children, but then, in most cases, there are enough
children in the family to accommodate both parties.
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APRIL, 1927
13
The procession proceeds three times around the men's, or
front section of the church, then emerges from one of the central doors to the open. For three times also the priest and the
whole company would circumambulate the church, all the while
chanting hymns and litanies in which the marching congregation
would join, after which the procession reenters and the ceremony
is soon brought to an end.
But this temporary break in the severity of Lenten observances is short-lived. For now we enter on Holy Week with all
its .'attending ceremonies. Attendance at church in the morning
becomes compulsory, and the evening services drag well into the
night. These latter consist of chanting special hymns in the Syriac, the lithurgical language, composed specially for the occasion
by St. Iphraim, and contained in exceedingly large volumes in
the boldest type which are still copied by hand. Every church
must possess at least two such books and there are to the present
day in Lebanon men who are professional church scribes who
make a comfortable living copying these ritual books. The object of writing the text in extra bold letters is to make it legible
from a distance. This necessity is better understood when we
learn that when the occasion arises for the use of these books the
"readers" are usually divided into two groups, or choirs, each
taking a position on either side of the church just outside the
altar railing. Each group would consist of ten or more all having to use the book in common. The choirmaster recites from
memory certain verses of Psalms and the two groups would alternate in chanting the written verses. For every day and every
occasion there is a different set of verses and the tunes, preserved
only by memory, are the legacy of one generation to another.
Then comes "Wash Thursday" (Khamis El-Ghosl) in which
is commemorated the washing by Christ of the Disciples' feet.
This ceremony is held in the afternoon and consumes a good
four hours. Twelve children are seated in two opposite rows in
the center of the church. The priest is robed with grand ceremony according to the ritual of the occasion. A seat is provided
for him at the head in imitation of the traditional position of
Christ at the Last Supper and he sits down to rest at intervals
while every article is being brough to him to wear with song and
ceremony. And every time he rises a shrill voice rings clear
throughout the church announcing that "Christ rose from the
supper table to wash the Disciples' feet". The dressing ceremony
�14
THE SYRIAN WORLD
ended, the priest advances and actually washes the feet of the
children with soap and water in a native basin of hammered brass.
The day of all days is Passion Friday (Jum'at El-Aalam).
Church attendance is not obligatory in the morning on this day
because there is no Mass, Christ being dead, but the people of
the village would not be home. Out into the woods and the
fields they would go to pick flowers for the ceremony of "the
Burial of Christ" which is held in the afternoon. Far and wide
young men and maidens would travel in search of the choicest
flowers for their bouquets, and of fragrant flowers, growing
wild, perhaps a remnant from the well-kept gardens of an ancient civilization, there is a large variety in no meager quantity
in the hills and valleys of that section of Lebanon nearer the
Mediterranean shore. And this would be the time when they
would be coming into bloom. Narcissus, daffodils, lilies are to
be found aplenty, not to mention the sweet violets which cover
the fields. Some diligent searchers would bring as the reward
of their search bouquets that would be actual armfuls, all of the
perennial tube varieties, while others increase the volume of
their bouquets by the addition of the flowering branches of fruit
trees. No effort is wasted in making the flowers into wreaths.
They are just offered as gathered, — a simple, fragrant bunch of
flowers symbolical of the unaffected nature of the mountaineers.
And the human element must also be reckoned with, for
while engaged in this holy quest for flowers, the lads and lasses
of the village discover that the hospitable shade of an oak or a
carob tree is an ideal place for a tryst, and the marriage crop
following Easter is uniformally plentiful.
Presently the wanderers begin to pick their way back to the
village and after partaking of a light meal wait for the call to
church. This time it is the solemn dirge of an actual funeral.
The church is soon filled and as each enters he proceeds with
head bent in sorrow to the bier in the center. This consists of
an extremely large linen sheet spread either on some boards or
on the bare floor. A crucifix is laid in the center and each newcomer deposits his flower offering on the sheet. Soon the bouquets take the shape of a huge mound rising to a height of several
feet. The fragrance they give, blended with the aromatic scent
of the incense, is intoxicating to the senses. The services, sung
in a crescendo of mournful and plaintive tunes, amidst the sombre
setting of a realistic funeral, give flow to many a tear. Old men
l\
�APRIL, 1927
IS
and women would be in the meanwhile silently making their way
to the open space in the center, and, taking a position before the
crucifix buried in the grave of flowers, cross themselves and beat
hard on their breasts and end by prostrating themselves on their
hands and knees and kissing the ground.
It's a silent throng that files out of the church at the conclusion of these services and makes its way each to his respective
home. On this day of sorrow and mourning a heavy pall of
silence seems to hang over the village. Women going about their
urgent household duties appear as stealthily moving shadows.
Everyone seems to experience in the commemoration of the death
of the Lord a sense of personal loss.
But the village begins to take on life with the advent of
Saturday. It is called "Luminous Saturday," or "Saturday of
Light" (Sabt El-Nour). A ray of hope begins to shine through
the oppressive heaviness of the atmosphere. Preparations are
set afoot for the Great Feast of joy and happiness in celebration
of the Resurrection of Christ. Beginning with noon, everybody
is actively engaged in doing some thing or other. The church
must be dressed in the most attractive style for the day commemorating the triumph of Christ over Death. A forest would
be moved to bedeck the church with a mantle of green. The altar
ornaments would reappear from their hiding places and be given
the best cleaning of the year, willing hands of volunteers assisting the family of the priest at the task. The church must also
be given a bath to wash away what remains of the mud stains
of winter. Consequently, a long line of sturdy lasses may be
seen moving steadily between the spring and the church carrying
cheir water jars either supported by one arm on their shoulders
or else balanced and free on their heads.
The children, meanwhile, would be engaged in dyeing their
eggs. For lack of proper dyes they use what is available of
native materials. Onion skins make a pretty and soft brown
color j acorns give a lustrous black, and other wild herbs are
found by experience to give a variety of suitable hues. There
is a championship of eggs in these Lebanon villages as well as
a highly developed technique in holding the tournament.
The outstanding event is Easter Mass. Gay native costumes, in some instances of barbaric colors, flash from all directions as young and old wind their way joyfully to church. The
peels of the bell on this occasion speak a language that everyone
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
understands to be that of exuberance of supreme joy. The voices
of the choirsters now seem to dance with the fullness of happy
emotions. The priest raises his voice loud and sonorous in dealing his messages of peace and triumph. The acolytes see to it
that the clouds of incense smoke filling the church grow denser
as the service proceeds.
At the conclusion of the Mass, the priest descends to the
altar railing and seats himself holding the crucifix, now retrieved
from its tomb of flowers. The congregation files by and each
in turn kneels before the priest and kisses the crucifix. He may
then help himself to a bouquet from the heap. One may not
look for his own but takes the one first to hand and carries it
home as a souvenir and a blessing.
In similar orderly fashion the worshipers file out of the
church, but there is no haste in going home. There must be first
an exchange of greetings and good wishes, and those who precede wait for those who follow.
It is now about noon and the gentle sun of a Lebanon Spring
fills the sky and the air with a flood of light and warmth. The
earth below is resplendent in its new mantle of soft green, and
the good folks are feeling unduly proud in their new, bright costumes. They tarry until the last one emerges from the church,
then form themselves into a semi-circle by the door. Presently the priest appears and, raising his right arm in a combined motion of blessing and triumphal gesture, greets the throng with
the cry:
"Christ has risen!"
And they all respond in unison:
—"He has truly risen!"
And this would be their signal to disband and hasten to a
waiting feast of meat and other good things which ushers them
back into a new order of life only to forget too soon all the privations and hardships of Lent.
Said Khaled Ibn Safwan to his son: "My son, culture is the
splendor of kings and the ornament of the common people."
x
«
APRl
�,-^-r
APRIL, 1927
17
Syrian Folk Songs
if
MY DAY IS BITTER (MARMAR ZAMANI)
Translation by AMEEN RIHANI
4l_ij ^--^ <-JjUl
i
*
JLJl
^UU*V
i ^ j.>U &*u
^1U I >_JU ~_Uti c-b
jlfu!
_fc.U J^fJlj
* My day is bitter; bitter is my day,
Bitter my cwp and bitter, too, my lay,
But in my heart, O sweet calamity,
A tray of sweetmeats for thee I display.
With parasol in hand, behold her passing,
Her brow, the dawn; her cheek the rose surpassing.
O mother, if I win her not, amassing
The gifts of love, e'en Antar I'll surprise.
O thou who goest early to the garden,
Thy heart to love's appeal, O do not harden!
A word, a smile, a glance, a moment, pardon
The victim of the arrows of thine eyes.
* This stanza is repeated after each of the succeeding stanzas.
aHHMl:
:!
; , '.-v;:';1 :-K;c-.:r, :.,
�1
IB
tHt SYRIA*! WOKtt>
O take me with thee, fair one; Allah guide thee!
Thy basket I will bear and walk beside thee,
And if thy father will not let me bride thee,
I'll startle e'en the foolish and the wise.
She sought the jeweler's shop her gold to squander,
"I want a ring that will make mortals wonder."
The jeweler said, "My heart is thine to plunder
And thine the jewels, too, that I most prize."
O monk, be thou indulgent} do not blame herj
She's young and fair, and love has come to tame her
C) monk, if thou'lt not marry and proclaim her
My bride, I'll tear thy cowl and priestly guise.
Syrian Proverbs
A miller is in no position to mock a plasterer.
If you are trusted keep faith, although you may be faithless.
The do» that must be driven to the chase is not worth taking.
Rather smoke that blinds than cold that kills.
No oil vender,will call out that his oil is turbid.
The horse that is too quiet will have its tail gnawed off by
rats.
He who wants to get drunk should not count glasses.
He who has a cook why should he burn his hands?
Naught prevents me from climbing the mountain but my
barefootedness.
\»
�xa*f
———
APME, t$27
»
Signs of Syria's Rebirth
By
i
REV.
W. A.
MANSUR
The heart of every loyal Syrian beats with love for his
native land. Evidence of this fact may be seen in Syrian organizations of a patriotic, educational, and humanitarian nature being
fostered in various countries to aid the mother country. Letters,
newspapers, journals, and hundreds of other tokens carry back
to Syria the love and interest of Syrian emigrants from the four
corners of the earth.
This love for one's native land is compatible with the
principles of modern democracy and with the ideals of the American people in particular. For one I love America and I expect
to live and die in America. Nevertheless, I love my native land
with the same love I love America. In the words of a character
in The Hearts of The World, "I believe a country worth living
in is a country worth fighting for". Syrians have acquitted themselves with honor through representatives of their race who took
part in three American wars. The writer waived his exemption
as a minister of the gospel to be included in the draft. There
are other evidences in his father's family, as well as his own
showing his loyalty to America. Yet I still feel as a Syrian my
racial love for the land that gave me birth. For there I was
born, there members of my family still live, and there my mother's body lies buried on a hillside and in a valley of beautiful
Syria.
The modernization of Syria will increase the interest of Syrian emigrants for their native land. "The nineteenth century",
said Joseph Cook, "made the world into a neighborhood, the twentieth century will make it into a brotherhood." The age of the
machine has revolutionized travel, communication, transportation, science, education, religion, commerce. The telegraph, telephone, steam-engine, gasoline-engine, electricity, the aeroplane,
M X-Ray, anti-toxin, and other inventions and discoveries have revolutionized man's thought of himself, the world and the Creator. Man has learned to think in world terms, and he is beginning to think seriously in terms of world brotherhood. The de-
�11
'APR
20
THE SYRIAN WORLD
velopment of the aeroplane will bring the revolution of revolutions to human thought and relations and will completely push
man's horizon to the ends of the earth. What effect will this
have on Syria as related to the rest of the world? In the history
of the ancient world Syria is, geographically speaking, centrally
located. In the modern world Syria still holds that place. This
fact will bring to Syria a commercial development which will
bring the era of prosperity.
The World War brought forth a New Syria and promises
to be a renaissance to new vigor and glory. The Phoenicians
who were the "great traders of the Mediterranean littoral and
who, in fact, adventured far beyond its shores", are coming to
their own again in their descendants the Syrians of today. Writing of the commercial activities of the modern Syrian, the editor
of THE SYRIAN WORLD says they "are now attaining stupendous
proportions practically throughout the world which bid fair
to gain for them,that position which was once their forefathers',
the Phoenicians." The peculiar racial talents in philosophy, mathematics, commerce and religion, literature, medicine, poetry, and
navigation long dormant because of conquests by mighty invaders, are beginning to make themselves felt the world over. Fortunately, we are promised reports of such activities in the pages
of THE SYRIAN WORLD.
The greatest fact in Syria's renaissance is the rebirth of
Syria into a nation. The feeling of our racial consciousness is
bringing forth a racial solidarity. The Armistice was followed
by many crises. These, however, were the birth throes of the
new nation. In the hearts and minds of the people of our native
land and Syrians abroad there is being born a new Syrian nation
based on the principles of the social order of the modern world:
humanity, democracy, brotherhood, equality, justice.
The people of our native land are thinking over the things
which make their common interest. The Syrian mind is free
after centuries of imprisonment. In the days gone by there
was a censorship of the people's thinking, home, education, travel,
invention, discovery and religion. In a word, there was censorship from the cradle to the grave. That malignant power which
throttled the Syrian soul has been abolished. The mind and life
of the people beat again with faith, courage and endeavor that
know no fear nor death. Syrians have found themselves, their
racial talents, and their country. The greatest fact, to me, of
i
*
4
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'APRIL, 1927
J
0
the Syrian renaissance is the affirmation on the part of the Syrian that "this is my own, my native land".
One day I was strolling on the outskirts of a Syrian seaport.
The path lay through a cemetery of the Mitwalites. There people sat to visit and watch the setting sun disappear beyond the
horizon. I visited with a group consisting of two Mohammedans,
a Christian and a Hebrew. Each expressed his opinion on the
needs of the city, the country, and for the application of democratic principles to the nation. One said, "How impossible this
free expression of opinion would have been in the days previous
to the World War." The people are thinking, talking and dreaming. They are talking about "our country". They are thinking
in terms of self-reliance, and the spirit of co-operation. The past
differences, whether of religion, politics, and sectionalism are
gradually being set aside in the face of the challenge of new
occasions and new duties to common interests.
The people are beginning to accept leadership no matter
what section of the country it comes from, or what religious denomination it professes so long as it truly represents the good of
all the people. They are learning to avoid the two dangerous
shoals: sectionalism and sectarianism. Geography is the basis of
one, and religion of the other. Favoring one section, or religion,
above another, should never become part of peoples' thinking.
True democracy must bear in mind the good of all for the good
of each, and the good of each for the good of all. Theodore
Roosevelt said: "It is a base outrage to oppose a man because
of his religion or birthplace, and all good citizens will hold any
such effort in abhorrence." The man most fit should be the man
for the place be he Christian, Mohammedan, Druze or Jew. A
biased mind is by nature unfit to represent and lead any people
aspiring to establish a government "of the people, by the people,
for the people."
I once heard an Egyptian Moslem on "The Democracy for
the New Syria". Christians, Mohammedans, Jews, Mitwalites
and others heard the speaker with warmth and animation. He
was applauded many times. He spoke the aspirations of the
audience. His birthplace and religion were forgotten as he spoke
in beautiful Arabic. It should be so in the Syrian nation. Ability,
trustworthiness, service, should be the basis by which the citizens
should judge any man for the high place of leadership. Lord
Brougham said that "the characters of public men formed part
•--
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
of the wealth of England" and the same ought to be said of the
leadership — political, religious, and educational — of our native land.
The establishment of high national ideals is in the making
in Syria. Ideals have drawing and driving powers. There must
come noble vision before there can be effort to noble attainment.
This demands rigorous thinking of the highest order. This will
come from unselfish and courageous souls. Such great souls are
in the making today. Syria is1 awaking to its potentialities. The
American Revolution brought to light a host of great and heroic
souls. Everything gave way to the heroic in them, a heroism
born through the vision of high national ideals.
One day, in company with a friend, I was passing through
the business section of a Syrian city. We met a Mohammedan
teacher, a friend of my friend. We accepted his invitation to accompany him to his home among the orange orchards. Kami I
Affendi had a modern education. We conversed on the prevailing thoughts in philosophy, education, democracy and religion.
He spoke of the application of the principles of American democracy to the new social order in Syria. Although he had never
been in America he was truly American in spirit and ideals.
Roosevelt said, "Americanism is a question of spirit, conviction
and purpose, not of creed or birth-place." To this Mohammedan humanity, democracy, good-will, equality and justice should
be among the ruling ideals of the nation. It is the thought of
the people that differences of religion, birthplace, wealth, shall
no longer divide the Syrian people. The sifting of the wheat
from the chaff is going on. The welding of the nation through
high ideals will make for the peace of the Syrian nation and its
future prosperity.
Syria's rebirth has brought to the people of our race a faith
in themselves, in their racial talents, and in their future. Selfconfidence is a pillar of true national progress. Faith makes
things possible. The people have faith that in their children
will be the beginning of the realization. The children of today
will make the nation of tomorrow. Ambition, sacrifice, energy,
daring are ingredients which make for progress and greatness.
Everywhere in Syria one feels the heart beating to new music.
The soul of Syria has awakened to the rythm of its native air.
In the tender climbing youth of Syria you will find the key to
the energy of its faith for the future, You will find the true
�M
APRIL, 1927
i
23
emancipation, the dynamic of mind, and the surging emotions
which make for future greatness. "The Day" has come for
Syria in the freedom of its youth to measure its talents with the
rest of mankind. I challenge you, Oh Syrian youth, in the
words of the soldier-poet Rupert Brook: "Now, thanks unto
God who hath matched us with this hour."
Once I addressed a group of High School boys. They were
Mohammedans, Christians and Jews. It was my cherished dream
to speak to the youth of my people to challenge them to the best
in them. I urged them on to success. 1 emphasized their virtues
as Syrians. I would say to the Syrian youth everywhere what
Lecky says in his History of European Morals of the Stoics.
"The Stoic taught that virtue alone is good, and that all other
goods are indifFerentj and from this position he inferred that
birth, rank, country, or wealth, are the mere accidents of life,
and that virtue alone makes one man superior to another." Syria
is now paying the price and laying a foundation for her future.
The craving for knowledge, the desire for opportunity, and the
willingness to pay the price are indications of the people's faith
and hope.
There is growing in the Syrian nation a purer patriotism.
The feuds of the past are giving way to the loftier ideals of
today. The prejudices of the past are not allowed to shackle
the souls of today. The renaissance of Syria centers its light
upon the possibilities of a united people. What our people need
is "Light", and "More Light". Dante said, "Give light and the
people will see their way."
Love of country will grow as men realize the glory of their
past. "A mountain's greatness lies in its possibility of achievement in the present, and nothing helps it more than the consciousness of achievement in the past," said a great American. One
of the great services that Syrian historians can perform today is
the publication of popular histories of Syria with special emphasis
upon Syrian talent and achievement.
A Syrian patriotic literature is growing in Syria. Syrians
from abroad bring back a wealth of patriotic feeling. I conversed on the way to Syria, with Druzes who were carrying back
American thoughts on Democracy. I met Syrians from Colombia, from Mexico, from Argentine, and elsewhere, and all were
conversing freely of their interest and love for their native land
In a printing house I saw Arabic translations of English aad
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
American patriotic literature. One package was labelled "Bagdad". Men and women, the youth of Syria are thinking, discussing, reading and dreaming of the new nation. The people
are American in soul. "A drop of ink makes millions think" is
a Canadian motto. The drop of patriotic ink is making the people
think with intelligent, broad-minded, and noble love for one's
country. Arabic patriotic literature is being printed and read
wherever Arabic is spoken.
Several months ago I stopped in St. Paul, Minn., for several hours while on my way to Montana. Syrian young men
told with pride of the leadership their native city gave their community. With pride they told of several hundred young men,
armed, going to the relief of a city besieged by the revolutionists.
This is to the glory of Syria. Syrians are beginning to feel the
need for such patriotism in time of peace for the upbuilding, of
the nation as in times of war. Syria needs men who feel themselves called to be the custodians of the new social order; who
shall lay a foundation for all future generations upon which to
build a glorious nation to the glory of Godrand country. The
need calls for men rich in material things whose generous hearts
and willing minds lead them to establish public schools, foundations for education, hospitals, memorials to worthy souls, to give
generously to the needy, to champion relief organizations, to aid
religious institutions, to establish homes for the aged, for the
orphan and unfortunate. Wherever your adopted country may
be, whether you are Mohammedan, Christian, Druze or Jew,
remember your mother country needs you.
API
seel
ing
ed.
rep
sur
ORIENTAL WISDOM
When Mani, the founder of the Manichean heresy of dualism, appeared and called people to his !new teachings, the courtiers and advisers of Sapor, the son of Azdisheer, Sassanide king
of Persia, counseled him to kill the heretic.
"No," wisely answered the king. "If I kill him, the common people will follow him the more, saying, 'a mighty king has
killed an ascetic.' I will first challenge him to a debate, and if
I silence him with argument, then will I kill him."
"
-" '
an'
th<
�r„
APRIL, 1927
f
25
An Arabian Knight
And
A Desert Poetess
By
DR.
N. A.
KATIBAH
An Arabian knight was on his way to a spring of water
seeking repose from a long, wearisome journey. On approaching the spot he heard a damsel singing:—
O, bid thy phantom from my sleep depart,
Mayhap in slumber rests my flaming heart}
Lovelorn I turn me on an irksome bed,
And seek in vain the comforts of the dead.
Since thou wouldst heal, relenting say thy "yea",
And quicken thou this aching lump of clay.
^0
"Whose verses art thou repeating, sweet songster?" he asked. "Mine," came the reply. "Nay, if they be truly thine,"
replied the knight, "canst thou preserve the words and the measure, but only change the rhyme?"
Thereupon the damsel sang:—
O, bid thy phantom from my sleep begone,
Mayhap in slumber drowns my every moan;
Lovelorn I turn me on my burning breast,
And seek in vain; the comforts of the blesst.
Since thou wouldst heal, but grant thy love's rebirth,
And quicken thou this aching lump of earth.
i
"Thou hast indeed done well, but canst thou yet make
another attempt?" pleaded the knight. "Willingly," replied
the desert maiden, and sang:—
l
M
O, bid thy phantom from my sleep retire,
Mayhap in slumber ebbs my raging fire;
Lovelorn I'm tossed by burning wave on wave,
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
And seek in vain the comforts of the grave.
Since thou wouldst heal, thy willing heart now trust,
And quicken thou this restless pinch of dust.
"Sweet poetess! Let me importune thee but once more.
Thou re-echoest the musings of my soul. Wouldst thou, pretty
one?" "As thou desirest," replied the maid, and again sang:—
O, bid thy phantom from my sleep recoil,
Mayhap in slumber ends my fruitless toil}
Lovelorn I turn me on my bed of gloom,
And seek in vain the comforts of the tomb.
Since thou wouldst heal, but breathe thy love divine,
And quicken thou this withered heart of mine.
Arab Sayings
The weakest of men is he who cannot keep his secret} the
strongest is he who can control his anger.
Trust in all men denotes weakness.
Who is the one whose actions were governed by his passion
and did not lose in the end?
Who is the one who was stubborn against fate and reached
his goal?
Who is the one who associated with rogues and could retain
an unblemished character?
Two men deserve censure in the fullest measure: He for
whom a seat is provided in a narrow place and tries to elbow his
neighbors out} and he to whom an honest advice is given and
feels not grateful*
�1
" l"
"
'7vHrii»
APRIL, 1927
27
In The Days Of Christ
By HABIB I. KATIBAH.
What were the settings, the perspectives and the stage
against which the greatest, most thrilling, most far-reaching and
spiritually significant drama of all ages moved? Who were the
hero and the minor actors who, believing in the simplicity of
their minds and the vanity of their hearts that they were acting
the roles of principal characters, glowed for a brief moment in
the borrowed glory of a humble Nazarene carpenter, known to
thousands of millions of his followers in generations to come
simply as "the Master" or "the Lord"?
The story of the Christ Jesus, measured only by the standards of human reason and human values is the greatest example
of the vindication of the spirit, and the eternal conquest of its
ideals over those of matter. For this reason, if for no other,
the story of Christ remains a source of perennial interest and
ever-springing inspiration.
By its mere repetition it brings new vigor and life to the
disheartened soul which, overwhelmed by the apparent victory
of materialism over things spiritual, has given up hope for world
reform and slumped back into the slough of despondency. Christ
was the greatest optimist of history, and the contemplation of
His life and teachings is the best antidote of that wave of pessimism which seems to engulf our youth in its dark and murky
waves. There must be more logic in the life of a Christ than
in all the philosophy of a Schopenhauer or a Haekel.
But to understand this life and appreciate its beauty and
strength, we must acquaint ourselves with the movements, conditions and events which eddied around this giant "Rock of Ages",
and in reference to Whom alone they have been saved from the
bottomless sea of sheer oblivion.
Who was Herod the Great; who were the Pharisees and
Sadducees; what was the relation of the Romans to the Jews in
Palestine; and under what conditions was Christ crucified and
why?
.
The Jews at the time of Christ were subjugated to a foreign
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
power much stronger than themselves. They were also divided
among themselves about the advisability of submitting to it or
fighting to the bitter and bloody end. A large class of Jews
lived then outside Palestine, like the Syrian emigrants today,
and acquired the ideas, manners and customs of the Gentiles, yet
remained fundamentally and essentially Jewish.
Politically, the Jewish people were then under the
domination of the Romansj their country was a Roman colony,
but unlike all other Roman colonies it was given unprecedented
and unparalleled freedom. It was a privileged colony, ruled by
a native ruler, Jewish in religion though not in blood.
The long succession of servitudes and oppressions by mighty
kingdoms, swaying back and forth across the plains and hills of
Syria and Palestine — Chaldean, Egyptian, Persian and Greek —
had given way to a brief period of independence and apparent
prosperity to this buffeted race of Jews under the heroic leadership of the Maccabees or Asmonaeans. In the middle of the second century before the birth of Christ Judas Maccabee, from the
tribe of Ephraim, raised the standard of revolt against the Selucides, the successors of Alexander the Great, who ruled in Syria
and part of Palestine. Many of the Jews followed him and
fought gallantly for what they considered dearer than life itself, religious freedom. For the Selucides, and especially Antiochos Epiphenese, who was then ruling, had persistently pushed the program initiated by Alexander himself, namely the Hellenization of Asia. The Jews stood adamant against this program and considered, it a blasphemy against Jehovah and an effrontery against their nationalism, which was inextricably entwined with their religion.
No sooner was the rule of Judas Maccabee and his immediate successors, his three brothers, Alexander, Jonathan and
Simon, and his son John Hircanus, established, than dissensions,
that terrible nemesis of the Jews and Syrians alike, set in. The
civil wars that followed, with one faction seeking the protection
of, and hence favoring, the Greeks, decimated the people and
sapped the vitality of the only Jewish dynasty since the fall of
Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B. C, and prepared the
way for an ambitious adventurer from a neighboring, Semitic
tribe, the Edomites, to annex Palestine to his nomadic rule.
Antipater was at first a governor, strategos, of Edom, under the rule of Alexander Jannaeus, the Jewish king. From that
\
I
in
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APRIL, 1927
/
position he rose through his intrigues, energy and "piety" into
the role of procurator over all Judea, by the help of the Romans,
the early friends of the Asmonxans and their subsequent masters. Herod the Great, in whose days Jesus was born, was the
son of this scheming Antipater.
Herod was a mixture of a truly great man and an ugly
ogre. He was a master politician when politics had not been
developed into a nice science, and the pious, theocratic Jews hated him as they hated politics and worldly governments. Sometimes he was kindly and generous, we are told,1 but his ruthless
ambition dominated his character, and for it he sacrificed everything, even his mother, wife and children. His father had received the Roman citizenship as a reward for his perfidy in delivering Judea to the Romans, by stirring up enmity between
Hyrcanus and his brother Aristobulus II. This led to the interference of Pompey in 63 B. C, and later to the conquest and
annexation of Judea. Herod himself was a fawning slave of
the Romans, who painstakingly studied the wishes of his masters
in Rome and always cast his lot with the winning party. This
required no mean skill when we remember that Herod was contemporaneous with those troublous days in which the Roman
Republic had been replaced by the Empire under Julius Caesar,
and was followed by civil wars and anarchy whose consequences
failed not to touch the peaceful shores of Palestine. Herod managed to "purchase" and "win" the favors of the murderers of
Caesar, Antonius their avenger, and Octavian his successful rival,
in turn. The latter restored to Herod, what Cleopatra had won
from Antonius at his expense in the south and west. When, a
few years later, 24-21 B. C, Herod's kingdom was extended still
further to the east and north, he had brought together under his
rule "nearly the whole of the Davidic Empire".
With an iron hand Herod ruled in Palestine. He was a
despot who kept the peace by cruel means and almost daiiy executions. It is said that* of the original Sanhedrim, religious tribunal of the Jews, which had voted against his rule, only one
was left alive by him. He had countless spies in the land, and
any one suspected of disloyalty lost his life without the formality
of trial. For unbridled licence and empty pomp Herod's court
rivaled those of the heathen Roman emperors at their worst.
Yet, withal, Herod's reign was not without its benefits to
Palestine'. In his love of show and splendor, as well as in his
/
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
sycophant efforts to please his Roman masters, he raised many
monuments, forts, theatres, baths, amphitheatres and even cities
which adorned the land after him. In most of these enterprises
Herod's taste ran to the Greek, and he imitated the Greeko-Roman, architecture of the period. But he restored the Temple of
Jerusalem and lavished his generosity on it without measure, until it was said that it even surpassed in beauty, if not in magnificence, the one which King Solomon built. He transformed a
little town south of Carmel into a beautiful harbor which he called Caesarea, and in honor of another Roman emperor he converted the little town of Samaria into a Roman city, SebasteAugusta. His penchant for buildings, almost a mania, extended
to countries far and near. He had monuments in Syria, Asia
Minor and Greece. Jerusalem, however, received the larger
share of his attention. He introduced Roman, gladiatorial, games
into the holy city and built a huge amphitheatre in the plain outside. A hippodrome was another innovation of Herod's in Jerusalem, while a Roman eagle, symbol of Roman dominance and
of Herod's subserviency to Rome, perched over the gate of the
temple, was a sore in the eyes of the Jews. When on his deathbed, they attacked the temple and wanted to pull down the detested symbol, but their attempt was put down with terrible disaster. It is said that the Jews were so happy at the prospect of
Herod's death that he gathered the leaders of the people in the
hippodrome and gave orders for their execution as soon as he
died that on the day of his death the Jews would be forced to
mourn and not show their exultant rejoicing at his departure!
Anarchy followed the death of Herod. Archelaus and
Antipas, sons of Herod from a Samaritan mother, quarrelled before the Roman Emperor about the succession. Finally the kingdom of Herod was divided. Archelaus was made ethnarch, ruler of a people, of Judaea, Idumaea and Samaria; the rest was
divided into tetrarchies, fourth parts, one of which, Galilee and
Paraea, was given to Antipas. Antipas ruled till a few years after
the death of Christ, but Archelaus, by a petition from the chiefs
of the people, was removed to Gaul, and in his place ruled a succession of Roman procurators under the general supervision of
the Imperial legate in Syria. Of those procurators, Pontius Pilate,
in whose reign Christ was crucified, was the fifth.
The Romans granted the Jews almost complete religious
liberty, not so much because they believed in this democratic
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course, as, because of the realization that it was impossible to do
otherwise without expenditure of heavy forces and constant revolts. The jews had their own court, the Sanhedrim, a body
of 71, composed of the high priest, ex-high priests, deposed by
the procurator, scribes, i. e.} interpreters and teachers of the Law
of Moses, and simply "elders".
Of these classes, the rise of the scribes indicates the spirit
of t'ie time and the changes which had come on the Jews since
the exile.
With the death of the prophetic spirit in Israel, the law
with its legalistic and puritanic commandments came into prominence. The thunderings of an Amos from Bethel, the gentle
pleadings of a Hosea or the majestic exhortations of an Isaiah,
faded into the background as the rigid, categorical mandates of
the "five books", were hedged by an imposing wall of interpretations and commentaries on interpretations, with their unending
additions of further commandments and restrictions.
The reaction to this barrenness of the spirit, this multiplicity
o£ laws upon laws, was varied and divergent, as one would expect.
There were in Palestine at the time of Christ two main parties — the Pharisees and Sadducees — the liberals and conservatives, or more correctly the religious nationalists and the legalistic supporters of Rome.
Of the two, if one has to choose between them, one is inclined to favor the former. Certainly they were the more progressive and energetic, and the people supported them wholeheartedly i they were the people's party, and many of them were
of exemplary characters, while some of them, like Abtalion, Hillel and Shammai, were truly saintly. Many of the sayings of
Hillel, who was contemporary with Christ, could have equally
come from the lips of the One who preached the Sermon on the
Mount. It was the Pharisees who guarded the law with utmost
zeal, and because they themselves could not bear the burden
which they imposed on others, the wrath of Jesus broke on them
with fury and He called them hypocrites, and compared them to
"whitened tombs".
The Sadducees were strict conservatives in their attitude to
the laws of Moses; they believed only what was written therein,
and considered all oral traditions and later innovations as adventitious. Because of this, we are told in the Gospels that they
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
believed not in resurrection, nor angels, nor any of these things.
The Pharisees believed. Paradoxically enough the Sadducees were
the party favorable to the Romans; they were the aristocrats of
the Jews, and the high priests were usually elected from them.
This apparent contradiction is explained by Keim, in his Jesus
of Nazara, as Mosaic archaism, which found in the new culture
a strong ally. "A rigid hierarchy," he says, "can to a certain
extent allow itself to be washed by the waves of new ideas without danger; it gains a semblance of enlightenment, while its
foundations are secured by their age and their diametrical contrast against the overflowing of the waters. A hierarchy lacks
the glow of religious conviction and is in a position to make
terms with what is foreign." Both the Pharisees and the Sadducees had their origin in the second half of the Asmonsean period.
More interesting than either of these groups, is one which,
it is believed, had a more direct influence on the rise of Christianity and bears resemblance to it. The ascetic society of the Essenes deserves special consideration if for no other reason than
that some scholars believe that John the Baptist belonged to
them. They were the pietists among the Jews at the time of
Christ, and their abstemious observation of the laws of Moses,
especially those relating to the Sabbath, exceeded that of the
Pharisees. The Essenes were almost obsessed with the idea of
purity and wore white robes and lived in the wilderness of the
Jordan river and the open country lest they be defiled by contact
with the Gentiles. They worked in communities and developed
agriculture and husbandry with skill and energy. Many of their
ideas such as facing the rising sun in their morning prayer, and
their frequent ablutions, baptisms, were borrowed from the religion of Persia, Zoroastrianism, and from Neo-Pathegorianism.
They abhorred marriage and regarded it only as a duty for the
propagation of the race.
Corresponding,to these outward signs of rigor and purity,
the Essenes held to a high and delicate sense of morality. Josephus says of them that "in choosing and rejecting they have
three things in view: the love of God, the love of virtue, the love
of man." Truthfulness was regarded by them as one of the cardinal virtues and it is said of them that "they could not lie". On
entering the order, we are told by Keim, they promised by a
formula "that they would above all serve God piously, and that
they would, in the next place, be just toward all men, would in-
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APRIL, 1927
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jure no one, either at the command of others or from their own
impulse j that they would hate the unjust, would make cause with
the just, would keep their word to all, especially to those in authority, since no one could obtain rule unless it was ordained of
God."
In Essenism we discern an attempt of foreign influence
at penetration into Judaism, which, despite all the efforts of the
Pharisees and their hedge around the law, proved neither impenetrable nor self-sufficient.
"Palestinian Judaism", however, succeeded in preserving
the spirit and much of the letter of the Mosaic Jaw, if not the
moral fervor and spiritual exuberance of the prophets and the
psalmists.
But it was Hellenistic Judaism which felt most the
incursions of foreign, Greek ideas and influences. Every year,
at the time of the Passover, thousands, literally hundreds of thousands of Jews living abroad, came to Jerusalem for the annual
atonement sacrifice. Many of those spoke no Hebrew or only a
smattering of it, and many more were more at home in a Hellenic
atmosphere than in a Jewish one. To the thinking Jews of those
days they formed a problem, for many tended to leave the Jewish fold and be completely assimilated with the Greek world.
To the Jews who had come to know Plato and the, Neo-Platonic
philosophy developed after him, there was something spiritually
lacking in Judaism, something mystical and metaphysical which
Judaism scarcely scanned. In loyal yet thinking Jews like Philo,
who came about 40 years before Christ, this led to a system of
thought in which Judaism and the Platonic philosophy were
shown to be one, by a process of allegorization. It was Philo
who gave prominence to the Logos philosophy, based on the Platonic one, evidences of which we find in the first chapter of the
Gospel of John.
What was Christ's reaction to this troubled, complex and
flowing atmosphere of actions and ideas? Kirsop Lake, in his
remarkable book, The Stewardship of Faith, pictures the
Greeko-Roman world at the time of Christ as a double out-going
and in-going current. It is immaterial whether the centre of this
current is Rome or Jerusalem. Christ, moving about in the neighed
borhood of the latter may be considered, from the point of view
of purely secular history, as a colossal genius in whom these influences and tendencies were gathered, by whom they were in-
�34
THE SYRIAN WORLD
tuitively asseyed and from whom they issued forth in new, coherent and vital expressions. Christ lived His time in the true
sense of ,the word and added to it the subtle beauty of his own
interpretation. As a great spiritual chemist His sensitive spirit
chose the things of spiritual, eternal value and created from
them new forms of spiritual beauty.
Christ was a progressive without the bigotry and fanaticism
of the Pharisees, a man of tolerance without the indifference and
rigidity of the Sadducees, a man of rare piety and spirituality
without the foolish ritualism of the Essenes, a true patriot without
the consuming zeal of the Zealots.
No wonder His people, barring a handful of good-hearted
peasants, fishermen, sinners and publicans, could not understand
Him and finally crucified Him for what they considered blasphemy against their religion and their God. But those who did
listen to Him with sincere and guileless hearts ; who were attracted from the fields and marts and city squares; who left their
nets and followed Him, charmed by that divine face and still
more divine voice which "spoke with authority but not like the
Scribes and Pharisees", were transmuted by His spiritual fire and
became a power for idealism and righteousness which, in a comparatively short time, and mainly with the help of a Hellenic
Jew, Saul of Tarsus, was destined to subvert the stately structure of Greek philosophy and culture and bring to its knees the
haughty power of Rome.
The air was filled at the time of Christ with prophecies of
the near coming of the Messiah. Books like the Apocalypse of
Enoch and the Psalter of Solomon spoke in fervent hope of this
coming and dwelt with rapturous delight on His descent
from heaven on the wings of winds. But while Christ gathered
in Himself the deeper, spiritual aspirations, hopes and sufferings
of His people and thus could be the spiritual fulfillment of their
Messianic hope, outwardly, to quote the author of the article
"Messiah" in the Encyclopedia Bibltca, "the Pharisees reasoned
not amiss that the marks of the Messiah were conspicuously absent
from this Christ."
The punishment of one who blasphemingly claimed the Messiahship was death on the cross, and the Sanhedrim had the authority to pass the sentence, although, its execution was carried
under the authority of the Romans. The session of the Sanhedrim under such circumstances, as described e. g. in Emil
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APRIL, 1927
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Schuerers's work, (The History of the Jews at the Time of
Christ), was very impressive and its operations were highly technical.
But it managed, despite its technicalities and apparent equity,
or rather because of them, to condemn the most virtuous man of
His age and all ages. And the greatest teacher in Israel was
hung on a tree between two thieves.
SAYINGS OF JEWISH FATHERS
Reckon thyself among the oppressed, and not among the
oppressors.
Trust not in thyself until the day of thy death, and say not,
"When I have time I will learn"; it may be thou wilt never
have time!
Hillel.
If I do not take care for myself, who will? And if I take
care onlv for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?
Hillel.
If thou hast learnt much, pride not thyself upon it, for to
that end wast thou created.
Jochanan.
Be not like those servants that serve their masters on condition that they receive wages.
Antigonus of Socho.
The man in whom three things are always found, a good
eye, a humble spirit, and a lowly soul, is a disciple of Abraham
our father.
From the Pirke Aboth.
When thou prayest, let not thy prayers be haughty, but
humbly implore the grace of God.
Simon the Just.
Let thine house be the meeting-place of the wisej sprinkle
thyself with the dust of their feet, and eagerly drink in their
sayings.
Joshua.
<
What is hateful to thyself do not do to thy neighbor.
Hillel.
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
36
•.
Tales and Legends of Araby
Translated from the original Arabic
by Miss
SUMAYEH ATTIYYEH
A HERMIT AND AN INFIDEL
There was an old hermit who lived in the pine forest of
Mount Lebanon.
He was very devout and learned and people flocked to him
from many miles around. They regarded him as a saint.
In a neighboring town lived a rich man who was very worldly and loved his pleasures. One day he called some of his gay
friends and had an elaborate banquet for them. They ate and
drank and became merry. After a while the host suggested jokingly that they all go to the hermit, because he had three important questions he wished to put to him.
When they met the old hermit, the rich man smiled at
him and said: "Father, I have come a long way to learn something from you which has puzzled me for a long time."
The hermit felt that the man was a hypocrite, but he answered politely: "Pray, be seated and I will gladly answer your
questions and enlighten your mind."
The rich man then said, "There are three things I like you
to convince me of, first, you say that there is a God, but how
can you prove it when no one is able to show Him to me; secondly, you say that devils are angels of fire. If it is so, then
there is no danger of hell fire to burn them up; you also say
that God knows every hair in our heads, He knows what we
are going to do and He creates us and maps out a career for us.
In other words fate- places us and our destiny is mapped out for
us. Why then are we to be blamed for our actions,"
The hermit took a big, heavy lump of damp earth and hit
the rich man with it on the head. The man cried with pain, and
the hermit was brought to court. The judge asked him why
he did that and he answered, "My action was the correct answer \
for his three questions. He said he could not believe in God without seeing Him. That was the proof that he wanted. Now he
said I caused him a lot of pain. Well, let him prove it to me
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'1927
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and show me the pain. He feels it, but cannot show it to anyone.
Secondly, he said if the devils are made of fire, the fire of hell
should not hurt them. Well, I hit him with earth, and he himself is made of earth also, so he should not have been hurt. Then
again, if it is my fate to hit him, I am not to be blamed for it,
neither am I responsible for my actions."
The judge was well pleased with his wisdom and the case
was dismissed in his favor.
DISTRIBUTION OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES
One day Christ and His disciples were traveling a long
distance on a hot day. They became thirsty and hungry. They
met a very nice young lady who was pretty and pleasant and who
had a charming manner.
She was carrying a luncheon and a jar of milk to her father
and brothers who were working on the farm.
Peter said to Christ: "Master, ask this girl to give us the
lunch and then bless it and multiply it like you did with the two
loaves of bread and the two fishes and then we can all eat."
Christ smiled and asked the girl to give Him the lunch.
She bowed down to Him, not knowing who He was, and said:
"Take it, and I will go back home and get another lunch. You
are hungry and thirsty, therefore, you are welcome to it."
In a short while they saw a dirty, lazy man lying under an
apple tree snoring and Peter called out to him and said: "Why
are you sleeping this way at midnoon," And the man waked up
and said: "I am poor and hungry and I am waiting for an apple
to fall down so I can eat it."
Peter said, "Man, why don't you shake the tree or climb up
or throw a stone and help yourself? You may starve before an
apple falls down." The man said: "Truly I have not thought
of it."
Then Peter turned to Christ and said: "There is indeed a
great difference in people; that girl deserves the best husband in
the country and this good-for-nothing man deserves the worst
L| wife." Christ smiled again and said: "I shall have that girl
' marry this man, because if all the wise ones marry the wise and
| the fools marry the fools, this world will not be balanced up
right."
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i
THE SYRIAN WORLD
UNIVERSAL CRITICISM
An old man was traveling with his son, and having only one
donkey,, the father rode it, while the son walked beside him.
They met people on the way who said: "It is a shame that
the father rides and the son must walk." So the father walked
and the son rode. They met another group of people who said:
"It is indeed wicked of this boy to ride and have his father walk."
So they both rode the donkey and soon some passer-by said:
"How selfish these men are to ride together on that poor beast!"
So the father and son walked and led the donkey along
when they heard a man say to his companions: "Look at these
fools, they are walking while they have a donkey with them."
Then the father said to his boy; "Son, it is true no matter
what one does in this world he is criticised, therefore, the best
way to do is to follow your own conscience and what you believe
is right, and let the world go by to say what it pleases."
WISDOM OF THE CREATOR
Two Arabs were visiting on a farm and they sat under a
high apple tree.
One of them was commenting on the wisdom of the Creator
and the other was criticising the Almighty because he believed
that God did not create things in a just and balanced manner.
So the latter said to his friend: "Look up here, this large and
high apple tree only produces a small fruit, and over there is
a tiny watermelon seed which produces a large fruit that weighs
ten or twenty pounds. Now I should think if things are created
in a just and harmonious manner, the large tree will produce a
large fruit and the small seed or plant will produce a small fruit,
but instead it is the reverse. Things are unbalanced not only in
the human and animal family, but in the vegetable family as
well."
While he was talking thus, an apple fell from the high tree
and hit him on the nose.
He realized his mistake immediately and with eyes raised
upward he said: "I thank God that it was an apple and not a
watermelon which might have smashed my nose."
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APRIL, 1927
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Famous Cities of Syria
JERUSALEM
I
In the centre of the Mosque of Omar ia a huge rock, about
59 feet long by 51 feet wide and 4 feet high. This rock tradition assigns as the site of the holy of holies of the ancient temple
of Israel. More correctly, according to Biblical scholars who
studied the question with great accuracy, it is the site of Solomon's
altar of burnt-offerings.
This rock which millions of Moslems venerate, and around
which Arab conquerors of Syria built the second holiest shrine
in Islam, marks in unbroken chain of continuity places of
sacred memories and religious significance to the three principal
monotheistic religions of the world — Judaism ,Christianity and
Islam. In most probability it was the same stone in the threshing floor of Oman which was the scene of an angelic appearance,
according to an account of the Old Testament and which, in consequence, Solomon chose as the site of his temple.
On the site of this rock stood once a heathen temple, the
Temple of Jupiter, built by the Roman emperor Hadrian in the
second century A. D. The Mosque of 'Omar itself, wrongly
so called by the early Christian Crusaders, but known by the
Palestinians and Mohammedans generally as the Dome of the
Rock, was converted for a short time into a Christian church,
"Templum Domini", by the Crusaders.
The Dome of the Rock underwent many changes and improvements in the course of successive generations. The beautiful
porcelain incrustations lining the inner walls of the octagonal
mosque, was the gift of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in the
16th century, while the Dome itself was built by al-Hakim, the
Fatimide Caliph of Cairo in the 11th century. Saladin covered
the lower walls with marble, and the French erected the wrought
iron screen connecting the inner row of columns in the 12th century. The architecture of the mosque is Byzantine, and it stands
in the middle of a vast enclosure which includes many famous
shrines and temples, the most famous of which is the "Masjidul-Aksa" to the south. It was to this shrine that Mohammed
�mmmmmmm^
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THE SYRIAN WORLD '
40
was carried by the archangel Gabriel on a nocturnal trip from
Medina to Jerusalem! To the west of the Dome of the Rock
is a remnant of the ancient wall of the Jewish Temple, where
orthodox Jews weep to this very hour the lost glory that was
once theirs.
What memories of religious fervor and bigotry, of strife
and serene contemplation, of sacrifice, suffering and supplication, does that enclosure evoke! Could that stone beneath that
Dome speak, what an interesting and rich story of human interest could it relate! It is the rock on which millions of innocent animals wenti'up in savory smoke and fire, symbols of the
millions of human beings who gave themselves up as a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of others and for the amelioration of
the conditions of this our earthly existence j it is a symbol of religion, of Jerusalem!
But for its strategic position, being situated on four hills,
surrounded by deep valleys, and its sacred associations, Jerusalem would have never attained the importance it now enjoys.
It is not an economic centre nor in the direct route of caravan
transportation. Unlike Damascus, it did not develop any indigenous art or industry, but was hospitable to all imported influences. Its architecture represents every stage and variety known
to history, except the skyscraper.
The present population of the city is estimated at 50,000,
mostly of Semitic blood, but including elements of every race.
There is hardly a more cosmopolitan city, with the possible exception of New York. The streets of Jerusalem are narrow,
and steep j its houses are of stone and mortar, with flat roofs,
but modern buildings with red tile gables abound in it more than
in any other Syrian city. Naturally Jerusalem claims a larger
number, also, o£ churches, mosques, convents and hospices, some
of them going back to the days of the Crusades, and some even
to the days of Constantine and Helena.
Around this little city, a conglomeration of ramshakle dwellings, historic edifices and modern buildings of various descriptions and pretensions, runs a wall, in the style of the cities of
the Middle Ages, which was built by Sultan Suleiman in the year
1542 A. D., as it is indicated on many inscriptions on the wall
and the gates. This wall, "of cut-stone, built on the solid rock
and loop-holed throughout", varys from 25 to 60 feet in height,
and is 2x/i miles in circuit. Breaking this enclosure are four
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walls and many of the prominent churches and mosques.
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�THE SACRED ROCK IN THE MOSQUE OF 'OMAR IN JERUSALEM
This rock is held sacred by Christians, Jews, and Moslems by reason of its
holy associations. (See article on "Jerusalem").
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THE MOSQUE OF 'OMAR. OR THE DOME OF THE ROCK
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�THE MOSQUE OF 'OMAR, OR THE DOME OF THE ROCK
This mosque was at one time the Holy of Holies of Islam. It underwent
many changes and is fully described in the article on Jerusalem.
�THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE IN JERUSALEM
This is one of the places held most sacred to Christians and is made the
scene of great festivities during the Easter Season.
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gates, facing the four cardinal points: Bab-ul-'Amud, (the Gate
of the Column), or Damascus Gate, on the north} Bab Sitti
Mariam, (St. Mary's Gate), on the east} Bab-ul-Nabi Daud,
(the Gate of the Prophet David), on the south} and Bab-ulKhalil, the Hebron or Jaffa Gate, on the west. Corresponding to
these,gates, the city itself is divided into four quarters: the Armenian Quarter at the southwest} the Jewish Quarter at the
southeast, both being on Mt. Zion} the Christian Quarter at the
northwest} and the Mohammedan Quarter, occupying the remainder of the city.
The modern, Arabic name of Jerusalem, al-Kuds, or alKuds ash-Sharif, epitomizes its sacred history. The Arabs must
have translated its Greek epithet, The Hagia Polis, (The Holy
City), or the latter part of its Rabbinic one, Yerusalem ha-Kadusha, (Jerusalem the Holy.)
But the original name, Yerushalem, did not connote any
suggestion of holiness. It is a compound name, the second part
of which means peace, but the first one scholars are in doubt
about. Perhaps the whole name means the City of Peace.
Jerusalem came to prominence as a sacred and as a secular
city in the days of David and his son Solomon. Before that, it
was a small, impregnable village of four hills in the possession
of a small tribe, the Jebusites, whence it was called Jebus City.
For a time, since its fall to the Israelites, it was called the City
of David, its conqueror. Who the Jebusites were, and when
they came to Palestine, are unsettled questions, except that in
most probability they were of the Canaanites, Semitic inhabitants of the land before the Israelites invaded it.
King David must have realized the strategic importance of
Jerusalem, for one of the first deeds after his kingship was established was to fight the Jebusites and take from them that
part) of the city known as Zion, which was a fortress. There he
built for himself a palace and brought the "Tabernacle of the
Covenant" inj great rejoicing.
Previous to the time of David, or, more strictly, the building of the Temple of Solomon, Jerusalem did not contain any
historic shrine, as the ones in Bethel, Dan or Shiloh. In truth it
was not a Jewish city, but a foreign one in the midst of Israel.
From that time on, however, it became the political capital of
Judah, and when the Assyrians carried the tribes of Israel to
captivity, in 722 B. C, Jerusalem had attained to a distinctive
�42
THE SYRIAN WORLD
position, and became the religious capital of the Jews. Since
then it has become the religious centre of Christianity, and, for
a time, the religious capital of the Mohammedans. For it was
the first Kibla, prayer direction, of Mohammed and his small
band in Medina, and Mecca was substituted only after a dissension between Mohammed and the Jews of Medina.
The earliest historic mention of Jerusalem occurs in the
Tel-Amarna Letters, where the local governor of "the land of
Jerusalem", a certain 'Abd-Hiba, defends himself against the
slander of his enemies as a disloyal subordinate, and pleads for
Egyptian troops to protect his land against the invasion of Habiri,
who undoubtedly are the early infiltration of the tribes known
later as the Hebrews. The word means in the Semitic tongues
"those who crossed over", i. <?., from the other side of the Jordan.
For 400 years — from the time of 'Abd-Hiba to the time
of David, — we hear little of Jerusalem. In the Old Testament
we come across two or three passages in which the name occurs j
one of these mentions that Jerusalem was not taken by the children of Israel among the cities which they occupied under Joshua.
The glory of Jerusalem under King Solomon did not last
long, and was more artificial than real. Aside from the Temple
and the Palace of Solomon, reflecting the splendor of an Oriental
monarch, Jerusalem remained a town of little significance, a strategic military fortification. But its religious significance waxed,
and its spiritual glory, symbolic and ideal, inspired the imaginations of poets and prophets. Zion became, not so much the earthly citadel from which Israel defended itself against its enemies,
as the "Mountain of the Lord of Hosts", the spiritual capital to
which the heathen will flock in the fulness of time, "when the
Lord will bring back the captivity of His people", and the name
of the Lord will spread from it to the ends of the earth, even to
the islands of the seas.
Almost immediately after the division of the Kingdom of
Israel into Judah and Israel proper, which occurred after the
death of Solomon, an Egyptian invader, Shishak, sacked the city
of Jerusalem and carried away the accumulated wealth of Solomon and stripped his palace and the temple of their immense
treasures. In the flourishing reigns of the houses of Omri and
Jehu, Israelite dynasties, Samaria superceded Jerusalem, reviving briefly under the reign of Amaziah, king of Judah. After
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APRIL, 1927
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that Jehoash attacked Jerusalem, having been incited into trial
of force by the king of Judah, and destroyed a part of the wall,
400 cubits, carrying with him the treasures and riches of the city.
In 598 B. C, Jerusalem fell before the army of Nebuchadnezzar. The Jews revolted two times in succession after that,
and two times Nebuchadnezzar subdued them. In the third
time, 586, the city was completely destroyed by fire and its walls
demolished.
Jerusalem remained in ruins almost 120 years, when Nehemiah, armed with an edict from the Persian king Artaxerxes
Mnemon, and backed with his material help, restored the city.
Two partial attempts at restoration had been made before, one
in the reign of Cyrus, 538 B. C, and one in the reign of Darius
Nothus, 418 B. C., under the leadership of Ezra.
In the Greek period, beginning with its occupation by Alexander in 320 B. C, Jerusalem enjoyed comparative affluence
and prosperity, especially under the nominal independence of
the Maccabeans or Asmonseans, from whom the Romans under
Pompey wrested it.
For a brief moment in history, under the reign of Herod
the Great, the city caught something of the resplendent glory of
the ancient capital of Solomon, and set the stage for the greatest spiritual drama of all time.
The Jerusalem in which Jesus the child was lost, and in
the temple of which he argued with the Pharisees and Sadducees;
the Jerusalem which He rarely visited, preferring the little,
quiet suburbs of Bethany and Bethphage, or the serene summit
of the Mt. of Olives, was a cosmopolitan city in which Judaism
and Judaistic culture were making a valiant struggle against Hellenistic influences. But the battle was unequal, and the spirit of
Israel had died, as truly as the messages of its great prophets
had become stifled in the empty rites of the Pharisees. Jesus,
who preached occasionally from Jerusalem, and more frequently
from the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where Greek and Jew
mingled freely, sounded a gospel which was not distinctly Jewish, — a cosmopolitan, humanitarian gospel, for all the world.
Jerusalem was destined to become the capital of another great
spiritual movement which came from the loins of Judaism.
Herod was fond of buildings, and many were the monuments to his indomitable energy. The Temple itself was renewed and enlarged, but on its gate stood the Roman Eagle in
�_
I
44
THE SYRIAN WORLD
gold, a symbol of Jewish subjugation to a heathen power, which
gave its commands from the city on the Tiber, another city which
was destined to play a preeminent part in the religious drama
centered around the gentle Galilean. Herod built two palaces for
himself, transcending the Temple in splendor, a gymnasium,
fortresses and other buildings of a public character.
Seventy years after the birth of Christ, Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus, the son of the Roman Emperor Vispucian, and
the rebellion of the Jews against the Romans was effectively
quelled. The description of that famous rebellion was left us
by a Jew himself, Josephus, considered by his countrymen a renegade, but in the light of impassive history would rather appear as a sane, peace-loving patriot, who clearly saw the futility
of the Jewish struggles against almighty Rome. One million
Jews, we are told, were killed or exiled by Titus, and thousands
perished by one of the severest and most horrifying famines in
history. Mothers ate their children after all animals and every
vestige of grass were devoured.
Jerusalem was destroyed another time in 132 A. D., when
the Jews made another defiant gesture for freedom against the
Romans. Hadrian rebuilt the city after a heathen fashion and
called it Aelia Capitolina, (the Holy Capital).
Under Christianity, Jerusalem played a rather secondary
role, being subordinate to the great cities of Rome, Alexandria
and even Antioch in Syria. But with Constantine, the first Christian emperor, it became a centre of great religious and sentimental significance. It was Constantine who built the great Church
of the Anastasias, (the Resurrection), which stands till today as
the most sacred spot in Christendom, for it was raised over the
place which was supposed to be the sepulchre of the Savior.
Justinian added to the splendor of the city by building the
Church of St. Mary, part of which still remains within the enclosure of the Mosque of Aksa.
The Persian king Chosroes took the city in 614 A.D., and the
churches and sepulchre were burned. But the exiled Patriarch
Modestus began to restore them before the Persians retired.
In 628 the Byzantine king Heraclius retook the city, and
in 637 it capitulated to the Caliph 'Omar, thus marking its entrance in the religious drama of another great religion — Islam.
It is related in the histories of the Arabs that 'Omar entered
Jerusalem astride a camel, wearing a patched 'aba, with the wa-
Mi
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APRIL, '1927
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I H
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45
ter skin-bottle dangling beside him. The pompous bishop, with
his retinue of priests, all arrayed in their rich priestly robes, did
not recognize the conqueror with whom he was to arrange the
terms of capitulation.
'Omar gave orders for the erection of a mosque on the site
of "the Remotests Shrine", to which Mohammed, according to
an account in the Koran, was transported over-night. This
mosque, the Mosque of 'Aksa, which was a wooden construction
capable of holding 3000 worshippers, was replaced by a magnificent one by the Caliph 'Abdul-Malik in 691 A. D. The date
still stands in a Cufic inscription over the Dome of the Rock,
but the name of the caliph was changed to that of al-Mamoun
who restored the buildings after a severe earthquake which, according to an Arab geographer, left nothing standing except the
wall around the mihrab, the niche indicating the direction of
Mecca.
Jerusalem was restored to Christian hands in the brief rule
of the Crusaders, lasting about a year. Baldwin, whom, the Arab
historians refer to as Bardawil, was its first Christian king.
The vicissitudes of Jerusalem from that time on need not
detain us, for they consisted mostly in additions to its architectural conglomeration of various periods and designs. Of these edifices none, perhaps, is more interesting than the Franciscan Convent built on the supposed site of the upper room where the first
Eucharist was instituted by Christ and His disciples, on the night
before His crucification. This convent, built by Sancia, Queen of
Robert of Sicily, in the 14th century, was taken back by the Moslems in 1560.
In our own days an event of historic note was the triumphal
entrance of General Allenby into Jerusalem in 1917.
FRIENDS AND ENEMIES
An Arab was present in the court of Chosrau and heard the
merry laughter of the servants. "Does not the majesty of the
king awe these servants and prevent them from laughter?" asked
the Arab in surprise. To which the Persian monarch replied:
"Only our enemies fear us."
aai a,
* *a—
�mmm
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THE SYRIAN WOKH>
46
NOTES AND COMMENTS
By
THE EDITOR
A WISH
The multiplying signs of satisfaction among the Syrians in
America with the purpose and policy of THE SYRIAN WORLD is
a source of gratification and encouragement. We again invite
criticism and suggestion to the end that we make THE SYRIAN
WORLD a cause of pride for every Syrian. We realize with a
good many of our devoted friends that in many respects the
publication will admit of substantial improvement, but it should
be realized that it was undertaken on the basis of pure personal
initiative and that only through more effective co-operation on
the part of our friends could we introduce those features which
entail such expense as can be justified only by increased circulation. It is within the reach of every one of our readers to assist
along this line by recruiting new friends to the publication. Within two months we shall enter on our second year, and if every
old subscriber can secure a new subscriber, there will be added
to the magazine such value as would amply repay him for his
interest.
II
QUESTIONS ON SYRIA ANSWERED
It is our ambition to make THE SYRIAN WORLD as complete
a source of information as possible on Syria.
It gives us pleasure now to announce that we have secured
the co-operation of the eminent historian, Dr. Ph. K. Hitti, in
conducting a new department of Questions and Answers on Syria's
history. We invite our readers to avail themselves freely of the
opportunity.
Dr. Hitti, as is well known, has made history his life study.
He is an able scholar and a gifted linguist and has access to original sources in both Eastern and European languages. He was,
following the war, professor of history in the American University of Beirut and is now associate professor of Semitic languages and history in Princeton University. We have the promise of Dr. Hitti that all questions submitted will receive prompt
attention.
Ir *
�; APRIL, 1927
47
ATTENTION OF CORRESPONDENTS
It is gratifying to note the increased interest now being displayed in the Readers' Forum. This department of the magazine is the public meeting ground of our readers and nothing
pleases us more than to have them utilize it to the fullest extent.
We are constrained, however, to call the attention of correspondents to some details the observance of which we would
much appreciate:
All material intended for publication should be typewritten,
with double spacing between the lines. The full name should
be signed to every letter and article. If, however, only the initials are wanted published, the editor could be so advised.
Only correspondence dealing with topics of a public nature
will be considered for publication. Matters of a purely local
or personal interest cannot be given space. This policy is maintained for the purpose of keeping the magazine up to the high
standard expected of it by our intellectual leaders to the end
that it will reflect credit on the race.
Correspondents will please see also that all mail is fully
prepaid, and where MMS not found available for publication
are wanted returned, postage covering return should be included.
A NEW CONTRIBUTOR
Dr. N. A. KATIBAH is much favored by the muses.
Whatever prosaic endeavor he engages in the inspiration follows
him. He has so far contributed two delightful poems to our
readers which, we are assured, were very much enjoyed, and we
trust he will contribute more. Dr. Katibah had his earlier education in the American University of Beirut, and later studied dentistry in America, doing undergraduate work in Princeton and
Williams. During the English expedition against Khartoum, he
was chief interpreter and very close to Lord Kitchener who held
him in a high position of friendship and trust. He had at one
time composed an epic of over a thousand verses in English on a
Soudanese theme which, unfortunately, was destroyed by fire.
His profound knowledge of Arabic, however, will enable him
to give us more of the gems such as the one published in this
issue.
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
48
Readers' Forum
SYRIANS IN OKLAHOMA
Editor The Syrian World.
After the appearance of Dr. Shadid's article in the February issue
of The Syrian World, one might
imagine that Syrians in Oklahoma
are severely crushed upon, therefore,
my duty as a Syrian prompted me
to bring to light, and lay before the
readers of The Syrian World, demurs
to the charges made by Dr. Shadid,
in order that the Syrians throughout
the world will not worry about their
brethren who reside within the beautiful State of Oklahoma, the State
of opportunity and true fellowship.
The writer is among the pioneer
Syrians of Oklahoma, having migrated from Syria at the age of 16, in
1906, and having lived in Oklahoma
continually for nearly 21 years, I
feel as though I am well informed
of the conditions of Syrians in Oklahoma, and know their standing as
a race socially, financially, politically, etc.
As an illustration, I will quote
here the important positions occupied at various times by Syrians in
Oklahoma.
1—Mr. Ameen Karam, of Oklahoma City, is the inventor of Karam
New System of Shorthand.
2—Mr. M. K. Moussa, of Oklahoma
City, is the assistant cashier of the
Liberty National Bank, one of the
greatest financial institutions of the
Southwest.
3—Mr. B. D. Eddie, of Oklahoma
City, is serving on the Manufacturers committee of the Chamber of
Commerce, and is a past President
of the Progressive Syrian-American
Club, which is considered among the
best civic clubs of Oklahoma City.
4—Mr. Joe Adwon, of Oklahoma
City, is an attorney and present
Justice of the Peace.
5—Mr. S. T. Barkett, of Oilton,
Oklahoma, is a noted citizen and
president of the League of Americanized Syrians, which organization
is recognized as one of the most patriotic and useful ones in eastern
Oklahoma
6—Mr. A. N. Adwon, of Wilson,
Oklahoma, is past worshipful master of the Masons in Wilson, past
president of the Chamber of Commerce, and director of the First
National Bank.
7—Mr. K. Farha, of Ponca City,
Oklahoma, has served as Mayor of
the City of Shamrock, Oklahoma.
8—Mr. L. T. Barkett, of Wynona,
Oklahoma, is past worshipful master of the Masons, past noble grand
of the Odd Fellows of his local
lodges.
9—Mr. Joe Fogaley, of Bristow,
Oklahoma, is past worshipful master of the Masons, past president of
the Lions Club, past commander of
the American Legion, formerly Justice of the Peace, and the Deputy
grand-master of the Masons, in his
district, in Oklahoma.
10—Even Dr. Shadid himself who,
prior to his residence in Elk City,
had resided in Carter, Oklahoma,
was a leader among leaders, socially
and politically, not only in his town
and county, but in his entire district. He was the Farmer Labor
nominee for Congress from his district and drew many thousands of
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49
APRIL, 1927
•v
votes. He was defeated by Honorable Jim McClintic, who was not
only Congressman from that district
for over 12 years, but was also the
Chairman of the National Democratic Speaking Committee, which
means that if John W. Davis, the
Democratic Presidential Nominee
was asked to speak to the citizens in
Oregon or Florida, it was necessary
that he be directed by the chairman
of the speaking bureau who was
Jim McClintic, who defeated Dr.
Shadid. Later we observed that Dr.
Shadid's name appeared on the State
ballot as Lieutenant Governor nominee by the Farmer Labor Party.
This also goes to show his popularity
and proves that the condition referred to by him, and existing in Elk
City, are wholly local and purely
personal, being brought about by
jealous and prejudiced brother physicians of Dr. Shadid's in Elk City.
As to the K. K. K.'s, I do not
think it is the place of the Syrians
anywhere to oppose them or fight
them, because the Syrians' loyalty
is never questioned, at least in Oklahoma.
Consequently, the K. K. K. is not
against the Syrians. It is said that
the fundamentals of the K. K. K.
are contrary to the Constitution of
the United States. If this is true,
they are bound to go down to defeat, and no sooner the function of
the K. K. K. anywhere in the United
States steps out of its claimed principles, there are always true and
big-brained Americans who will never hesitate to- attack them. So why
should Syrians worry about the
K. K. K.?
The writer resides within one
block from the home of the grand
dragon of the K. K. K. in Oklahoma.
His children and my children are
"pals". He is a friend and good
neighbor of mine, and he oftentimes
praises the Syrians and their loyalty.
In conclusion I must say that in
my humble opinion the Syrians in
America should not fear any prejudice as long as they maintain their
loyalty to their adopted country, attend to their own business and discharge their duties as true citizens.
They may contribute to the relief
and assistance of their native country as much as they may desire, and
certainly they should fear no danger
as it has been truly said "by their
fruits you shall know them."
Fayad H. Barkett
Oklahoma City, Okla.
A TEST OF COURAGE
Editor Syrian World.
In the February issue of "The
Syrian Wcrld", there appeared an
article entitled "Syria for the Syrians" in which Dr. M. Shadid of
Oklahoma, advocates the return of
Syrians to their native land, where,
as he believes, they can enjoy certain social privileges and national
rights which they do not enjoy in
this their land of adoption.
While I abhor the conduct of Dr.
Shadid's neighbors, I must admit
that I was not as much amazed at
the kind of treatment he received at
their hands, as I was at the spirit
of pitiful defeat manifested in his
article. Certainly, it is not characteristic of the, Syrian. We, as Syrians, pride ourselves in the fact that
our race withstood the oppression
and the persecution of practically
every tyrant in every age for hundreds and thousands of years, and
still holds out as a great formidable
race, in its characteristics, its noble
traditions and its inherent fortitude.
�50
Shall we, then, surrender to an isolated, Insignificant, bigoted band of
individuals, planted here and there
in this great land of liberty and
within this great right-loving nation ?
Even though we were to heed the
advice of Doctor Shadid, can we, as
a nation, claim that we are free
from those undesirable evils he com1 lains from? Are not the present
conditions in our fatherland indicative of the well-rooted bigotry in the
hearts not only of few but nearly of
ail our people? Why, even in this
country of enlightment and tolerance, we find that some of our own
land still wanting us to believe that
there is greater difference between
one Syrian born in one section of
the country and another in another
section, than the bigoted American
thinks there is between an intelligent
native born American and an ignorant undesirable Syrian
Furthermore, a brave soldier, a
righteous man, a courageous people
cannot and must not give ground to
cowardly tactics of this sort. So. to
say let us go back to Syria, means
that we have given up because we
could not endure the brunt of battle.
My observations and experience
along these lines have convinced me
that ignorance, and only ignorance,
is the progenitor of these unfair, unfriendly and, certainly, un-American
methods as set forth by our esteemed doctor. They have also convinced
me that even the bigoted and prejudiced, after they get more acquainted with the Syrian and learn more
about his excellent qualities, his
true friendship and loyalty, his liberality and hospitality, will become less hostile towards him if not
more friendly.
Nor have I ever seen it fail, that
when the Syrians make up their
THE SYRIAN WORLD
minds to assert themselves, to demand respect, to command respect
by acting respectfully and uniting
together for the elevation of their
social and political standing, they
invariably carry their point and
achieve their goal. The thing for
the Syrians to do is to prove their
worth, individually and collectively.
They may be slighted before they
are well known, but eventually they
will win out.
The writer happens to be in the
utmost part of the South — Florida,
and the state of mind of the American people in this State is not different from that of Oklahoma, yet
the Syrians in this State enjoy the
highest respect and esteem of the
American people. I believe that this
is due to the manner in which they
eonduct themselves as citizens and
as memebers of one community closely united for the purpose of the
elevation of their standing as foreign-born citizens.
The SyrianAmerican Club of Florida, organized in 1912, has been the greatest
factor in securing for the Syrians
every thing they could wish for as
American citizens.
Joseph K. David.
Jacksonville, Fla.
MAINTAINS SYRIANS
ARE RESPECTED
Editor Syrian World.
Apparently Dr. Shadid's article in
February's issue of "The Syrian
World" provided an outlet for the
Syrians in America to express their
opinions pro or con, as the case
might be, on the subject put forth.
The several articles commenting on
Dr. Shadid's case, published in last
month's edition of "The Syrian
World", were quite interesting and
furnished food for thought
f
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APRIL, 1927
I
,1
There is very,little that I can add
to the pro cause inasmuch as E. K. S.
has very ably defended the faith the
Syrians have in America. Most
heartily I am in accord with his or
her beliefs.
I wish, however, to take issue
with Mr. J. J. Kanfoush. Undoubtedly, he feels justified in his beliefs
on account of the experience which
he states occurred to him. Is it not
possible, however, that some other
reason may have caused the chief
chemist to refuse his application. It
may be such as inexperience, youth,
etc? I say this because it is rather
difficult to believe that a learned,
professional man could be so bigoted
as to discriminate against one's nationality when, in this sophisticated
age, it is talent that is required irrespective of creed, color or race.
Such statements are bound to provoke harm — in view of the fact that
many of the young generation, and
even some of the old, who are in
this country only a few years, are
ashamed to acknowledge that they
are Syrians They refuse to learn
the Arabic language, and if they
know it they are reluctant, through
shame, to be heard speaking it. They
shun Syrian companionship and become inadvertent to Syrian ideals
and customs, thinking that by doing
so they are becoming Americanized.
How, then, can we ever aspire to
win the admiration and esteem of
our American friends if we do not
respect ourselves?
I cannot agree with the statement
that the Syrians are being insulted
and ridiculed in college text-books
of the U. S. I and others have studied and read many books for years
and we have yet to perceive any
contempt printed against the Syrians. In fact they honor us a great
deal.
When we were reading the
MM,
'51
history of Syria, the instructor, who
is, by the way, of German-Irish descent, extended that lesson for three
days in order that she could thoroughly explain how much the world
at large is indebted to Syria.
I recall that, in a periodical Which
we received in school, an article was
written enumerating the characteristics of the different races in the
U. S. The Syrians were credited
with having shrewd business acumen
and becoming refined. The author
goes on to say that "withal, they are
apt to easily wax to prevarication."
I ask if that can be taken as a gross
insult ?
S. A. Z.
Shenandoah, Pa.
PROOF FURNISHED
Editor Syrian World.
I notice that in the last edition
of "The Syrian World" you require
proof to substantiate the statement
I made regarding the indignity accorded the Syrians in a college text
book. This I will gladly furnish.
The excerpt is taken from
SOCIETY and its PROBLEMS
By Dow Grove Samuel,
Professor of Sociology in the
University of Denver.
Ninth printing: preface dated
April 5, 1922. Page 98.
The passage reads as follows:
"The Assyrians and Syrians are
much alike. They have come to this
country to escape the persecution of
the Turkish government, a persecution which has been little better
than legalized robbery. They have
furnished in recent years the majority of our pack peddlers Many of
these later settle down as small
merchants.
"The Armenian race barely escaped extermination during the war, and
�52
there are few of them left. Turkey
is now being1 broken up and greater
liberties and opportunities will be
given Syria and Assyria, so we can
expect to receive fewer of them in
the future. On the whole this will
not be regretted, for as a class these
people have not been liked by the
American people — largely because
of their swarthy appearance — although they have not presented the
problem that the Slav and the Italian have given us."
Of course, some Syrians may read
it and pass it unnoticed; but here
the inference is obvious.
This text was used at Syracuse
University in the College of Liberal
Arts. Whether it is used there now
or not I do not know.
Jamile J. Kanfoush.
Syracuse, N. Y.
SPEAKS ELOQUENTLY
FOR THE SYRIANS
Editor Syrian World.
I wish to present a year's subscription of "The Syrian World" to the
International Institute of Bridgeport.
I feel that we should be well-known
to such an organization and that
"The Syrian World" will speak eloquently for us.
Please be assured of my appreciation of your efforts in persuading
Ibn El-Khoury to share his reminiscences with us. His description
of Al-Marfa' was so realistic and
fascinating as to make us hope that
we, too, may celebrate Al-Marfa' in
Lebanon itself.
Have heard "Moulaya" sung time
and time again, and so often that
we learned to sing fragments of it
(when not within hearing distance).
Sorry to say, we never dreamed
that it is so passionate, or that our
reserved elders were capable of such
THE SYRIAN WORLD
a consuming love. After reading
the translation, we can appreciate
their attitude of concentration and
insistence on silence when Arabic
songs are in the air. In truth, we
shall listen as rapturously, when we
again hear "Moulaya", as do the
natives of Lebanon.
Realizing well that your initiative
has made possible the pleasure which
the magazine has given, I hope you
will accept my thanks.
Edna K. Saloomey.
Bridgeport, Conn.
A "Qu
the manj
SUGGESTIONS FOR
CONSIDERATION
Editor Syrian World.
Although of Syrian parentage, I
am unable, for diverse reasons, to
either converse in or write "Arabic".
I am quite interested in the cultural,
as well as social progress of Syrians in general, particularly in this
country.
Prior to the year 1926, the
publications covering Syrian affairs
were published entirely in Arabic,
and as for me and many others unacquainted with Arabic it
was, to use a popular slang expression, "All Greek".
Then some
far-seeing benefactor of the younger generation arose to our aid and
"The Syrian World" came into existence.
One can obtain more knowledge
of the mother-country in one issue
of this magazine than in concentrated study on the same subject
for several months. Who can understand Syrian ideas, customs, sentiments, better than a Syrian ? Who
can describe vividly by word their
rapid advancement in finance, literature, etc., than one of our community being in a position to obtain
first-hand information?
'
�APRIL, 1927
! i
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53
A "Question Box" included among then we can rightly boast with sinthe many interesting features of the cerity of our being one of the
magazine where all questions relat- leading factors in the nation.
ing to Syria and Syrians may be
Lila M. Mandour.
answered intelligently by authori- New York.
ties would, I am sure, be highly appreciated.
TEACHING ARABIC
Then, why not work for Syrian Editor Syrian World.
social co-operation and concerted acThe news item published in your
tion in all our affairs. Let us not
March issue about the school for
let a difference in religion, or other Arabic conducted by the French in
minor considerations interfere with Paris for the purpose of teaching
carrying out a good purpose. We officers who are to serve in Syria
should be proud of being Syrians or
the Arabic language, prompts me to
of Syrian extraction. There are
suggest that Syrians in America
many characteristics of the Syrian could very well afford to teach their
race that others may well emulate. children this language for what may
Their business sagacity, as everyone accrue therefrom of literary possiknows, is unquestioned; respect and bilities. To encourage such a move
dignity in the home is also a noticewould be to create more interest in
able accomplishment; the majority
our history and literature and make
of them are law-abiding citizens,
it possible to give a rich contribuseldom connected in drawn-out court tion to our land of adoption.
wrangles; advocation for higher
Clara K. Bishara.
education is coming slow but sure, Brooklyn, N. Y.
especially for our boys, but the
girls ? — Very few complete a high
school education, sad, but true.
WHAT SYRIA MEANT
The only real fault, and one that
TO CIVILIZATION
can be easily remedied, is the lack Editor Syrian World.
of goodfellowship among the youngI have been immensely interested
er folks. — They'd join any other in your magazine, which has brought
club, clique or gathering, but me into closer contact with my peoone composed of Syrians. Why? A ple, and enabled me to understand
question that may probably never Syrian history and Syrian culture
be answered within the next decade. as I had never before. I am an
Perhaps because of an ancient cus- American-born, but that does not
tom which frowns upon the "get detract from my pride in my Syrian
together spirit" common to other parenthood.
America,
England,
nationalities, but hardly known to Greece and Rome, each contributed
us. The task is not difficult and all its share to our modern civilization,
we need is a little initiative and but without Syria, without the Syrperseverance, as well as to break ian Christ, the religious convictions
through the skepticism of our el- and ethical principles which sprang
ders. Let us one and all take this from that little land, this civilization
one custom from our own America would have been like a body without
to be broad enough to accept their a soul.
goodfellowship and "pep" without
Amelia Farha.
losing our inherent Syrian qualities, Quincy, 111.
�54
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Spirit of The Syrian Press
Under this caption we hope to present from time to time a microcosmic picture of the Arabic press, not only in this country, but wherever
Arabic dailies and magazines reflect the opinions of responsible, thinking
writers who are treating the different problems that confront the Arabicspeaking world from all conceivable angles. Needless to say, we will take
no part in the discussions reproduced, nor assume any responsibility. Our
task will simply consist in selecting, to the best of our knowledge and
with utmost sincerity, what we think is representative of the public opinion as expressed in these editorials.
Editor.
EAST AND WEST
A short time ago it was rumored
that some American missionaries
favored revolution in the name of
enlightenment and freedom and for
opposing the Catholic missionaries
at the same time. For that reason
we say that civilization is wronged
by those who claim to champion it.
Christanity is innocent of the activities of those missionaries which
are based on spite and prejudice.
Behold the American University
of Beirut, thriving and forging ahead
under the leadership of its big, tolerant leader. Dr. Dodge and 'his worthy representative in New York, Dr.
Staub, from the latter of whom we
received recently a letter refuting
the opinions if some of those who
claim a relation with the college,
but who in fact sow corruption and
malice by tht illicit use of its name.
The American University of Beirut undoubtedly has produced soldiers of liberty and tolerance in its
whole-hearted preoccupation in education.
Undoubtedly also the Jesuit University in Beirut does the same thing.
The result would be that the Eastern youth would become soldiers of
a true and liberal civilization, free
of those sectarian collisions which
BHHHHHHI
have encompassed the East in the
past.
He is mistaken who seeks to have
in these days every country in the
East exclusively for Easterners, before it has finished its training.
Nor do we deny that most Weserners have selfish aims in our country. Nevertheless, they have blazed
the trail of education and progress
for us, and still tender to us the
assistance that we need, which if
we refuse we will prove that we
prefer retrogression to progress.
(Al-Hoda, N. Y., March 26, 1927.)
WHEN SHALL WE
RISE LIKE CHINA?
We are happy at the liberation
of China from the dominance of the
foreigners over its internal affairs,
and that it has compelled the Europeans to respect the Chinese in
his country and outside of it. For
China is an Oriental country, and
its submission to the foreigners has
been a source of despair to other
small nations of the Orient, for they
used to say: "If China, that huge
country, is unable to free itself, how
much more we?"
Whereas the imperialists would
look at the Chinese dragon writhing
I
�—.
APRiLy 1927
in their iron cage and deride the
other Oriental countries which dream
of unloosening themselves from their
chains, saying to themselves: "If
this giant dragon could not free itself from our grip, can these butterflies and birds do it?"
But now China has broken its
chains and threw them in the face
of its oppressors, when shall we do
the same?
(Miraat-ul-Gharb, N. Y.,
March 25, 1927.)
CONDITIONS FOR UNITY
This newspaper firmly believes
that the "Unity of Syria" which
aims to amalgamate Lebanon with
it is an Islamic propaganda, the
purpose of wh eh is to place the
Christian minority under the mercy
of the Mohammedan majority, which
is still largely fanatic and unlettered. We never played the traitor for
money or interest that we should
endorse anything but the truth.
Let the Moslems first tear up their
religious laws, make education and
military service compulsory and eschew pernicious fanaticism, which
is the weapon of their ignorant majority, and we shall accept them as
dear brethren.
(Al-Hoda, N. Y., March 12, 1927.)
DANGER FOR CHRISTIANS
In vain does Shakib Arslan seek
to co "tradict history and deceive
people by saying that the Druze
revolution is a patriotic one. It has
ever been and still remains a religious uprising, accompanied by such
horrible barbarities as has revived
the memories of the 1830 atrocities.
And had it not been for the pros-
55
ence of France in Syria not one
Christian would have remained alive,
either in Syria or Lebanon. The revolutionists would have exterminated them all, or forced the survivors
to leave the country that it may remain for the Druzes, Moslems and
those who hail after their political
views, which are to kill every one
opposed to their religion or civilization.
(Al-Shaab, N.Y., March 9, 1927.)
LEBANON AND SYRIA
Nothing seems to us more ridiculous than the threats which some
people in Lebanon hurl against the
French Government should the latter decide in favor of Syrian unity.
It is ridiculous because these threats
are empty words not backed by
deeds. It is furthermore ridiculous
because if France does favor a United Syria, it would not be for the
sake of the Syrians, nor to spite the
Lebanon people, but to rid itself of
the many problems, troubles and revolutions which follow each other in
a chain.
But even this threat is unnecessary, for the Syrians themselves
have now come to the conclusion
that it is better to make an exception of Lebanon in their provision
of a United Syria, fearing that its
presence in this unity would be a
disintegrating factor, or a source of
perennial trouble.
(Miraat-ul-Gharb, N. Y.
March 21, 1927.)
THE ECHO OF A DRUM
The Deti-oit convention was a stage
and the actors puppets manipulated
by hidden wires. The whole play was
a farce.
(As-Sayeh, N. Y., March 21, 1927.)
�56
THE SYRIAN WORLD
About Syria and Syrians
LEBANON HONORS
TWO EDUCATORS
The government of the Republic
of Lebanon has conferred the order
of Special Merit to the heads of the
two leading educational institutions
of Beyrouth, Dr. Bayard Dodge,
Pres. of the American University,
and Father Catin, General Director
of the Jesuit University of St. Joseph. This is one act of the Lebanese Government which met with
general approval because of the
wholehearted gratitude of the nation to these two institutions for
their signal services in the educational field to the country.
Dr. Dodge, in accepting the decoration, said in part: "Who can live
thirteen years in Lebanon and not
love its people, its hills, valleys and
shores?" He said he looked upon
the medal not as a personal honor
to himself, but as a recognition of
what the University through its
Faculty and professors and teachers
is doing for the East.
A LIFE OF CHRIST
BY KAHLIL GIBRAN
Our well-known author Kahlil Gibran is now engaged in writing a
life of Christ which will be published under the title of "The Son of
Man". This information was given
out casually by the author himself
during a reading from his book, "The
Prophet", held under the auspices of
the Fifth Avenue Book Shops Association, on the Evening of February
27th, at the Hotel Brevoort in New
York, and conducted by the wellknown poetess, Miss Barbara Young.
Countess Sonia Ruthele Novak, herself a poetess of note, was the one
who put the question to Mr. Gibran
and he replied in effect that "a
great deal is now being written
about Christ that is not so. Some
would make him a model business
man, with a keen sense of advertising, while others would proclaim
him a myth. In fact, Christ did
exist and' was wont to refer to Himself preferably as the Son of Man.
It is in that capacity that I am
writing the Life of Christ."
Mr. Gibran added that he considered this work the ambition of his
life and that he had, been planning
it for the last ten years. He expects
to produce this work in the near
future.
SYRIAN POTTERY IN LOUVRE
At a recent meeting of the ministerial council of the Lebanon Republic, it was decided to present the
Louvre Museum in Paris with several pieces of pottery found; in Syrian excavations, and of which there
are duplicates in the Lebanon National Museum. Some of these antique pieces of pottery are of great
value.
SYRIAN GIRL'S TOUR
PROVES A SUCCESS
Miss Sumayeh Attiyyeh is acquitting herself very creditably on her
present lecture tour as can be judged
by the newspaper reports about the
cordial and enthusiastic reception
she is receiving wherever she
speaks. At the present time she is
touring the State of Ohio and her
discourses on political and social affairs of the East are a source of
enlightenment to- her audiences. Her
charm of personality and forceful-
I
M
�APRIL, 1927
ness of delivery are eliciting favorable comment everywhere and she is
held up as a model immigrant girl
who has reached the top through
sheer grit and personal effort.
i
PULLMAN SERVICE
BETWEEN PARIS
AND BEIRUT
Following pourparlers which, have
been going on in Constantinople between the representative of a certain sleeping-car company and the
managers of the Bagndad Railway,
it was decided, to extend the service
of the "Orient Express" from Constantinople to Anatolia and Syria,
beginning with the 15th of May,
1927.
On arrival at the Constantinople
depot, travelers are transported by
a special ferry across the Bosphorus
to the Haidar Pasha Depot, where
an express, with sleeping cars attached, would be awaiting them. In
this way it would become possible
to travel from Paris to Beirut in five
days.
A NEW LIGHT ON
PHOENICIAN WRITING
Among the recent discoveries in
the interior of the Sidon district,
in Lebanon, was an alum spear-head
covered with Phoenician writing
which indicates that it has come
down from the 10th century B. C,
or, possibly, three centuries previously. So far, only four remains
with Phoenician writings of such antiquity have been found, but this last
one throws light on the earliest form
of the Phoenician alphabet, and hence
is of invaluable interest.
The discovery has also shown the
importance of excavations in the
Sidon district which will undoubtedly shed much light on the history
of that country.
57
SYRIAN BOY SCOUTS
WIN FIRST HONORS
Fourteen troops took part in a
rally of Boy Scouts in Olean, N. Y.,
in March, and the Syrian troop of
the St. Joseph's church were awarded first honors, although this troop
was organized only in the late fall
of last year, while other troops participating in the rally had seen several years' service. It is a distinction that the Syrian troop of Olean,
N. Y., may well be proud of.
MOHAMMEDAN CONVERTS
IN AMERICA
What is sauce for the goose is
sauce for the gander! And if American missionaries insist on "meandering" into the distant countries of
the heathen to convert them to
Christianity, sooner or later those
heathens will get the hint and retaliate by sending their missionaries
to America to teach its people about
polygamy, easy divorce and other
virtues of heathendom unknown to
the Christian Americans!
If we believe the statement of an
Ahmadite contributor to a Mohammedan paper, the thing has actually
happened. For this man, Jalal-udDin, transmits to "Al-Balagh",
Beirut, the interesting information
based on a correspondence from an
Ahmadite missionary in New York,
that a certain Mr. Lewis, L. L. B.,
"the famous lawyer, and a man of
wealth", along with his whole family, has been converted to Islam, declaring that he will spend a great
part of his remaining years in the
study and propagation of his new
faith.
The correspondent mentions the
name of another convert, "Prof.
Smitben (?) who specialized in theology, and was planning on going to
Africa as a Christian miasinoary.
�58
While in Rochester College he had
studied Islamic lore, and his heart
"had become emptied of his Christian convictions", but, the writer tells
us, "he continued to live like a hypocrite until the hour came when
'his conscience blamed him. and he
renounced Christianity."
AN ATROCIOUS CRIME
What an American would call a
daily exercise, and often a daily nuisance, before he sits down to his
breakfast table, is regarded, in another country, e. g., Syria, "an atrocious crime", which is significant
enough to occupy large space in the
newspapers.
To shave one's beard and moustaches in the East, especially When
one is a dignitary of the church or
of the state, is to rob him of the
visible symbols of honor and manliness! How else does a virile and
respectable man differ from mere
women in that happy paradise of
the males?
Hence the following news item
which appeared in the Syrian papers:
A correspondent of Al-Jawa'ib in
Ladhikiyyah writes that unidentified
persons surprised Rev. Archmandrite
Iskander Jiha, abbot of the Monastery of al-Humeirah in the district
of Husn al-Akrad, on his way from
the monastery to Tal Kalkh.
After binding him securely, these
men shaved his beard and moustaches, beat him up and fled. It is
said that this incident is linked up
with the transference of the management of the monastery from one of
the dignitaries of the district to
Archmandrite Jiha. The former
manager is said to have waxed rich
on the embezzled funds from the
monastery, and it is suspected that
the Archmandrite was the one who
THE SYRIAN WORLD
exposed him.
This incident was brought to the
attention of the Patriarch and in
due course to the attention of the
High Commissioner.
PROPOSED FLIGHT FROM
LEBANON TO ARGENTINE
The return to his native land of
Joseph 'Akar, the Lebanese aviator, from his visit to Argentine, has
caused a great stir and aroused high
hopes and expectations in the breasts
of many about the future of aviation in the Near East. Mr. 'Akar,
about whose aviatory exploits The
Syrian World has written in a previous issue, contemplates flying from
Lebanon to Argentine. Friends of
Mr. 'Akar in Lebanon are trying to
Interest the Lebanon Government
and the Society of Aviation in Beirut to finance the project, which,
they say, if realized, would immortalize for Lebanon a memory of one
of its worthy sons.
AN OBJECTIONABLE BOOK
A certain La Maziere, a French
writer, risited Syria recently and
was received, as is the custom of
Syrians and Lebanese in treating
strangers, with great hospitality.
This man published, upon his return
to Paris, a sensational book in which
he took issue with the Syrians in
everything they held sacred or conventional. He was especially bitter
in denouncing the Maronite Patriarch ascribing to him hypocritical
motives in his support of the French
mandate over Syria. The author is
roundly attacked by the Syrian and
Lebanese press, and many are the
papers which declare that permission
by the French of such trifling with
their traditions and institutions is
not productive of good result*) for
them in the end.
I
�'—
*r
.
APRIL, 1927
I )
59
Political Developments in Syria
NEW FORM OF
GOVERNMENT FOR SYRIA
The same incommunicativeness
which characterized M. Henri Ponsot's policy while in Syria seems to
attach to his conduct in Paris. Ever
since his return from Syria he has
been besieged by delegations and
seekers of information bent on piercing the veil of secrecy concealing
his program of administrative reform in that country, but he has
steadfastly maintained his sphynxlike attitude. The nearest anyone
was able to get to his thoughts was
When he was met upon leaving the
Quai d'Orsay, after having had a
protracted conference with foreign
minister Briand, and his countenance
was discovered radiant with smiles.
The natural inference was that he
had succeeded in inducing the government to approve his program.
But as far as M. Ponsot was concerned, he maintained his policy of
silence and still refused to commit
himself to any declaration.
Now, what is this program which
M. Ponsot has devised for Syrian
reform and which he has spent
months in Syria trying to formulate
by first-hand study of conditions?
What is the solution to the burning
question of the so-called Syrian Unity, or central form of government?
What are his plans for reconciling
between the demands of the Syrians
of the hinterland and those of the
littoral regions?
It seems to be taken for granted
that M. Ponsot's program includes
a repartition of Syria along administrative lines radically differing
from those declared by Gen. Gou-
raud in 1920 in which Lebanon was
restored to what are popularly
known as its natural boundaries.
According to the old Turkish arrangement, Mt. Lebanon enjoyed a
certain form of autonomy, but was
confined to the mountain proper,
with no seaport, even the city of
Beyrouth, situated on the shores of
Mt. Lebanon, being excluded from
Lebanon territory.
Under the Gouraud regime, however, Mt. Lebanon was given not
only the city of Beyrouth, but also
Tripoli, Tyre and Sidon and the
plain of Beka'. Although this arrangement satisfied the Lebanese
Christians, the Mohammedan element was never reconciled to it and
had been clamoring ever since for
the reduction of Lebanon to its former boundaries in order that they may
escape submission to the Christian
majority.
Now it is claimed that the new arrangement suggested by M. Ponsot
includes a readjustment of Lebanon's
boundaries which would leave to it
Beyrouth and the plain of Beka', but
would cede to the interior State of
Syria Jabal Amel, Tyre, Hasbaya
and Ras'haya, Baalbek and Tripoli.
The government of Damascus is
especially anxious to gain possession
of Tripoli so that it may have a free
outlet to the sea and bring to an
end its dependence on Beyrouth.
The report of this arrangement
in M. Ponsot's program has caused
great consternation in Lebanon, and
the Premier of the Republic, now in
Paris on a financial mission, hastened to see Prime Minister Poincare
and Foreign Minister Briand to as-
�m mm *w
60
certain the truth of the rumor, but
was assured, according to report,
that the present boundaries of Lebanon would not be reduced or disturbed.
M. Ponsot's return to Syria was
tentatively set for the 28th of March.
He wat, to appear before the Mandates Commission of the League of
Nations March 15. Up to the present there has come no official declaration of any sort either from M.
Ponsot or from the French government respecting the intended reforms
in the administration of Syria, and
it is the general belief that, having
secured the approval of the government, M. Ponsot will make announcement of his plans upon his return
to his post.
A rumor representing M. Ponsot
as favoring the creation of a constitutional monarchy in Syria drew the
fire of the nationalistic press on the
ground that the country that revolts
in the quest of freedom will not tolerate bondage to a hereditary ruler.
The fact remains, however, that a
monarchy is seriously discussed in
many quarters and the merits of the
various candidates weighed and compared. The objectoin of some revolutionary elements would seem to be
directed principally against Ahmed
Nami Bey, president of the provisional government in Damascus, who
is one of the leading candidates for
the proposed throne and is accused
of favoring the French.
What may be considered as indicative of the new administrative
plan in Syria is a recent order by
the French High Commissariat sanctioning the use of the Lebanon militia in Syria for purposes of defense
in case of common danger. The conservatives in Lebanon deprecate the
move as tending to create new element! of friction and discord, but
THE SYRIAN WORLD
the French authorities explain that
they are responsible for law and
order in Syria as a whole and to
this end it is their privilege and their
duty to make such disposal of military forces as would insure general
safety.
REVOLUTIONARY ACTIVITIES
IN SYRIA AND ABROAD
Peace and order seem to have returned to the district of Hauran, in
Syria, which was the scene of the
last Druze revolution. Revolutionary
sympathizers do not contest the facts
in the situation, but profess that the
revolution has not come to an end,
and that the lull in the fighting is
due only to the winter season, as
the revolutionists are preparing for
a spring campaign which will eclipse
in severity any so far witnessed.
Ahmed Nami Bey, psesident of the
provisional government of Syria, is
reported to have made a tour of inspection of the Hauran district, and,
aside from announcing the prevalence of law and order, made recommendations for the improvement of
the economic conditions of the district, principally in the matter of introducing modern agricultural implements.
Emir Shakib Arslan, who came
to the United States to attend the
convention of the New Syria Party
held in Detroit, Mich., remains in
New York with no public intimation
of his future plans. It was rumored
that he intended visiting Mexico in
the interest of the Nationalist cause,
and as the first lap in a proposed
trip to South America for the same
purpose. Al-Hoda, the principal opposition paper, announces that it has
taken effective steps to have him
barred from Mexico.
�'APRIL, 1927
'61
sition that it will add to the friends
of the revolutionists in Southern
Lebanon, and overbalance the forces
unfriendly to the Government. It
is, in his opinion, both a matter of
expediency and wisdom to have in
the south a preponderance of its allies over its opponents. Had this
been the case before, the revolutionists would not have overcome the
Christians of the south, massacring
a large number of them, destroying
their homes and plundering their
cattle.
The people of Rashayyah, however, listen not to such arguments,
having recently submitted to the
authorities a second petition in which
they insisted that they will not go
back to their old town, nor live with
their old neighbors, the Druzes, even
if their homes were rebuilt. To
their former arguments they add
now one relative to the clemency
act of October, 1926, and ask that
the French authorities make a distinction between the revolutionists
who revolted from a patriotic motive
and have been granted amnesty if
they had submitted before that date,
and between predatory, marauding
revolutionists who saw in the revolutoin an opportunity for revenge and
plunder.
"We have nothing against the
CHRISTIANS REFUSE TO
bona
fide revolutionists," say the
LIVE WITH DRUZES
petitioners, "nor bear we any malice
The Christian inhabitants of Ra- towards them." They put the blame
shayyah, whose homes were destroy- not on the revolutionists who came
ed, whose wealth and cattle were from Jebel-al-Druze, whom they call
carried away, and of whom many "the strangers", but on their neighwere killed by the revolutionists, re- bors and fellow townspeople of Rafuse now to go back to their town. shayyah and Hasbayyah, producing
They had before asked the French as proof of their contention, not only
authorities to build for them new the declarations of revolutionary
homes instead of their burned ones, leaders who surrendered to the Government such as Hamza al-Darwish
in the plains of Shtorah, Beka*.
A correspondent of Al-Basir of and Zaid al-Atrash, but even th«
Alexandria comments on this propo- statements of the Government.
Accounts of the activities of the
Syrian revolutionary delegation in
America reached the Syrian press
abroad in a grossly exaggerated
form. Some reports had it that the
delegation succeeded in raising for
the relief of revolutionary sufferers
a sum of $700,000, and others stated
that Emir Arslan was assigned an
official residence by the Mayor of
New York City and a guard of honor detailed to wait on him, while a
number of the most prominent and
influential Syrians in America accompanied him on his travels. Mr.
William Catzeflis, writing in AsSayeh, denies relations with the said
Emir ascribed to him and to others,
and satirically stigmatizes the reports as deliberate falsehoods.
In a detailed interview published
serially in "Miraat-ul-Gharb". Emir
Shakib Arslan takes occasion to
publish his memoirs bearing on his
relations with the Turks during the
war and reiterates his defense of his
actions claiming that he was instrumental in protecting the Maronite
Patriarch from gross indignities and
in defending the position of the
Christians of Syria and Lebanon in
general.
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Newspapers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Salloum Mokarzel, a Lebanese American intellectual, founded<em> The Syrian World</em> in 1926. Salloum Mokarzel was the younger brother of Naoum Mokarzel, the publisher of the Arabic-language newspaper <em>Al-Hoda. </em>Together, the Mokarzel brothers ran Al-Hoda Publishing, and in 1909, they published <em>The Syrian Business Directory.</em> </p>
<p>Mokarzel created <em>The Syrian World</em> in order to document and celebrate the culture and history of "Syria." At the time, Syria referred to the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. The publication was primarily aimed towards second-generation children of immigrants, but Mokarzel hoped that it would also appeal to the general American public.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><em>The Syrian World</em> was published between 1926 and 1932 as a journal. In 1932, the format was changed from an academic journal style to a newspaper style, which continued until the periodical's end in 1935. After the death of his brother Naoum, Salloum took over the publication of <em>Al-Hoda.</em></p>
<p>The articles in <em>The Syrian World</em> cover a variety of topics spanning from the practical to the theoretical. Practical subjects include international and domestic travel, historical and contemporary Arabic and Arab-American art and literature, and the mental and physical health and hygiene of immigrants. More theoretical, philosophical, and ideological subjects include ideologies of race, the changing role of women, the formation of Syrian and Lebanese-American societies, and the political and psychological relationships between immigrants and their countries of origin.</p>
<p>All issues of <em>The Syrian World</em> are available, along with full indexes for the first four volumes. For volumes five and six, there are tables of contents at the start of the issues.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabs--United States
Arabic periodicals
Newspapers
Arab American Newspapers
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926-1935
Relation
A related resource
<em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mokarzel Family Papers</a>
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11299/175685" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annotated Index to the Syrian World, 1926-1932</a> at the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center Archives
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Al-Hoda Newspapers</em></a>
Language
A language of the resource
English
Contributor
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Processed by Claire A. Kempa, 2015-2017. Collection Guide written by Claire A. Kempa, 2017.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 August.
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The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings.
Identifier
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NS 0002
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
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Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
TSW1927_04reducedWM
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Volume 01, Issue 10
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1927 April
Description
An account of the resource
Volume 1 Issue 10 of The Syrian World published April 1927. The issue opens with an article by Dr. Philip K. Hitti on famed Italian writer Dante and the Arabic sources he likely used in his Commedia
the article is followed by illustrations of the book. Since this issue was published in April there seems to be a larger focus on certain Christian traditions and figures (Lent, Easter, Jesus, Jerusalem, etc.). There are traditional Arab stories interwoven in the issue as well. The issue closes with the reader’s forum, excerpts from the Arab press, and more discussion on the political developments in Syria.
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Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals
Arabs--United States--Periodicals
Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals
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English
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Salloum A. Mokarzel
Syrian-American Press
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New York Public Library
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Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
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104 Greenwich St., New York, NY
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1920s
Jerusalem
New York
Philip Khuri Hitti
Religion
-
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SYRIAN WORLD
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SYRIAN WORLD
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SALLOUM
A.
MOKARZEL,
Editor.
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS
104
GREENWICH STREET, NEW YORK,
By subscription $5.00 a year.
N. Y.
Single copies 50c
Entered as second-class matter, June 25, 1926, at the post office at New
York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879.
VOL. I. No. 11.
MAY, 1927.
Contents
PAOB
The Religious Problem in the East—The Case of Rashayya
By S. A. M.
3
The Beauty of Beirut
8
My Lebanon
10
By
EDNA
K.
SALOMEY
Syrian Folk Songs (I Wandered Among the Mountains)
Translation by KAHLIL GIBRAN
//
A Stanza of Moulaya
Translation by S. A. M.
12
The Arabic Sources of Dante — 77
By PHILIP K. HITTI,
The Sympathy of the Moon
By DR. SALIM Y.
13
PH.
D.
17
ALKAZIN
�CONTENTS (Contmued).
n r
PAOI
Harun al-Rashid and the Potter
The World of the Arabian Nights
By H. I. KATIBAH
18
/0
The Lion in the Orchard (An Arabian Nights' Story)
24
Foiling a Despot — A Matter of Interpretation
26
Irrigation in Syria and Lebanon
27
Famous Cities of Syria (Antioch)
29
How Poets Stand
,.
34
Agriculture in the Near East
35
Excellent Reply — Prestige Unbounded
38
Notes and Comments
By
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39
THE EDITOR
Spirit of the Syrian Press
Readeis* Forum
44
47
Discussing a Racial Problem
Political Developments in Syria
52
cy
About Syria and Syrians
en
ILLUSTRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE
A Syrian Joan of Arc.
In the Wake of Battle in Syria.
Four Illustrations of Dante's Divine Comedy
Antioch as it is now.
Relics of Old Glory.
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THE
SYRIAN WORLD
VOL. I. No. 11.
MAY, 1927.
The Religious Problem in the East
The Case of Rashayya
When Emperor William II of Germany visited Syria in
1898, and there posed as the friend and protector of Islam, he
stood, while in Damascus, at the tomb of the great Saladin, who
crushed the power of the Crusaders in the East, and gave utterance to these ominous words:
"The Christians of the East must either embrace Islam or
leave the country to the Moslems."
In the light of recent events, one would be inclined to believe that the words of the German Emperor were prophetic.
The religious struggle in the East continues to wax as fierce now
as it ever did in the middle ages. Seemingly political, social and
economic problems may be found, upon close analysis, to spring
from purely religious differences. Syria, in particular, which has
given the world the two monotheistic religions claiming the greatest number of followers, is still the scene of a continuous drama
whose theme is the perennial and ever-recurring religious question. Religion seems to be in that country the axis upon which
revolves all human activities and with which is inalienably involved the whole social fabric, from the family, to the clan, to
the whole nation. Wars without number have been waged on
the soil of Syria prompted primarily by religious differences —
beginning with Judaism and ending with Islam. Cataclysmic
changes have been wrought at various times in history by the
titanic struggles engaged in on Syrian territory for the imposition or the defense of religious views. Everywhere and at all
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
time* it has been in Syria the eternal struggle over religion, and
this seems to have left its indelible mark through all successive
generations on the population of the country, culminating in
what we see now taking place, although on a minor scale, of the
outburst of religious hatreds which, to an outsider, would not
seem possible in this age of professed religious tolerance.
It is not the purpose in this short article to go into the
history of the whole religious question in the East, whether past
or present. The Crusades are matters of common knowledge,
and the massacres of Armenian and Syrian Christians in modern
times, especially the sad plight of the former, have been brought
dramatically and in all their gruesome details to the attention
of the civilized world. It has been proven beyond the peradventure of a doubt that the policy of the former Turkish regime
was bent on exterminating the Armenian race so as to eliminate
it as a cause of political complications. Underlying this policy
were the deeply rooted religious differences which made the two
races utterly incompatible to live together. The Greeks of Asia
Minor occupied a similar position. Witness the cruel and unheard of arrangement of the exchange of populations.
But the purpose is to bring the problem nearer home to the
Syrians and to carry the action even to our present day. This
we find in the case of Rashayya which continues even to this very
hour to be a burning issue in the politics of Syria and which
furnishes the latest and the most vivid illustration in recent
times of the centuries-old, bitter struggle between Christianity
and Islam in the East.
Rashayya had been, previous to the fateful days of the Fall
of 1925, a thriving, prosperous and populous town in the plain
which separates Lebanon proper from Mt. Hermon in the southeastern part of the Lebanon Republic. Prior to the present
political division of Syria, Rashayya came under the jurisdiction
of the Vilayat, or State, of Syria, otherwise the State of Damascus. Its award to Lebanon was in consideration of the fact that
it came within the limits of what was claimed to be Lebanon's
natural boundaries. This arrangement was brought about as recently as 1920, under the regime of Gen. Gouraud.
The population of the town, consisting of about 3,000, was
composed of Christians and Druzes in about equal numbers.
During the massacres of 1860, the Christians of Rashayya, like
their coreligionists in other sections, did not escape the vengeance
of their enemies.
K
�MAY y 1927
5
The first successes of the Druzes in their present revolution emboldened them to violate Lebanese territory and to carry
the struggle into a State other than their own in the hope of driving the French out of the country. They attacked Rashayya along
with many other border towns. The Druzes of the town joined
forces with the invaders and sacked and burned the place so that
not a house remained intact nor an article saved. The Christians
who escaped with their lives fled, destitute, to Zahle, Beirut, and
other Lebanese cities, where they have been ever since a charge
on public charity, principally on contributions from their relatives in America.
The small French garrison, however, held out against the
fierce attacks of the invaders in the old fortress where it had
been joined by about fifty volunteers from among the Christians of the town. It had been reduced to the last extremity
when relief came. Robert Poulaine, the special correspondent
of the New York Times on the scene, in a dispatch published
by the Times on Nov. 25, 1925, thus describes this action:
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"
On the afternoon of Monday, the Druzes, desiring to take the fortress at Rashayya, made a vigorous attack
and succeeded in penetrating the fortress itself, but the
French forces by a rally equally strong, forced back the invading forces. Relieving attachments, by a forced march
arrived just in time to prevent capture of the fortress which,
despite fearless defense, would have soon been overwhelmed by superior numbers.
"The relieving forces had not stopped for a whole day
and night and upon the morning of the second day found
themselves within sight of the besieged fortress. Despite
the fact that they had not eaten for nearly twenty-four
hours, the forces went into battle with a vigor and enthusiasm which soon compelled the Druzes to retreat. Soon
afterwards, the French Air Forces arrived and flew over the
village in advance of the victorious French forces.
"This has equalled in dramatic intensity any of the relief expeditions in fighting against the Riffians."
In another dispatch published by the Times the day following, these further details were given:
"
The garrison at Rashayya was in an extremity
when relieved yesterday, its ammunition having been shot
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
off to the last box of cartridges. The defenders who consisted of squadrons of Spahis and detachments of the Foreign Legion, fought at a great disadvantage. Though the
walls of the fort were high they were contiguous to dwelling-houses — which permitted the attackers to approach
with ladders by means of which they attempted to scale the
walls in the true Mediaeval style
"The scene inside the fort after the relief was a gruesome one. Druze corpses, many quite young boys, were lying all over the place and down the corridors, telling the tale
of hand-to-hand fights, while the courtyard was a shambles
where horses and men lay huddled in death."
It developed later that had it not been for the rare courage
of a khouriat, or the wife of a Christian priest of the town, who
braved the fire of the revolutionists and delivered to the besieged
forces a message dropped from an airplane promising imminent
relief, the garrison, in all probability, would have been forced to
surrender. The khouriat was wounded in carrying out her brave
act and was later hailed by the Lebanese as a modern Joan of Arc
and was decorated by the French High Commissioner.
But all this only meant the saving of military prestige and
not the saving of the town. The refugee population of Rashayya
could not return to their homes because none were left and they
could not rebuild because of their destitute condition which rendered them wholly dependent on charity. And thus they have
been for almost two years hoping, but seemingly against hope,
for some favorable development.
During all this time what has the mandatory power done
for these unfortunates? Seemingly nothing. It has offered to
rebuild the town and actually made an attempt to do so, but the
Rashayyites refuse to return. They have asked what would
practically amount to an application of the principle of the exchange of populations, insisting on either the whole town being
conceded to them so that they may enjoy a certain sense of security against possible future attacks by their hereditary enemies, or
that a new town be built for them further within Lebanese territory instead of at the outlying and exposed sections along the
border. They hold that religious enmity is so deep, its recurring
outbursts so disastrous, and their safety, in consequence, so insecure that sheer love of life would prevent them from accepting
any other solution.
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MAY, 1927
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And for almost two years the Rashayyites have been frantically attempting to enlist the support of all political and religious agencies with apparently no result save an expression of
abstract sympathy. They petitioned first, and repeatedly, the
French authorities, then the heads of the Christian Churches of
the East, and finally the League of Nations and the Pope, although they are not of the Catholic faith, but all this only seems
to have embittered the French authorities against them, to the
extent that a delegation appointed by them to lay their case directly before the French Government at Paris was refused permission to sail, and a pamphlet published in justification of their
demands was confiscated.
Finally, in desperation, what do these unfortunates of Rashayya decide to do?
Here is the tragic rumor lately published by the Syrian press
and loudly proclaiming the sinister turn which the Oriental mind
takes in protracted differences of this nature. It is the most
damning testimony as to the intolerable conditions still governing and influencing the lives of the people of the East:
"In order to insure security of life, the Christian people
of Rashayya have decided to embrace Mohammedanism"
This rumor, it may well be added, has not been confirmed,
but neither has it been denied. It has given rise to various comments in the Syrian press, but whatever may be the reaction of
the different factions to it, the moral is obvious, evident and unmistakable. It stares us in the face. It proclaims the prevalence,
even unto our very day, of the strong undercurrents of religious
animosity which still wages war until death, so much so that the
weaker faction does not feel life secure until it had capitulated
to the stronger element. It is, in other words, not a matter of
conviction, but a matter of expediency to avoid continuous strife.
To every thinking, rational person, this condition should not
exist. That it exists is due only to the fact that the masses in
the East are still swayed by passion and not by reason. This is
all the more reason why they should be tutored until they reach
that stage of political and social development when they would
tolerate the liberty of others in their religious beliefs and personal convictions. Emperor William's dictum need not hold true
as a finality, but its disproval will come only when national consciousness in the East will supersede religious intolerance, and
when matters of religion will be conceded to be a sacred privilege
of the individual.
S. A. M.
�8
THE SYRIAN WORLD
The Beauty of Beirut
A vivid description of the capital of Lebanon
by an American correspondent.
As beautiful as Cleopatra is this city that for a time was
Cleopatra's own. Framed by purple sea and snow-capped mountains, Beirut is in springtime a veritable Eden of glorious coloring, writes a correspondent of the Christian Science Monitor.
From sky of deepest blue the sun shines down with crystal clearness on gay red roofs and gorgeous flowering trees and shrubs.
The verdant green of the surrounding foothills is varied by dark
clumps of pines and cheerful red-roofed villages crowding each
ridge and summit. Whole slopes are colored with great sheets
of flowers.
The honey-like scent of the vines perfumes the air, and their
foliage glistens transparently in the clear light. Plantations of
bananas and oranges extend across the little plain where St.
George slew the dragon and cast him down a well. And southwards toward Sidon, a vast gray-green olive grove 'twixt sea and
mountain is carpeted with anemones and cyclamens.
One day, with her present troubles ended, this fair city of
the East will be famous as a resort. The French are fully alive
to her charm, and for some time past have been taking steps to
make her a second Cannes.
The streets and bazaars of the city are picturesque and full
of interest, save where the French have razed large areas to
make room for wide boulevards. The jostling crowds are for
the most part handsome folk, smiling and friendly in their ways.
At every street corner tempting confections are hawked on
trays mounted on tripod legs, ranging from ringshaped sesame
cakes to delicious-looking flaky trifles drenched in sirup. Letterwriters and itinerant photographers there are in plenty, but not
so many beggars as in other cities of the East. To watch the
photographer's victim being posed is as joyous an entertainment
as one could wish. A cloth is hung upon some convenient wall,
usually with a large Persian design of female-headed serpents
and lions with bristling manes. The victim — often a Bedouin
from the Syrian Desert — braces his shoulders and the back of
I
�MAY', 1927
9
his head against the wall and looks. A victim of the Inquisition
could hardly have looked more upset! Then, the moment over,
with an air of great bravado, he as often as not asks for his
portrait straight out of the camera.
Go where you will, the streets are full of life and incident.
In the wider thoroughfares camels with enormous bags of grain
from the Hauran stride by with jingling bells, threading their
way with lofty unconcern among clattering trams and swift-moving cars. Down in the harbor, merchandise is unloaded from
the steamers in brightly colored boats, amidst much shouting, by
longshoremen in baggy Turkish trousers and broad bright sashes.
Along the shore, bathing places alternate with delightful
cafes built out on piles over the sea. And those visitors who
know Beirut well always take their meals at one or other of these
cafes instead of at a hotel. For there, while you eat good French
cooked food to the strains of excellent music played by Russian
refugees, there is an interesting and cosmopolitan crowd to watch.
In the early evening well-to-do Syrians and Egyptian visitors
foregather there j with their fingers they help themselves from a
large array of tempting trifles, ranging from cucumber to pistachio nuts, olives to radishes and hard-boiled eggs.
If you lunch at one of these sea shore cafes, you can ofttimes
watch mussel-divers at their work beneath the clear water, cutting the shellfish in bunches from the rocks. Each has his basket,
which he leaves floating at the surface with a gourd attached to
its handle to keep it the right way up. Sometimes the musselseeker also has a pa raff n tin (that article of many uses!) with a
piece of glass set in the bottom, through which to survey the
sea-floor before he dives.
In Beirut, a typical city of the East though she is, American
influence is very strong. Not only have a large number of her
more educated men passed through the American University
founded there in 1866 — lawyers, dentists and government servants in all the countries of the Nearer East claim Beirut University as their Alma Mater with the keenest pride — but to visit
America has been for long a cherished ambition among the Syrians. In their independence and love of roaming, the Syrians of
the coast towns seem to preserve the hardihood and trading instincts of their seafaring ancestors, the Phoenicians. And these
emigrants, returning as they do in large numbers to their homes,
bring back with them a strong leaning toward American ideals
and customs.
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�10
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Of the history of Beirut volumes could be written ; it was a
city of importance in those far-off days when the Pharaohs of
Egypt held Syria to tribute. But of perhaps greater interest at
the present moment is the memory of the great Druse leader,
Fakhr ed-Din, who at the end of the sixteenth century defied the
Turks, and, with the help of the Venetians, at that time a hardy
seafaring people, set up an independent principality. An able
leader and enlightened man, Fakhr ed-Din devoted himself to
the fostering of trade. The great forests of pines to the south
of Beirut are lasting memorials of his energy and wisdom; for
they were planted by him to stay the encroachment of the sanddunes that were sweeping in from the sea.
My Lebanon
By EDNA K. SALOMEY *
I dream of Lebanon by an azure sea;
Wave-kissed shores, and rocky glades; .
Snowcaps on mountains, glistening gorgeously;
0 sweet-scented pines' serenades.
1 see a land laden with fruits of the earth;
A tropical jewel ablaze
With myriad flowers and wee children's mirth.
Rainbow sunsets prolong their days.
Purple dusk is tinted by a lustrous moon
And broidered with a million stars.
For lullabies — the sea plays a crooning tune
Of golden notes on silv'ry bars.
Blessed of Christ, O, Lebanon, my paeans
Echo the lyrics of sages.
Thy beauty is lovelier than gossamer dreams.
Thy glory shall crown all ages.
* Miss Saloomey is an America n-born Syrian girl in whom the call
of the blood is manifested in such tender lays for the country of her
parents as she gives expression to in this poem. She is at present a
resident of Bridgeport, Conn., and her many interesting letters published in former issues have elicited much favorable comment. We welcome
her to the ranks of our contributors.
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�11
MAY, 1927
Syrian Folk Songs
I WANDERED AMONG THE MOUNTAINS
Translation by KAHLIL GIBRAN
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I wandered among the mountains searching for my lark,
And I found him, but alas! in another maiden's cage.
With the tinkling of g/ld I sought to allure him into my cage;
But she sang and said, "Go your way. Your day is forever by."
They said to me, "Your love is ill and wasted, and tomorrow he
will die."
Then to a carpenter I went and ordered a coffin
Whose lock is of gold, and whose key of a ruby carved;
And tomorrow, how astonished the kingdom will be
When they behold two youths in but a single coffin!
�——
12
THE SYRIAN WORLD
My love now wears a black shirt woven of hair.
Like thorns it wounds his skin
Luckless may the weaver be;
And restless, the dyer!
Some day I shall seek the head of the monastery
And plead for my love;
Then I shall tell him that one glimpse of love
Is holier than all monasteries.
Who among you has not loved?
In what heart does God not walk?
See how close are the pomegranate seeds;
And behold the stars how near and loving!
Be quiet, my heart, and weep no more.
He has forgotten you;
Forget him, too. But should you forget him,
Then will I tear you out of my bosom!
O dark one, how often have I been blamed for your sake;
And each time I am blamed, my love grows stronger.
You are the rose, and I, the dew that refreshes you;
You are the silken garments and I, the wind that moves you;
You are the Pleiades, and I, Orion, following you;
You are the moon, and I, the stars that watch over you.
A STANZA OF MOULAYA
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I'll scale the mountain summit, and scan the vale below,
And hail the gentle breezes that from my country blow.
O, may the vale be flooded, and the raging torrent grow,
For then I'd make my arms a bridge for you to cross to me!
Translation of S. A. M.
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�MAY, 1927
13
The Arabic Sources of Dante
By
PHILIP
K.
HITTI, PH.
D.
II
Six hundred years before Dante conceived his marvelous
poem, the Divine Comedy, there existed in Arabic a religious
narrative describing the Nocturnal Journey of Muhammad (alisray) from Mecca to Jerusalem followed by a flight to the nether and higher regions. The story grew around one verselet in
the Qoran, the first of surah seventeen. In the course of time
between the eighth and the thirteenth centuries of our era, Moslem traditionists, theologians, mystics, philosophers and poets
collaborated and co-operated in building up the story. Chief
among these was the Andalusian Muhyi-al-Din al-Arabi, who
made an allegorical adaptation of the story, and the Syrian poet
abu-al-'Ala al-Ma'arri who composed a literary interpretation of
it. A comparison of these versions with Dante's epic reveals
such striking resemblance that one is justified in calling it dependence. Dante drew from these preceding sources. The first
scholar to call the attention of the learned world to this fact was
Professor Asin of Madrid. This is the gist of the first installment which appeared in the last issue of THE SYRIAN WORLD.
In 1919 there appeared in Madrid a book entitled La Escatologia Musulmana en la Divina Commedia by Miguel Asin.
Asin, himself a Catholic priest, claimed Christendom's greatest
poet a sufi and linked him in a chain which defies destruction
with the grand master of Islam, ibn-al-Arabi, whose name is still
until this very hour a potent spiritual factor from Morocco to
Teheran and from Damascus to Khartoum.
Asin's thesis, as to be expected, stirred up a hornet's nest.
Dantists and Dante lovers all over Europe criticized him, some
approvingly but more disapprovingly. Recognizing it as a great
contribution to our knowledge of interrelation between Eastern
and Western thought, the Duke of Alba, at the suggestion of
Lord Balfour, has had the book translated a few months ago by
Mr. Sunderland into English. There is no exaggeration, on our
�3^=r=
14
THE SYRIAN WORLD
part, in declaring this book one of the most stimulating and interesting works published in recent years. It is this authority
which we have followed in these two articles.
In determining the literary and intellectual dependence of
one work upon another, three pertinent questions should be asked
and answered satisfactorily. The first is one of similarity. Is
the similarity so close as to preclude any other possibility but
borrowing? The second is one of priority. Was the supposed
model, or prototype, prior in time, preceding in date, to the supposed copy which followed it? Did the former exist before the
appearance of the latter? The third question is one of accessibility. Could the later author have known the original? Was it
accessible to a man in his time, place and position? And if so,
is there anything in his mentality, as revealed in his writings, to
encourage the supposition that he was sympathetic and responsive
to such appeal as that may have upon him?
The first two questions have already been dealt with. We
have seen that the similarity between the Divine Comedy and its
Aarabic models was such as to exclude the possibility of declaring them as two independent or original works. We have also
learned that both ibn -al-Arabi and al-Ma(arri lived before Dante
and that the Mi'raj story in its many versions was extremely popular and widespread all over the Moslem world.
We now come to the third and remaining question. Was
such material within the reach of Dante and could he have been
responsive to its influence?
Dante Alighieri was born in Florence in 1265. His teacher,
Brunetto Latini, acted as the ambassador of Florence to Toledo
and Seville. For political reasons Dante was exiled from his
native town and visited the University of Bologna. In 1306
he visited Padua which was another great intellectual center in
mediaeval Italy.
During the thirteenth century, the century in which Dante
lived, Moslem culture was more or less known all over Europe
and held in universal admiration by the Christians, mainly because of the Moslem victories over the Crusaders in Syria and
the Christians in Spain. Many of the returning Crusaders must
have also brought back with them stories relating to the life of
Muhammad. Between the eighth and eleventh centuries trading expeditions left the Caspian Sea regularly, ascending the
*
�MAY,
l
1927
15
Volga and reaching as far as the Gulf of Finland and then,
through the Baltic, to Denmark, Iceland and the British Isles.
This explains the recent discovery of Arabic coins scattered in
all those regions. Freed slaves, returned prisoners of wars,
Crusaders, traders, Jewish merchants — any of these agencies
might have proved instrumental in acquainting the people of
Europe with Arabic stories.
But that is not all. The culture developed in Andalusia,
southern Spain, is too well known to be dwelt upon here. The
flourishing Arab courts of Cordova, Toledo and Seville were
centers for radiating Arab culture. The works of ibn-Rushd
were translated into Latin and used as text books in philosophy,
as were the works of ibn-Sina used in the medical colleges.
Brunetto Latini, the teacher of Dante, who lived in Andalusia and whose writings contain traces of Arabic influence, may
well have been the medium through which some at least of the
Arabic features of the Divine Comedy may have been transmitted
to his disciple.
But we have not yet come to the best possible link — Sicily
and southern Italy.
Beginning with the ninth century Sicily presents the aspects
of a country permeated with Islamic ideas. The court of the
Norman king, Roger II, at Palermo was formed of Christians
and Moslems. The king himself spoke and read Arabic, kept
a harem, and dressed himself in Oriental costumes.
In the first half of the thirteenth century, during the reign
of Frederick, King of Sicily and Emperor of Germany, Palermo
resembled more a Moslem than a Christian court. The king's
harem was guarded by eunuchs and his royal robe bore Arabic
inscriptions.
It was this Frederick who in 1224 founded the University
of Naples and made it a center of Arabic culture and Arabic
philosophy. The universities of Bologna and Padua, which
Dante visited, were also under Arabic influence that reached them
from the University of Naples.
That the mentality of Dante as revealed in his own works
was not antagonistic to the acceptance of Moslem models is not
hard to prove. Though a native of Florence and by race and
language a Latin, he admits in one of his works that "there are
many other nations speaking tongues more pleasant to the ear
and more expressive than those of the Latin people". The reference is undoubtedly to the Semitic languages of which Dante,
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
according to some scholars, knew two — Arabic and Hebrew.
Whether he knew Arabic or not we cannot be sure, but we are
sure that in some of his minor prose works he freely quotes
from al-Farabi, ibn-Sina, al-Ghazali, and ibn-Rushd.
His general sympathy with Arabic philosophers is also indicated by the fact that he places in the limbo (the outer spheres
of hell) such men as ibn-Sina (Avicenna) and ibn-Rushd (Averroes) together with Socrates, Plato, and Ptolemy (Inferno, Canto
IV, 140-141). Muhammad is consigned by him to real hell not
as the founder of Islam but as a sower of discord and an author
of schism, (Inferno, Canto XXVIII, 58 sqq). 'Ali is shown
suffering the same torture as his cousin and his father-in-law.
Having traced back the origin of Dante's ideas into Arabic
sources, the question naturally arises as to where did the Arab
Moslems themselves get their ideas from? With this we are
not particularly concerned in this study. Judxo-Christian precedents have undoubtedly provided the raw material for many
of the Moslem versions of the narrative. The ascensions of
Moses, Enoch, Baruch, Elijah and finally of Christ himself could
not have escaped the attention of early Moslem devotees. The
Revelation of St. John the Divine provided descriptions and details. The Persian journey of Arda Viraf was undoubtedly
brought within the Moslem sphere of knowledge especially after
the conquest of Persia. The journeys of the Ka in the ancient
Egyptian Book of the dead record experiences strikingly similar
to those of later times. The Sidrat al-Muntaha, the tree standing in the highest heaven, had its prototype in the Egyptian lotus
tree.
Thus the question of origins is one of the most difficult to
determine. Ideas have no race, no nationality, and no religion.
They travel, they commune and they blend. Some of them
prove universal and aspire to a position of immortality. Such
seems to be the case with the master ideas behind Dante's Comedy
and Muhammad's Mi'raj.
My bracelet I love, but not as much as my arm.
(Syrian proverb.)
WKtKtOSSSSSSSSSmmSmSS^^mBBSBBmUnBKr
\i
��Then "Glory to the Father, to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit," rang aloud
Throughout all Paradise: that with the song
My spirit reel'd, so passing sweet the strain.
Canto XXVII., lines 1-4.
���About us thus,
Of sempiternal roses, bending, wreathed
Those garlands twain; and to the innermost
E'en thus the external answer'd.
Canto XII., lines 16-19.
�MAY, 1927
1?
The Sympathy of the Moon
By
DR. SALIM
Y.
ALKAZIN
In "The Habitation of Peace," even as the City of Baghdad
was called, there lived one of the foremost sages of Islam. He
had learned the Koran according to the seven readings
He
had learned the Hadeeth of the prophet — Allah's grace and
peace be unto him! He had reached a high position in the world
of letters and music. He had plunged deep into the philosophy
of Persia and Greece. He had excelled in mathematics and astronomy And in his household there was a beautiful and accomplished slave. And in her love he found the charm that made
the happiness of this world perfect. He loved her more than he
loved the power of sight in his eyes. She was his earthly comfort. When she moved, it was a cypress swaying in the balmy
breeze of the dawn; when she smiled, it was as if the moon had
swept aside her veil of gossamer clouds; when she spoke, it was
the music of Ma'bed accompanying the numbers of the poets of
old; when she sang, it was the voice of the bulbul courting the
silence of the moonlit night.
But when the cup is too full, it is apt to run over. The
liquid will run to the ground and mix with the earth. And when
this man's cup of happiness seemed to be full to the brim, death
came and claimed the beautiful slave. Blessed be the One the
ever-living; He that dieth not!
The lover heaped the grave of his beloved with roses and
herbs of the sweetest scent. Their bloom bespoke the charms of
her who was wedded to the grave; their scent breathed the essence of the love that cannot die. Night after night he lifted his
voice in lamentation. On the page of the sky the stars traced
the verses of the poem of grief, and in the mouth of the reeds
of the stream the breeze of the night put the moan of the bereaved. He grieved and lived the happy hours once more in recollections. But can grief and recollections bring back that which is
lost? As I said before, this man was learned in the lanes of the
sky and the movement of heavenly bodies. Now, he knew from
his observations and calculations that the moon was on the eve
of a complete eclipse, and he found therein a manifestation of
�' '
'
'"
'""
THE SYRIAN WORLD
18
the law of nature that nothing endures and that all that there
is on this earth is bound to undergo a change. So he found comparative consolation in the similarity of the passing of his beloved
and the eclipse of the moon. And when the hour came his voice
broke the awful silence. It rang wierdly in the dead of night,
and those who heard it shuddered. And this was what he sang:
"Thy sister in her grave is hid, O moon,
While thou in glory risest o'er the land!
Wouldst not, through sympathy, thy sable don,
And, deeply veiled with grief and sorrow stand?"
And even as he sang, a shadow crept over the moon. It
grew darker and more dark; the face of the moon was hid behind a veil of darkness. And all who saw and heard marveled
exceedingly. They said: The moon hath shown her sympathy;
but how shall man show his?
HARUN AL-RASHID AND THE POTTER
It is related that Harun al-Rashid wished to observe AbuShu'aib the Potter at work, for he had heard much of his skill.
Abu-Shu'aib, thereupon, was brought to the court of the Caliph,
where they had all the implements of his craft ready for him.
In the midst of the potter's operation, Harun al-Rashid
entered to observe him. Abu-Shu'aib stopped work and rose to
his feet to do him homage. But Harun al-Rashid motioned him
to sit down, saying: "I did not call for you to have you stand up
for me, but to demonstrate your craft before me."
The potter was as quick to reply: "Nor did I come before
thee, O Prince of the Believers, to show thee the extent of my
ill-breeding."
The Caliph was much pleased with this reply and rewarded
the potter fittingly.
Said one to a wise man: "Who educated you?" He replied:
Nobody educated me; I saw that ignorance was ugly and avoided
it.
�MAY, 1927
19
The World of the Arabian Nights
By H. I.
KATIBAH
Like many works of its kind, the Arabian Nights are an
epitome of many ages and many peoples; a panoramic undertone,
so to speak, of the symphony of history of which they were sometimes a caricature and sometimes a mirror. The Arabian Nights
are the "shadows of the days" which have passed in the twilight
of history, and they appear unreal and grotesque, though in outline denning the objects which once were substantial and matterof-fact.
We may rightly speak of "the World of the Arabian
Nights", as a world, half bizarre and half normal, like that celebrated animal of Greek mythology, the Chimera, or like the
Twin Stars, the Gemini, which appear to the naked eye as one,
but under the telescope two distinct bodies, and in the light of
advanced astronomical knowledge, two huge suns separated by
millions of miles. Not a little of the charm of the Arabian Nights
comes from this duality, which is uncanny and almost magical
in its subtlety. One passes from one to the other and back again
as an idle observer in the street would when he stands before
one of those advertisements which, looked at from one angle,
gives one picture, while from another, it gives a totally different
one.
The fairies, marids, magicians and naughty 'afrites of the
Arabian Nights are so human-like in their passions, so realistic
in their acts and conversations that they may well pass for human
beings in an enchanted world, where things are made invisible,
Brobdingnagian, or Lilliputian, but behaving much like*their human prototypes. While the men and women in the streets
of Baghdad, Cairo or the distant city of Samarkand; the gallant
princes and the charming princesses; the peddlers, the wealthy
merchants and the fish mongers, yes even "the Prince of the Believers" himself, the benign and jolly Harun al-Rashid, are so
rarified and fanciful that we find no difficulty in following their
unpaged entrances to the world of magic or their unheralded
exits to the world of realty. So real is the magic world, so fanciful is the real one; and both, enterplaying on the imagination of
�20
THE SYRIAN WORLD
the reader, reproduce to him the magic World of the Arabian
Nights, spun by the artistic and clever minds of the master story
tellers hundreds of years ago. Television and the movies have
nothing new on the art of story-telling which has made this possible.
And like most Movies, the World of the Arabian Nights is
a world of "would believe" j a wish-fulfillment world in which
things come out as "ought" and not as "is". It is a world, as
it has been pointed by many in philosophizing on this type of
writing, in which we take refuge, in imagination, from the cruel
world of realty which so often thwarts our deepest aspirations
and most fond dreams, that we often are tempted to believe that
it cannot be the real world after all; and perhaps it is not. Perhaps the fairy world in which we live vicariously is nearer after
all to reality.
The Aladdin who rubs his lamp and presto! a marid appears to do his bidding is but a symbol of the earth-bound soul
within us which in vain tries to rub the lamp of its body to do
its bidding. But. by his much-yearning, by dint of his cunning
mind and his clairvoyant imagination, man has come to realize
in fact and realty this dream of Aladdin. It lives today in our
electricity. So does the flying carpet live in our aeroplanes; and
the invisible jin and 'afrites that populate the World of the Arabian Nights were never more ready to fulfill the wishes of King
Solomon than do our own scientific jin and cafrites which an Edison or a Marconi conjured for the service of man. Had not our
ancestors dreamed dreams, we would not have realized even the
stinted reality we have. It is the future man in the child who
reads the Arabian Nights with wrapt attention, lives in their world
of fancy, and takes their strange creatures so for granted that he
never bothers to ask for their scientific credentials. Nothing is
more disheartening and pitiable than the child prodigy or the
sophisticated one, who had been brought up by his parents not
to believe in "such foolish things."
And thus from generation to generation does the World of
the Arabian Nights, with other similar worlds, pass in procession
before the mental vision of millions upon millions of readers,
who at heart have not lost their child-like curiosity. And nothing shows the essential likeness and unity of the human race as
the unanimity with which it has singled out some of its favorite
story worlds for perpetuity. The Arabian Nights is one of these
World Revues. Like the Panchatantra, of which we wrote in a
�MAY, 1927
21
former issue, the Arabian Nights is as well-known in the East
as in the West, only more so, especially in the world of little
children. For the Panchatantra, due to its didactic and gnomic
counsels, interspersed between the fables, lacks something of the
charm of the Arabian Nights, which claims not the role of the
preacher, but, like some court jesters do yet, teach while they
entertain. It is said that ah animal trainer who had wagered that
he could teach his favorite bear to read, did so by putting raisins
between the leaves of the book, so that the bear, in his search for
the raisins, would turn the pages and, to all outward appearances,
resemble one reading. The Panchatantra is the book with the
raisins, but the Arabian Nights is all raisins, and what little wisdom it contains is sugar-coated.
Perhaps, the nearest to a sermon of the popular tales of the
Arabian Nights is that of 'Abdullah of the Land and 'Abdullah
of the Sea, the story in which a fisherman is carried to the bottom
of the sea and shown around by a merman, an inhabitant of the
Ocean World. 'Abdullah of the Land saw many strange things
in his submarine visit, but the strangest of all was the way the
inhabitants of the sea rejoiced when one of them died. When
'Abdullah of the Sea found out from his guest that people of
the upper world mourn at the death of their dear ones he was
so angry that he would not suffer him to stay any longer, calling
the human race ungrateful because they tenaciously withhold
from their Creator what by right is His.
But the story is told in such a delightful manner, with such
utter simplicity of narration and freedom from affectation or
sophistry, that a child would not suspect the author to be a philosopher as well as a story-teller.
The Arabian Nights, as they came down to us from the
middle of the 15th century, are neither all original nor all Arabic.
Many of them are undoubtedly both, but the larger number are
taken from various sources, some of which carry one to the age
of the Grecian myths, and some, to the ancient fables of India.
Most of the poetic selections, which have an enhancing effect on
the prose narration, are taken from well-known Arabic classics,
particularly Kitab-ul-Aghani, which also supplies the Arabian
Nights with many anecdotes and stories about the Caliphs.
To readers of Greek mythology the elements of the Arabian
Nights which show dependence on them will be of interest. The
late Suleiman al-Bustani, in his article on the Arabian Nights in
the Bustani Encyclopaedia, points out what must have been notic-
�22
THE SYRIAN WORLD
ed by other Orientalists also, that Queen Lab in the story of
Badr Basim resembles the myth of Circe, who used to amuse
herself by converting human beings to stones; while in the third
voyage of Sindbad we come across the famous Cyclope Polyphemus in the guise of the Black Giant. In another story of the
Arabian Nights we find a flying horse, presumably a reflection
of the Greek mythical horse Pegasus.
Some scholars hold that the Arabian Nights had their origin
in the Persian book "Hazar Afsana", or "A Thousand Stories",
mentioned in Kitab-ul-Fihrist of al-Nadim, and Muruj-ul-Dhahab of al-Mas'udi, both of the 10th century A. D., so that the
Persian origin, if this be the one, antedates the Arabic one by
some four centuries. The "Hazar Afsana" has long disappeared,
and we have no way of verifying this claim except by the similarity in the scheme which strings the stories together, the story
of Shahrizade and her sister Dinarizade and the jealous king
who married a new wife every day and killed her. In both books
Shahrizade keeps the king entertained for a thousand nights and
one by relating to him stories which she so contrived to postpone
at the height of interest for the next night. It would be very
unlikely that the author or editor of the Arabian Nights did not
avail himself of some of these stories. The author of al-Fihrist
describes the Persian book by saying that he read its stories and
they appeared to him "insipid and vulgar". This, however, is
not a conclusive evidence that our Arabian Nights is a different
or superior book. For had the Arabian Nights been written in
the days of the author of al-Fihrist he would have, in most probability, said the same thing of it also. We know that masters of
Arabic literature and literary criticism thought as lightly of the
Arabian Nights as Ibn al-Nadim thought of Hazar Afsana. It
was despised by them as many a best-seller is despised by some
literary highbrows today, or as the works of Shakespeare were
looked at askance by the contemporary clergy and narrow-minded
Puritans.
It is a mistake, however, to ascribe this contempt and lack
of appreciation to obscene passages we find, unfortunately,
in the unexpurgated edition of the Arabian Nights. For such
writings existed long before the appearance of the Arabian
Nights; they are to be found in Kitab-ul-Aghani, in the Duratal-Yatima of al-Tha'alibi, in the Fruits of Leaves of al-Hamawi
and in many otherwise respectable books.
It may be said, in passing, that many of these lascivious pas-
�I
~=
Af4F, 7927
=__«=:
.—
'
23
sages in the Arabian Nights are so evidently extrinsic, and many
of them quotations from other works, that it would not be surprising if a later editor interpolated them in the text from the
same motive which actuates some modern playwrights to insert
bed-room scenes and suggestive lines in their plays. Only the
old Arabs were more sincere about it, and did not stop at halfmeasures which, though more decent, are more injurious to morality. Nor must we forget that the more primitive people were
less prudish and more sexually frank than we are today. Even
in the Bible and the Dialogues of Plato we come across passages
which, according to our modern norms, cannot be regarded as
anything else but indecent.
The language of the Arabian Nights is neither the classical
Arabic nor the vernacular, but a happy mixture of the two, a
mixture which adds to the charm of the Arabic original. I must
confess that I cannot agree with many Arab stylists that its language, for that reason, is inferior. In its way it is just as classical
as the Mu'alakat of the famous pre-Islamic poets, and have just
as much right to be considered literature. Personally, I give them
first rank in Arabic literature, far superior to the Makamat of
al-Hariri or the panegyrics of al-Mutanabi.
It is very unfortunate that Arab literature was dominated
for a long period, and almost up to the present, by standards of
literary excellency which derived their authority from rhetoric,
not from psychological considerations. With the exception of its
lyrical love poetry, and such gems as the Arabian Nights and the
Romance of 'Antar, Arabic literature, we, must be frank to admit
it, is rather mediocre and empty. The pity of it is that it is full
of suggestive themes and dramatic and operatic inspirations to
supply more than one Shakespeare and more than one Wagner.
Will the Arabic world produce them: We do not know; but we
hope that it will; we look forward to an eclectic genius like the
author of the Arabian Nights, but on a higher and more magnificent scale.
Said the famous Persian Bazur-Jumhar to Chosrau Anushurwan, "Who of your children is most beloved by you?" The
Persian king replied: "He who is most anxious in learning, most
abhorent of shameful deeds and most aspirant to the station that
is above him."
A
�»
"—
24
THE SYRIAN WORLD
The Lion in the Orchard
<An Arabian Nights* Story.
It is related that a certain king went up to the roof of his
palace sight-seeing, and he saw on the roof of a house adjoining
his palace a woman more beautiful than whom his eyes had
never beheld before. He turned to one of his slave-girls and
asked:
"Whose is this one?"
"She is the wife of thy servant Fayrouz," replied the slavegirl.
The king then stepped down, and calling Fayrouz to his
presence, commanded him saying:
"Take this letter and go to such a town and bring me back
an answer."
Fayrouz bowed before the king, and, taking the letter in
hand, went away to his home. He put the letter under his pillow
and slept home that night, and in the morning bade his wife
farewell and went in the way of the king's business, not knowing
what the latter had designed for him.
As for the.king, no sooner had Fayrouz left than he went
disguised to his house and knocked gently at the door.
The woman, answering the knock, inquired: "Who is at the
door?"
"It is the king, the lord of your husband."
Tremblingly she opened the door as she muttered under a
suppressed breath:
"I take refuge in Allah on account of this visit."
"Woe to thee," cried the king indignantly, "knowest thee
not that I am the king?"
"Yes," retorted the woman, "and I also realize what the
poet said:
'I leave your water untouched,
Since many have drunk therefrom.
If a fly should fall over a food,
I lift my hand from it, though hungry I may be,
So also does a lion avoid a spring
From which a dog has lapped.' n
�!
MAY, 1927
2S
Then she added:
"Wouldst thou come to drink from where thy servant has
drunk?"
The king was ashamed at this reprimand from the woman,
and went away hurriedly, forgetting his sandals behind him.
In the meantime, Fayrouz had not gone very far when he
discovered that he had forgotten the king's letter under his pillow. He went back in search of it, and as soon as he crossed the
threshold of his house he found the king's sandals there. He suspected perfidy, realizing the real reason why the king sent him
away with the letter. He did not say a word, but, taking the
king's letter in hand, resumed his mission.
' On his return, however, he approached his wife, and putting
a hundred dinars in her hand, said:
"Go to your father's home with this present from his majesty i behold, take it and spend it on your folks!"
The woman, though a little surprised, made no complaint,
but went straightforward to her father's home.
Days and months passed and Fayrouz made no inquiry
about his wife, nor visited her. Her folks were troubled, for
they suspected a reason for this cold treatment, but could not
think of any. Finally, her brother went to Fayrouz and, demanding an explanation for his behavior towards his sister, said:
"Either tell us the cause of your disaffection, or come with
us to court to settle the matter."
"Let it be the court," said Fayrouz.
Now, when the case was brought before the cadi, it happened that the latter was sitting to the side of the king's throne,
and the king was listening to what was going on but spoke
not a word.
"What is your complaint?" asked the cadi of the wife s
brother, who replied:
,
"O just cadi, we turned over to this fellow an orchard in good
condition, with a wall around it. He ate its fruits, destroyed its
wall, and left it."
.
"What say you to this?" said the cadi, turning to Payrouz.
Fayrouz replied:
,
"It is true that they turned over to me the orchard in good
condition, and 1 did not leave the orchard because of any displeasure; but one day, as I came into my orchard, I found traces
of a lion there, and fearing the might of the king of beasts, I
withdrew from the orchard unwillingly."
�26
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Upon hearing this, the king, who was listening, as he leaned on one side, straightened himself up and said:
"Fear not, O Fayrouz, for the lion has not touched thy
orchard, not even a fruit nor a leaf thereof. By Allah, I have
never seen a more impregnable orchard than thine."
Fayrouz, now that his mind was put at ease, took his wife
home. And it is said that neither the cadi nor anybody else in
the court beside the principals knew what the true facts were.
FOILING A DESPOT
A man who was doomed to death by order of al-Hajjaj
Ibn Yusuf, the despot of Kufa under the Umayyads, approached
the latter's chamberlain and pleaded with him saying:
"Grant me the favor of interviewing al-Hajjaj before I am
executed."
The chamberlain conveyed the wish of the condemned man
to the governor, who granted him his request. When ushered
into the presence of al-Hajjaj he said:
"My only request, O Emir, is to walk with thee from one
end of the court hall to the other. I may remain handcuffed,
for I intend no harm."
Al-Hajjaj consented, and as the two reached the end of the
hall, the prisoner turned to the Emir and said:
"Now I can say that I accompanied the Emir, and none is
there who is more considerate in the fulfillment of the conditions
of companionship."
Al-Hajjaj smiled, saying:
"Set him free. By Allah, he is right!" Then he ordered
that a reward be given him besides.
A MATTER OF INTERPRETATION
A Persian, famous for his eloquence, spoke excessively one
day. Next to him sat a Bedwin. When the Persian was through,
he turned to the Bedwin and said:
"What do your people call eloquence, O Arab?"
The Bedwin replied: "Brevity of Speech."
"WThat, then, call they ineloqucnce?" inquired the Persian.
"It is what you have been demonstrating all this day,"
promptly retorted the Bedwin.
�MAY, 1927
27
Irrigation in Syria and Lebanon
f
The rejuvenation of Syria and Lebanon, and the restoration
of their lost prosperity and felicity through irrigation, are envisaged in an article which appeared in Al-Bachir, based on a
study by Edmond Bishara, a Syrian engineer, on "Irrigation in
the Near East", which he gave in a series of lectures at St. Joseph's University, Beirut.
Mr. Bishara considers it quite strange that adjoining countries like Egypt and Iraq spare no effort in increasing the acreage
of irrigated lands, while agriculturists in Syria and Lebanon, rich
in streams, sufficient to irrigate at least one million hectars, stir
not a finger in that direction.
These two countries, declares Mr. Bishara, possess one
big river, Euphrates, and four other important ones, Orontes,
Litani, Barada and Yarmuk, besides others of less importance
which debouch in the Mediterranean, between Tyre and Alexandretta
With the exception of the Syrian Desert, these rivers and streams have a total basin area of 7 million hectars, only
half of which is arable today.
It is possible, according to this engineer, to increase this
arable area by at least one million hectars, 80,000 of which are
in Lebanon, by irrigation projects which would prove in the long
run profitable investments to capitalists who would undergo the
venture, beside their incalculable economic benefits to an impoverished land incapable of supporting its population. One of the
gravest causes of emigration would thus be obviated.
In ancient times Syria knew how to utilize its abundent waters.
Whether under the Phoenicians, Chaldeans, Egyptians,
Greeks or Romans, declares this engineer, Syria knew how to
exploit the waters of the rivrs, as is evident from some names
and remains which have come to us from those remote times.
The lake of Emesia, 12 kilometers by 4, which lay at the base of
the Lebanon mountain, is an artificial one which Diocletian, the
Roman emperor, caused to be dammed for the irrigation of the
lands of Horns, the ancient Emesia. Similarly the conduits in
the environs of Horns, Hama, Damascus and Palmyra, were
laid down to conduct the infiltration of water from the surface
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
28
to arid places. The Roman aqueduct over the Beirut River was
a great engineering feat as it stood 50 meters high and 240 meters long. Remains of .other Roman aqueducts, such as the one
in Jubail, meant to carry the waters of River Ibrahim, and the
one near B'abdat, stand to the present day.
Many of the large cities of ancient Syria, which sprang on
the banks or near the springs of rivers, have vanished through
neglect of irrigation. Of Jubail, Kadis, Chalsis and Seleucia only
the ruins remain.
Especially the Phoenicians, the original inhabitants of Syria,
this authority informs us, distinguished themselves for their irrigation projects even in their African colonies. During their
times Syria flourished with rich fields of wheat and barley, and
orchards of vine, olive and other fruit trees.
In its present boundaries, Lebanon has an acreage of arable
lands which amounts to 135,000 hectars as follows:
The
The
The
The
The
Buka' Valley
Plain of 'Akkar
plain between Beirut and Sidon
plain between Beirut and Tripoli
Plateau of Amion
Total
Hectars
95,000
12,000
13,000
10,000
5,000
135,000
Of this it is possible to reclaim 80,000 hectars by improved
irrigation. Taking this as a basis, Mr. Bishara estimates the cost
of the reclamation at 1,600,000 Egyptian pounds at the rate of
4 pounds a hectar, which, extended over a term of 20 years,
would mean an increase of only 80,000 Egyptian pounds in annual taxes, not an unbearable burden for the government of
Lebanon. This would be more than overset by the gain of the
country, estimated at 400,000 Egyptian pounds annually, from
the date of the completion of the project. The ratio of cost
and gain to Syria is estimated at ten to one in comparison with
Lebanon.
The author deprecates the false economy of the present
governments of Syria and Lebanon, which has deterred them
from launching on this profitable experiment, and predicts that
unless undertaken now it will only add to the economic decadence
of these two countries.
�MAY, 1927
29
Famous Cities of Syria
Antioch
(The City of God)
I
To many the name Antioch brings to mind the story of Ben
Hur and his thrilling chariot race with Massala, while to others
it revives memories of the Sunday School days and the exasperating task of memorizing the complicated journeys of St. Paul's
missions, which almost always began and ended in Antioch.
The city of Antioch lies at the base of the mountain known
in classical days as Mt. Silpius, bounded to the north by the
Orontes River. It is a sylvan retreat at the juncture of the Syrian coast and that of Asia Minor, both bending eastward at a
little distance from the mouth of the Orontes.
Far enough from the sea to insure security and near enough
to inspire that love of sea-faring dear to the hearts of the ancient
Greeks, Antioch early became a centre of Greek settlement and
culture. It was as if a typical Greek city was transplanted magically from the serrated coast of Greece, across the Aegean and
Mediterranean seas, to the western coast of Syria.
Few remnants have been left to indicate the greatness of
this city which was once called "the Queen of the East" and "Antioch the Glorious", and which gained eternal fame as the mother-city of Christianity, and has still remained, nominally, the see
of the primate patriarchates of the Eastern churches. Chief
among these remnants is the old city-wall, portions of which are
still in a good state of preservation, which runs across valleys,
hills and dales, showing to what extent the proud old city has
shrunken. Today it is but a mocking satire of its former self,
occupying about one tenth of its area at the height of its development. Its present population does not exceed 30,000, whereas
in the 4th century A. D., it was said to number about half a million.
In contrast to its narrow and dark streets, ancient Antioch
once prided itself on its wide and colonnaded thoroughfares,throbbing with life and activity. One of these, the main one, running
�I
30
THE SYRIAN WORLD
parallel to the Orontes River, was more than 4 miles long. Many
public buildings, magnificent and graceful, lined this street and
the one running through the centre of the city at right angles to
it. Of special interest was the Nyphaeum, where public nuptial
ceremonies were held.
"At night," runs a description of the city, "the streets were
brilliantly illumined by lights rivaling the light of day. The Antiocheans turned night into day, not looking for security, but
pleasure. Night became a part of day, and the most beautiful
part. Especially were the baths and the approaches thereto illumined."
The history of Antioch was contemporaneous with that of
the Seleucid Dynasty of which it was the capital and which it
outlived. It was founded in the year 300 B. C. by Seleucus
Nicator, the founder of the dynasty, in the 12th year of his reign.
He called it after his father Antiochus, a famous Greek general
under Philip of Macedonia, father of Alexander the Great. Some,
however, hold that he named it after his son who was also called
Antiochus.
The choice of the site of Antioch was made rather arbitrarily by Seleucus, and its population was composed of Greek veterans, some tracing their ancestry to proud Athens, and of Syrian
natives and Jewish settlers who found in Greek life and culture
a refuge from the irksome yoke of the Law of Moses. About
5,000 of the inhabitants were said to have been removed from
the nearby city,of Antegonia, built by Antigonus, which Seleucus
destroyed when he conquered him.
The thing for which Antioch stands most in the minds of
students of history, especially in the Greek and Roman periods,
is the libertine and licentious life for which its famous suburb,
Daphne, was famous.
The legend which became identified with this place is an
index of its character. It is said that Daphne was a nymph which
Apollo pursued, and as he drew upon her and she was almost
within his reach she was metamorphosed into a laurel, or daphne
tree. The legend of course was invented to explain the prevalance of daphne or laurel in that spot. Daphne was dedicated
to Apollo, for whom a magnificent temple rose there. Apollo
was the protecting deity of Seleucus and his family, and his
temple was given the right of asylum. This meant that criminals, whatever the nature of their crimes, found refuge in
it, and as long as they remained there they were unmolested.
mgs,
was.
a.
�MAY, 1927
31
This, perhaps, explained the large number of objectionable characters in that city. Several descriptions have come down to us of
Daphne and its erotic life. It was often cited by Christian fathers of Antioch and others as a flagrant example of the effect
of idolatry on morals.
Sozomen, a Christian writer of the 5th century, thus describes the place, as quoted by E. S. Bouchier in his book, A Short
History of Antioch:
"Daphne, the celebrated suburb of Antioch, is adorned with
a grove thickly set with cypress and varied with other plants interspersed. Beneath the trees the earth brings forth every kind
of fragrant flower as the seasons change. A roof rather than a
shade covers the whole area, and the closeness of the branches suffers not the rays to strike the ground. The abundance and beauty
of the waters, the temperate climate, the breath of gentle breezes
lend it only too much charm. ,The sons of the Gentiles tell how
Daphne, daughter of the River Ladon, fleeing from Arcadia before her lover Apollo, changed into a plant named from her;
and how he, not even then quiet of his passion, clasped her about
though now a tree, and honored the place above any that he
favoured, by making his abode there. This suburb being such
as we have described, it was thought disgraceful for men of
sobriety to set foot therein. The site and nature of the place,
well adapted to foster luxurious ease, as well as the amatory
character of the legend, doubled the passion of youth of corrupt
mind on the least provocation. Alleging the myth as an excuse,
they were still inflamed, and could not endure to see persons of
respectability there."
An annual festival in honor of Apollo was held at Daphne,
at which gorgeous processions were held, and noisy music with
different Syrian and Greek instruments was indulged in. Gladiatorial games were introduced later under Roman influence,
but they were never popular to the soft-hearted, pleasure-loving
Antioch eans.
Antioch and Daphne boasted of many magnificent buildings, temples, baths, palaces, etc. The most celebrated of these
was, perhaps, the temple of Apollo in Daphne.
"It was amphyprostyle," says Bouchier in his description of
it, "with rows of columns on two sides, and had other rows in
the sanctuary or cella. Its walls were bright with colored marbles,
and the roof was panelled with cypress-wood. Within were statues of kings and benefactors, but the pride of the temple — in-
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
deed, of all Antioch — was the colossal statue of Apollo, made
for Seleucus by the Athenian sculptor Bryaxis, and preserved till
the destructive fire during the visit of Julian, which left the
building a ruin. This statue of Apollo as Musagetes, leader of
the Muses, and playing a harp, appears on the local coinage, as
that of Antioch us Epiphanes, who enlarged or rebuilt the temple." This statue reached almost to the ceiling, and it was made
of different materials, which the sculptor mixed up together.
"The god's hair was of gold," continues the description of Bouchier, "interwined with a golden laurel wreath; his eyes were
two jacinths of great size; he wore a long tunic, held a sacrificial
bowl in one hand, and with the other touched a harp, his mouth
open as if singing."
The age of Antiochus Epiphanes, 2nd century B. C, which
was distinguished for its barbaric persecution of the Jews who
resisted the Seleucid policy of Hellenizing the East, was also
distinguished for its lavishness on the already Grecian city of Antioch. Even the Jews who lived in Antioch were more tolerant
to other religions, and more sympathetic with the Hellenic culture. Daphne had a synagogue from an early date. Antiochus
Eupator, son of Antiochus Epiphanes, restored to the Jews of
Antioch a number of sacred objects brought from Jerusalem by
his father, among these the bones of the seven Maccabees who
were put to death by Antiochus Epiphanes one by one, followed
by their mother, Asmunit, under cruel and revolting circumstances.
Jewish tolerance in Antioch was, perhaps, the principal reason for the progress there of Hellenic Christianity, preached by
Paul, in contrast to Judaistic Christianity, espoused first by Peter,
James and the other Apostles. Antioch opened its arms to Paul
because it had already learned to reason like him, and because
the same problems which faced this Jewish Apostle to the Gentiles
faced the Jews of Antioch. For many of Paul's converts in Antioch and other cities of Asia Minor were Jews. Yet so entrenched
were the Jewish traditions of Antioch in the early Christian
church that Chrysostom, who deprecated this Jewish influence,
preached a sermon on the occasion of the festival of the seven
Maccabees, which was regularly celebrated by the Christians of
Antioch. Many of the Christian women of Antioch also used
to visit the Jewish synagogues to fulfill their vows, or seek the
counsel of Jewish rabbis.
It was this Jewish influence, Bouchier believes, which made
�A view of modern Antioch from Mount Silpius. In the middle background is the Orontes River. Beyond stretch fertile plains for many miles.
�RELICS OF OLD GLORY
Ruins of the Church of St. Simeon Stylites, near Antioch.
The doorway of the Monaster y of St. Simeon Stylites.
St. Simeon was the first and most famous of a group ofhermits known as Pillar-her mits, spending their lives on
top of a pillar.
�mmm
MAY, 1927
33
Antioch susceptible to Arian and Nestorian tendencies, unlike
Alexandria, which was more thoroughly Grecian, and in which
the traditions of Greek Christianity was preserved through the
writings of the Alexandrian school of Church Fathers, a direct
heir to the decadent Platonic philosophy.
The story of the Church of Antioch goes back almost to the
rise of Christianity, certainly to the rise of the Christian Church.
Its first bishop, according to the church historian Eusebius, was
Eudius. Others hold that Ignatius, the first martyr of Antioch,
was its first bishop. Ignatius was "a hearer of St. John", and it
is said that he was raised to the office of bishop by St. Peter.
It is St. Paul, however, who was the true founder of the
Antiochean Church, the first and for a time the foremost of the
Hellenized churches which, under the leadership of St. Paul,
emancipated itself completely from Jewish traditions and influences. As a separate church, it was Antioch, not Jerusalem,
which saw the birth of Christianity. The story of how Christianity came to be independent of Judaism, as related in Acts,
Chap. 15, and Galatians, Chaps. 1 and 2, is one of the most fascinating and romantic chapters in the checkered life of St. Paul.
Of the many subsequent bishops of Antioch, none stands
out more prominently than St. Chrysostom "the golden mouthed", orator of the Church. He preached in a magnificent church
built by Constantine, closed by Julian and then restored to Christian use by Jovian. It was of octogenal plan, with a domical roof
and of great height. Its walls were richly ornamented with
mosaic and statues.
Ten Church Councils were held in Antioch between the
years 252 and 380. For several centuries, beginning with the
4th A. D., Antioch plied a thriving trade with the Far East, and
we have today many descriptions of this city by Chinese merchants
and travelers who visited it, and on whose imagination it left a
lasting impression.
A great earthquake destroyed Antioch in the reign of Justin,
526 A. D., and it was restored to its former splendor by Justinian. It was after this that Antioch received its name, Theofolis
(the City of God), which we still encounter in official Church
documents. The Arabic translation, "Madinat-Allah Antakia",
is doubtless familiar to some readers of this magazine.
The Arabs occupied Antioch, along with the rest of Syria,
in the campaign of Khaled Ibn al-Walid and Abu 'Ubaida al-
�i niinnwm
34
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Jarrah in the year 635. Its last Greek emperor was Hcraclius,
the "Herakl" of the Arabs.
After four centuries of Mohammedan occupation it was
restored to Christian rule by Nicephorus Phocas in the 10th century, only to fall in the hands of the Seljuks in the year 1084
A. ].). Fourteen years later it was occupied by the Crusaders.
"Boemond I, the son of Robert Guiscard, became Prince of Antioch; and its history was again Christian for nearly two centuries, till the time of Boemond IV, when it fell under the power
of the Sultan of Egypt and the Mamlukes in 1268 A. D." From
that date, we are told, its decline has been steady and continuous.
in more recent times the two outstanding events of Antioch
were its conquest by Ibrahim Pasha, the Egyptian aspirer to a
Syrian kingdom, in 1832, and its occupation by the Allies in 1918.
The trade of Antioch before the Great War was considered
insignificant and must have grown more so since the secession
of Syria from Turkey, for Antioch was a trade post between Syria
and Anatolia, and Turkish is still spoken in the city equally with
Arabic and Armenian. Licorice is exported from Antioch to America, and maize to Europe. Antiochean knives are famed for their
quality.
Whatever fate holds for the economic and commercial future of Antioch, it will always retain its scenic charm and beauty.
The late Prof. William H. Hall of the American University of
Beirut, in his article on Antioch in the American Geographic
Magazine of August, 1920, was, perhaps, not far wrong when he
advanced the suggestion that St. John had this city in mind with
its wide and brilliant streets, with the river passing in the midst
thereof, when he described the glories of heaven, the New Jerusalem.
HOW POETS STAND
Al-Nabigha al-Ja'di, the poet of the tribe of Beni Ja'da,
refrained from poetry forty days, his muse not being in the
mood to inspire him. Then, one day, when Beni Ja'da won a
victory in a raid against a neighboring tribe, the poet was moved
by joy and recited a poem.
His tribesmen came to him and congratulated him saying,
"by Allah, we rejoice more that our poet has resumed reciting
poetry, than at our victory over our enemy."
�MAY, 1927
35
Agriculture in the Near East
This information was prepared by Mr. Chas. D. Martin,
of the Agricultural Implements Division of the Bureau of Domestic and Foreign Commerce, and published in "Commerce Reports" of April 11, 1927. It is based chiefly on reports of American Consular agents and commercial attaches and gives a comprehensive idea of the agricultural situation in Syria and other
countries of the Near East as indicated by the demand for agricultural implements.
EDITOR.
The countries of western Asia have not yet adopted modern
farming methods to any great extent. Certain factors have combined in nearly all the countries in this part of Asia to hinder and
obstruct the development of agriculture along modern lines.
Among them are the innate conservatism of the people; their
lack of education and money, and the general dryness and aridity
prevailing over large areas.
TURKEY.
Some progress has been shown in Turkey since the war in
the introduction of modern agricultural implements, although a
setback occurred in 1926, as unfavorable climatic conditions caused a material decrease in the agricultural production of the country last year. The economic and commercial situation was generally uncertain throughout the year, and this was aggravated by
the enactment of new measures of taxation and the creation of a
number of State monopolies. In 1925, however, there was a general improvement in the agricultural and economic situation,
which stimulated the trade in agricultural implements. However, purchase of American implements decreased considerably in
1926, amounting to only $115,670, as compared with $267,065
in 1925.
The Turkish market gives decided preference to American
power- farm and harvesting machinery. Imports of tractors from
the United States in 1926 amounted to 8, valued at $7,882, as
compared with 23, valued at $21,246, in 1925. However, a large
number of tractors have been sold in Turkey which came into
�$6
THE SYRIAN WORLD
the country from various Mediterranean ports, and consequently
do not appear in the statistics of shipments to Turkey. Total imports of American tractors in 1925 amounted to over 700 machines
most of which were light wheel tractors. Many power harvesting
units are imported from France and Germany, but they are largely of American origin. Most of the tractor plows used in Turkey
are also of American make.
Horse plows and old-fashioned reaping machinery are the
most important items among the horse-drawn implements imported into Turkey. Excepting for the Smyrna, Aidin, and Magnesia districts, the horse plows used in Turkey are mostly of German and Czechoslovak makes. The preference for German plows
is largely the result of sales by the Bagdad Railway Co. of German implements of various kinds to farmers along the line of
their railroad.
In general the use of modern farm equipment is increasing
steadily but slowly in Turkey, and the Government and agricultural schools are making a strong effort toward acquainting farmers with the use and advantages of up-to-date machines. The
principal imports of implements into Turkey are plows, reapers,
binders, and threshers, imports of other classes of implements
being unimportant.
SYRIA.
Syria is of moderate importance as an agricultural country,
and modern agricultural implements and machinery are used,
but the poverty of the population and the abundance of relatively cheap labor serve to prevent the extensive use of such equipment. The demand for implements in Syria is limited, and imports of agricultural machinery from the United States in 1926
were negligible, amounting to only $7,898. However, the farm
land is well adapted to use of machinery, and, although this market does not offer much inducement at present, there are possibilities for creating a demand for modern implements.
PALESTINE.
The market for implements in Palestine lies principally
among the Jewish and German colonies, of which over 100 exist
in the country. Most types of modern implements are used in
these colonies, and a favorable factor tending to their greater use
is the rapid increase in the number of young farmers with skilled
knowledge of modern agriculture. The native Arabs still cling
�MAY, 1927
37
to the primitive methods of their ancestors, but a number of British steel plows have been sold to the Arab farmers. Germany is
the chief source of supply for the implements used in Palestine,
followed by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and
Czechoslovakia. Shipments of farm equipment from the United
States to Palestine decreased from $30,420 in 1925 to $5,552 in
1926. The chief factors limiting the sale of American implements are higher prices and transportation costs. Less expensive
implements are generally preferred in the simpler types, but
quality is the most important factor in the more complicated implements.
ARABIA—IRAQ.
The Arabian Peninsula consists of a large desert area with
the exception of a few fringes around the coast. There is, of
course, some agriculture in this region, but none of any importance. The agricultural methods prevailing in Iraq (Mesopotamia), which lies to the north of the Arabian Peninsula proper,
are similar to those in vogue in the same region centuries ago and,
consequently, the country does not yet rank as an important market for agricultural implements. Its annual purchases are small
and the chief promise for an increase lies in the development of
irrigated areas. The country is largely dry and arid and irrigation is essential to agricultural development. At present there is
an ample labor supply to cultivate the crops grown on existing
irrigated areas, but when the various agricultural schemes in contemplation are completed it is expected that the demand for labor
will exceed the supply, and this will naturally create a demand
for labor-saving farm equipment. A few tractors have been introduced, nearly all of one American make, and a few reapers
and binders are being used in the country. There is some demand
for pumping outfits for irrigation work but, on the whole, the
present market for agricultural machinery is negligible.
PERSIA.
Conditions in Persia are similar to those in Iraq. Present
agriculture is still in the primitive stage in which it has been for
centuries. The ox is the work animal of the peasant and a primitive wooden implement serves as a plow. The water supply is
insufficient throughout a large part of the country, but little has
been done toward establishing modern irrigation works, although
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
some irrigation is effected by a system of shallow and open ditches
owned and administered by the large landholders. The principal
problem is one of water conservation, as the water supply is dependent upon the winter snowfall, except in the Caspian and Gulf
littorals, where precipitation is heeavy. The most encouraging
features about Persia as a market are the recent economic improvements in the country and the favorable attitude of the Government toward the introduction of modern agricultural implements.
EXCELLENT REPLY
When al-Fadl Ibn Sahi was killed in battle, the Caliph alMamoun went to his mother to console her.
"Grieve not, mother, for I shall be a son in his place to
you," said the Caliph.
"How shall I not grieve," replied the mother, "over a son
whose substitute is the Prince of the Believers?"
The Caliph was so surprised at the excellence of her reply
that he remarked to those around him: "Verily, I have never
heard a better reply, nor one that mollifies the heart more."
PRESTIGE UNBOUNDED
The Umayyad caliph Abdul-Malek Ibn Marwan asked concerning an Arab chieftain, Malek Ibn Misma', and his prestige
and extent of power. He was told:
"If Malek Ibn Misma' should be moved to war by wrath,
a hundred thousand swordsmen would rally to his call, not one
of whom would ask why he was wrathful."
"This, by Allah, is true lordship," declared the Caliph envyingly.
The child is a trust in his parents' keeping.
Al-Ghazali.
He who wishes to add to his knowledge should mix with
people other than his own
(Arabic)
�-
—
MAY, 1927
39
NOTES AND COMMENTS
By
THE EDITOR
And now it is the professional promoter of sight-seeing
tours through the Syrian quarter in New York who advertises
the show in true showman's fashion, exacts what he terms only
a ''nominal charge", and seeks to show his patrons strange people
in their native habitat.
For such tours to be conducted on a frankly avowed business
basis there would be some semblance of an excuse, but to allure
patrons by high—resounding and appealing names, such as "Reconciliation Trips" and "Fellowship of Faiths", and to neither
reconcile nor create any fellowship, is a plain travesty on truth.
Nay, the trips that are being conducted in the Syrian quarter, and
quite naturally in other quarters, give us the impression that they
are designed and planned in such a manner as to appeal to the sense
of humor, to satisfy the sense of curiosity, and to give the patrons
a feeling of a sense of superiority. In this respect these trips run
adverse to their advertised purpose because they antagonize and
embitter instead of reconciling, and engender a feeling of distance
and repulsion instead of nearness and sympathy. And it is for
this reason that we resent and oppose them as at present conducted.
These trips seem to have been conducted for a long time,
but, as it seems also, in a secretive manner and unbeknown to the
general public of the sections visited. For this reason they have
gone unchallenged for a long time. But, at sometime or other,
no secret but shall be revealed, as the gentleman who conducts
these trips well knows.
The last such trip to take place was on Saturday evening,
April 9th. On that particular day Washington Street, the hub of
the Syrian quarter, was almost deserted because most Syrians had
gone home to make ready to attend a play given by the Committee of St. Nichola's Orthodox Cathedral and advertised long before. A few stragglers remained who had to have their dinner
at the restaurants. The editor of THE SYRIAN WORLD happened
to be at the Sheik Restaurant, and just about when the few patrons were preparing to leave in began to file some two-score
American young women for whom special tables had Hen rc•
I
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
served for a dinner party. A Syrian young man, who proved to
be the speaker of the evening, arrived later. The party was
chaperoned by a Mr. Clarence V. Howell who explained to his
proteges some of the secrets of the Syrian culinary art, principally that the recipes of the dishes they were eating antedated the
time of Christ. He then announced that the party was to break
up and a section would go to attend the Chinese theater while
those remaining would be entertained by a speech.
The Syrian speaker, having arrived rather late, was, of
course, unprepared, but Mr. Howell said the party would be
satisfied with the previous speech he had delivered on a former
occasion to a similar group. They wanted that speech verbatim—
with no additions or omissions. It was educational and entertaining — well designed for reconciliation purposes. Here is the
gist of it:
"Syria, geographically, was intended by nature to be one
single unit. France, as the mandatory power, has divided it up
into several small States to frustrate any attempt at unity.
"He, the speaker, as a Syrian nationalist, appeals to the
Americans present to use their influence with their government
to prevent a settlement of the war debts that would be favorable
to France, because she would use the money in equipping military expeditions against the Syrians.
"Secretary of State Kellogg is incompetent and should be
relegated to a country school-house. (We doubt that the speaker
is even an American citizen.)
"All statements to the country notwithstanding, the American University of Beirut has had an active part in the Syrian revolution, and its alumni favor and work for the success of the
liberation movement, even if the Faculty and other deluded
gentlemen here and abroad lack the backbone to admit the fact.
"The Syrian Christians are the ones responsible for France's
occupation of Syria. The Christians were traitors, never loyal
to their country or government. This is sufficient justification
for the many massacres that had befallen them. If the Moslems
and the Druzes massacred six thousand Syrian Christians in 1860,
France has more than evened the score by massacring ten thousand of them in the past two years. Islam is more tolerant than
Christianity.."
The speaker was a Christian.
And his speech was the exact one he had delivered on previous occasions!
/
�MAY, 1927
41
The editor of THE SYRIAN WORLD sat through it all. He
felt that free speech was the privilege of everybody, whether in
religious or political matters. But he resented the branding of
Syrian Christians as traitors deserving of massacre. He told Mr.
Howell so. in as forceful language as he could command. These
trips, he argued, when conducted on partisan lines and with preconceived prejudice, can have no other result than injury to the
Syrian name. Hurling accusations of treason on the Syrian Christians, under the auspices and with the knowlelge and connivance
of a Christian minister of the Gospel, such as Mr. Howell is, will
only widen the breach between Christians and Mohammedans.
Of this intolerance we have had enough in our country of birth,
and we do not intend to permit it to grow and thrive here in our
country of choice. The trips of Mr. Howell, therefore, are misnomers in that their outcome is exactly the opposite of reconciliation.
We have warned Mr. Howell in a personal letter that if
he were to persist in conducting his trips along former lines he
could not1 be welcome among the Syrians. We are only anxious
to have people understand us as we are, and in such an effort
our best elements will gladly co-operate. But we refuse to be
exploited for the benefit of anybody and to our hurt and detriment. Mr. Howell had as guests on that occasion a number of
Syrian young women. Their reaction to what was said and done
was one of shock and disgust. He need entertain no doubt that
the sentiment of the whole community will be of the same trend
once his activities become known.
And it is our intention to uncover and make known all such
activities and run them down to the ground. People who want
to exploit and misrepresent us are not welcome with us. But, we
repeat, those who come to us with an open mind and a willingness for sympathetic understanding we stand ready to welcome
at all times with open arms. There can be no compromise on this
issue, as it affects the honor of the race, and of our race we have
ample reason to feel proud. America herself would not want
us otherwise now that we have become a part of the nation and
are making honest and sincere efforts at bringing about the desired national homogeneity. Those who work to antagonize and
alienate prospective Americans by such tactics and methods are
the worst enemies of America. We propose to be good Americans by opposing such tactics.
�.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
42
THE LAST WORD
In his personal letter to the editor accompanying his contribution published in this issue, Dr. M. Shadid remarks that "all
the replies but one seemed to side with your view of the matter.
I can hardly believe that on my side of the controversy I do not
have more supporters. I feel I am entitled to the courtesy of
amplifying my position as the matter seems to be debatable and
according to the rules of debate the affirmative has the last
word."
. .
We trust that this remark of the esteemed physician does
not carry the imputation that we are applying discrimination
against him in the conduct of the debate. He may rest assured
that we are as anxious to give publicity to the views of his supporters as to those of his opponents. It is true, as he remarks,
that he has struck a sensitive chord in touching on the subject of
discrimination and the advisability of the return of Syrians to
their homeland, but it was not a sympathetically responsive chord.
The doctor should concede to others the liberty of thought and
action and think well of them besides.
And now that Dr. Shadid has said the last word, and that
others have been found who support him in whole or in part, we
feel that the case has been given a fair trial at the court of public
opinion and hope that future discussions of this subject will be
devoid of personal references and confined to the general treatment of the problem in its wider aspect without mention of individual cases. Our purpose is to protect individuals and direct
discussions towards a more general channel. The relative phases
of the economic, social and political conditions of Syrians at home
and abroad may be treated according to the various viewpoints
with the fullest liberty of expression, but references to individuals should be eliminated in the future, otherwise the editor
will freely exercise his prerogative of rejecting communications
or deleting objectionable references of this character. In the
case of Dr. Shadid, we believe now as heretofore that he has
shown exceptional moral courage in citing his own case as an illustration of his point and in support of his arguments, but neither will it be fair to him nor productive of any public benefit to
have the controversy continue to revolve around his personality.
Our readers, therefore, are invited to express themselves in
general terms on the two pivotal points of the controversy, namely:
�I II III
li mil.
MAY, 1927
43
1 — Are the Syrians discriminated against as a race, and if so,
why?
2 — Is it advisable for Syrian emigrants to return to their homeland, and if so, on what grounds?
We believe a continuation of the discussion on the above
premises cannot fail to be productive of good results in that it
will either shake loose or stabilize definitely the unsteady and
wavering elements amongst us who, by their dual allegiance, or
lack of allegiance, occupy an anomalous position and are capable
of producing no benefit either to one country or the other.
This publication stands for unequivocal, unstinted allegiance and
loyalty to the United States as our country of choice, but with
sympathetic interest in our country of origin.
AN HONEST ORGAN
It is our ambition to make this publication as representative
and as widely informative as possible. We believe that for it
to justify its name, it must record and interpret the activities of
the Syrian World in all their phases; that it should serve as a
clearing house of information about everything Syrian; that
through it may be established a point of contact among Syrians
in the different parts of the world, especially the English-speaking world, in all matters touching on the common problems of
the race; and, furthermore, that by virtue of its publication in
the English language, other races will find in it a source of authentic and accurate information about us which will admit them
to our inner councils and afford them the opportunity of properly understanding us.
It is with this object in view that we are endeavoring to
cover as wide a field as possible. History, literature, political
developments, social changes, intellectual and educational activities,— all are given space and treated in the most unbiased and
disinterested spirit. The department of "The Spirit of the Syrian Press" is a fair gage of this policy, besides being an accurate
record of the trend of Syrian public opinion as well.
Competent critics have judged THE SYRIAN WORLD the
ideal publication in its field, and, on the whole, a well-balanced
publication in every respect.
Nevertheless, we wish to assure our readers that criticisms
and suggestions for improvement are always welcome.
�mmmm
THE SYRIAN WORLD
44
Spirit of The Syrian Press
Under this caption we hope to present from time to time a microcosmic picture of the Arabic press, not only in this country, but wherever
Arabic dailies and magazines reflect the opinions of responsible, thinking
writers who are treating the different problems that confront the Arabicspeaking world from all conceivable angles. Needless to say, we will take
no part in the discussions reproduced, nor assume any responsibility. Our
task will simply consist in selecting, to the best of our knowledge and
with utmost sincerity, what we think is representative of the public opinion as expressed in these editorials.
Editor.
GENUINE BENEVOLENCE
True generosity in these days is
to be found among the peoples of
the West.
True giving which accrues to the
benefit of learning, civilization and
humanity is to be found with them.
They say that France, in proportion to her population, is foremost
among the nations of the world in
charity. We think, rather are convinced, that it is the United States
which carries the standard of useful
charity in this age; and that she
gives in mil'ions of dollars where
others give in francs.
At any rate the charity by which
is meant self-advertising is not
charity.
How noble is the text: "Let not
thy left 'hand know what thy right
hand doeth."
Arab generosity was vain and
boastful, and no benefit to humanity accrued from it. The man who
used to slaughter his camels, sheep,
or even his spirited steeds for his
guests, then follow them when they
had departed to rob them, could not
be considered generous. Nor is one
considered generous whose generosity is not for some 'humanitarian
purpose. Where are the hospitals,
the orphanages and the asylums
which our rich men have built in
Syria? Nay, but where is their
magnanmity concerning the trusts
with which they have been entrusted?
(Al-Hoda, N. Y., April 13, 1927.)
FRANCE RESORTS TO
DIABOLICAL TRICKS
It is sometimes asked, what does
France with the money which she
has mulcted from her victims ? And
our answer is: that she desires to
help with it the Armenians whom
she transported to Syria; that she
is preparing the way for adding
70,000 Armenians to the army she
has now there.
France was requested by the
League of Nations to accept these
Armenian refugees in her own country. She refused them, although she
is in need of them to balance her decreasing birth-rate, but she consented to accept them in Syria. It is a
diabolical trick, worthy of Belzebub!
The Syrians are in great straits,
emigrating from their country by
the thousands in search of livelihood and security; what, then, will
be their condition when these additional thousands pour in on them?
Yet in spite of all these oppressions and heavy taxations you find
many of the oppressed themselves
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MAY, 1927
who seek justice from the mandatory government. It was our impression that the Syrians are a brilliant people, why then do they allow
themselves to be stung by the same
snake twice; why do they circle
around the candle flame, like silly
butterflies, despite the fact that
they had been burned by the same
fire repeatedly before, and many of
them had fallen down lifeless at the
foot of the candle?
Never did it cross our minds before that deserted places are taxed
till France took charge of our affairs in Syria. Nor did we ever
dream that there was ever a government in the world which would justify to itself snatching the mouthful
of charity from hungry infants,
poor women and old people who
have no protector in the world.
(Miraat-ul-Gharb, N. Y.,
April 13, 1927.)
FRENCH SACRIFICE
CHRISTIANS
The Druzes in Syria revolted
against the Government of the
French Mandate and committed
strange and savage atrocities. Yet
in spite of what befell them; in spite
of their subsequent defeat and surrender, their victory over France
and over the peaceful Christians
was considerable. For their united
strength compelled France to resort
to various excuses to grant them
amnesty, one individual after another, and one band after another, until
hardly any of them has been touched
by harm. Whereas the unfortunate
Christians toss on a thorny bed of
sorrow and suffering, because of the
atrocities which were committed
against them, yet scarcely does the
Mandate Government deign to cast
a glance at them, because they are
weak; because they are disunited;
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45
because all the Christians of Syria,
and many of their number in the
countries to which they emigrated,
show no concern in defending their
oppressed Christianity and their
wrecked nationality.
(The Syrian Eagle, N. Y.,
April 2, 1927.)
HOW MOSLEMS OF NEAR EAST
VIEW CHINESE MOVEMENT
The Chinese movement still occupies a precarious position, for while
it has succeeded in stemming the
British policy to an extent which
compelled the English to recoil from
the thought of war, it has not advanced enough to be free from danger.
This in brief is the general situation in the Far East; and we as
Easterners of the Near East, forming a huge nation, the Arab nation,
parts of which are waging a war of
independence, should ask ourselves
what sympathy or bond is there
which unites us with the Chinese,
our brother Easterners, or rather in
Islam, for there are no less than 33
million Chinese Moslems in the district of Yunan?
The first bond which should unite
us with the Chinese is the Oriental
one, in its broad sense. The Chinese
are struggling to attain self-government, and to remove the foreign influence from their country. We are
fighting, therefore, a common enemy, even though our countries, geographically speaking, are far apart,
and our cultures differ. To the enemy we are all a prize to be won, a
sweet morsel to be devoured.
If then in the sight of the enemy
our countries are as one, a prey upon
which he would pounce and tear to
pieces, must not we, who are driven
by his staff to the same slaughtering
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
place, unite our forces and gather most fundamental principles of
our scattered energies to thwart him journalism: fidelity in relating news,
and the service of the public by givand stop him at his limit?
Secondly, the nationalist move- ing publicity to evil deed* and evil
ments in the Near East are moral doers.
If a newspaper does not bind itfuel to each other. The people of
this generation have not forgotten self by such principles, the subscripwhat effect the victory of Japan over tion paid for it is a price paid for
Czarist Russia had on the spirits of reading lies, libel and misleading
the Oriental peoples generally. Were statements, shameful things which
not the victories of the Turks over nobody should go after, let alone
the Greeks, of Abdul-Karim over paying money for.
(Al-Bayan, N. Y., April 13, 1927.)
the Spanish and the French, and the
success of the Egyptian movement
in 1919, of material benefit to the
HUMANITY OF THE DRUZES
East, especially the Near East ? And
how do we know what effect the
We are grateful to the editor of
Syrian revolution will have on suc"al-Watan" for his testimony that
ceeding movements?
Thirdly, we Arabs, in that we are the Druzes are not all murderers,
considered the pillar of Islam and and must say that he has shown
the Moslems, should desire for our fairness this time. But we do not
33 million brethren in China liberty, admit that the Druzes were the ones
independence and the pursuit of suc- to start the quarrel, neither in this
revolution nor at any previous time.
cess and happiness.
Finally, it is the unchangeable The Druzes are a rough people in
law of Creation that the weak should time of war, and no one will deny
prop one another in face of the this, but they are rough in the sense
strong who aspire to subjugate of being stubborn and patient, not
them. It is for the Eastern nations in the sense that they permit license
to unite and to support one another, or commit inhuman atrocities.
The Druzes do not kill children
for this better serves themselves
and women, nor do they attack the
and defies their enemy.
An Arab in Al-Jamiat al-Arabiat. helpless or dispatch the wounded, as
do those civilized French... under
(Copied by Al-Bayan, N. Y.,
the command of military officers
April 1, 1927.)
graduated in Paris... The Druzes
did not throw bombs, on children or
BLINDNESS TO TRUTH
women, nor would they have done it
The francophile papers look at even if they had had aeroplanes.
what is taking place in Syria from Nor would the Druzes fire their
the two ends of a telescope; they guns, if they had any, on the populook at the evil deeds of France lation of a city like Damascus withthrough the small end, and at the out any warning, and kill 1500,
good deeds, if they find any, through mostly children and women, under
the large end. Worse still, these its debris. How often have the
papers ascribe the evil deeds of the Druzes caught compatriots of theirs
French to others, and fabricate good in the ranks of the enemy and set
deeds which have no existence. In them free?
(Al-Bayan, N. Y., April 8, 1927.)
so doing they go contrary to the
J-fc
�MAY, 1927
47
Readers' Forum
i I
IY
DR. SHADID REPLIES
TO HIS CRITICS
Editor The Syrian World:
In the February number of "The
Syrian World" appeared an article
by me entitled "Syria for the Syrians" which seems to have touched
a responsive chord.
Most of the replies, however, do
not meet the arguments as presented, and I will briefly recapitulate
them. I stated that of all countries
Syria is the country of choice for
Syrians to live in for the following
reasons:
1. Because the majority of the
Syrians can fare as well economically in Syria as in the U. S., as
from both an agricultural and industrial standpoint, Syria is a virgin territory.
2. Because Syrians in the U. S.
have been subjected to social ostracism, and in many cases to economic
boycott, not alone by native Americans, but by all those peoples belonging to the branch of the Nordic
race.
3. Because educational and cultural advantages are within easy reach
in Syria to those having children to
educate.
The editor gave us a dissertation
on the principles of true Americanism, the bigotry of the Ku Klux
Klan, the impracticability of a
wholesale exodus of Syrians (which,
by the way, I did not honlTin mind)
from America to their native land,
all of which is true and to tht
point. The fact remains that we
are facing a fact and not a theory.
The fact is that Syrians, like Jews,
are socially ostracised and cannot
be assimilated. "It is regrettable,"
continues the editor, "that he (Dr.
Shadid) should have settled in a
town to which, apparently, he has
rendered splendid professional services as proven by his financial success, and whose narrow-minded citizens refuse to associate with him
socially, merely on account of his
racial extraction."
An echo to this sentiment is voiced by a contributor to the March
issue, who signs himself E. K. S.,
in the following dictum: "In the
case of Dr. M. Shadid the diagnosis
is Elk City-itis". My friend F. H.
Barkett makes the same observation
in his reply in the April number.
The inference to be drawn from
this observation is that social ostracism in my case is strictly a personal and a local matter and is not
applicable in other parts of the
United States. This is erroneous. I
have lived in New York, Saint Louis,
Oklahoma City and other places and
my observation has been that a Syrian is discriminated against by reason of his swarthy color and his
racial extraction. I met the same
discrimination in my college days
in Saint Louis that I am meeting
now in Elk City, Oklahoma. The
disease is not as E. K. S. would
have us believe ELKCITYITIS but
AMERICANITIS. In my college
days I was never asked to join any
of the secret fraternities. Other Syrian students will tell you the same
thing. American snobbery is as real
and cruel as any caste in India. The
American may like you personally
and be very friendly, but because
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
of his racial prejudice you are socially "Taboo". His racial prejudice
is a bar to social intercourse with
you and oftentimes takes the form
of an economic boycott.
The fact that I once was candidate for Congress and that I have
achieved professional success does
not disprove the foregoing assertion. I was candidate of the farmers and laborers, or at least the intelligent section of them and these
are totally free from any prejudice
against a man's nationality or religious affiliation — if they were not
they would still be voting the same
old reactionary party tickets.
While a candidate for Congress
I received from a physician at Granite, Oklahoma, (T. Nunnery, M.D.)
shortly after I made a speech there,
a letter which contained the following:
"Now be informed I am not in
sympathy with your so-called
farmer-labor, socialist rot. Neither do I think you are competent
to tell us Americans what we
should do. And if you are bent
on governmental change eo back
where you come from and tell
them."
Now in my speeches I never uttered unpatriotic sentiments. I spoke
as a progressive American in favor
of social change for the betterment
of the masses of the American people and these speeches were based
on the platform of Robert M. Lafollette who 'headed the ticket. And
yet I received the most insulting letter from an American who has studied in college and medical school.
The chances are 10 to 1 he is a
Kluxer, but the Ku Klux Klan is
made up of the 100 per cent. Americans, so-called, who wield social,
political and business influence at
least in the middle and far West.
No, the disease is Americanitis.
Americans possess many laudable
traits. I like them as a people. I
like their ways and customs and
mode of life. I like their outlook
on life. I like their institutions. I
am not averse to the principles of
true Americanism, but it must be
said in truth that racial prejudice is
a dominant trait in the American
make-up. I am not even finding
fault with them on that account.
Their environment, their history,
their position in the world today
promotes this feeling among them.
I have a letter from an ex-resident
of Beirut telling me that that prejudice is to be found among Americans even in Syria. He says the
wives of Missionaries are afflicted
with a "Superiority-Complex", to
use his own word for it. This is
another term for racial prejudice.
I do not wish to be misunderstood.
I appreciate the American character.
Syria and most of the world owe
a debt of gratitude to America, and
as E. K. S. says, "America has been
too benevolent for us to permit one
or one hundred bigoted so-called
Americans to cause us to lose faith
with our adopted country." I have
not lost faith with America but I,
for one, prefer to live where I do
not have to contend with racial
prejudice. I am very sensitive to
this air of superiority of my fellow
Americans with whom I have to rub
elbows in a business way. Life is
too short to live here with an inferiority-complex in my subconsciousness.
Joseph K. David, of Jacksonville,
Fla., opines in the April number that
this is a manifestation of a "spirit
of defeat" on my part. I do not
think so. On the contrary it is a
spirit of undaunted courage and resolute self-respect on my part to
confess to my honest convictions.
It is an easy matter for me to hyp-
!:
�MAY, 1927
f,
notize myself into the belief that
(as A N. Adwon does in the March
issue) I and my family are as well
thought of and as highly respected
in my community as any hundred
per center, and I would have as
much reason as Mr. Adwon and Mr.
Barkett have for doing so, but it
would be beyond the truth and will
have as much palliative effect as a
dose of a narcotic drug would have
in curing cancer.
In the matter of the economic argument, the editor, in h.'s comment
on my first article, says:
"Viewed in this perspective, we
fail to see the wisdom in advocating the return of the Syrian immigrants to Syria. Not only do
we deem it inadvisable but it may
readily be seen that such a course
is utterly impractical. The Syrians are mainly of the mercantile
and industrial class; those of them
who are engaged in agriculture are
few in number, etc.
"Furthermore, the factors giving rise to the emigration movement in Syria have not been eradicated. Not only in the pre-war
period, but even now in post-war
times we find the flow of Syrian
emigration constantly on the increase. For this steady movement
there must be an inherent cause,
etc."
Syria is a virgin territory for
agricultural and industrial enterprise. The progress that the Jews
have achieved agriculturally and industrially in the short period of time
they have occupied Palestine is
amazing and shows the numberless
opportunities for economic development in the country. The "inherent
cause" for Syrian emigration to foreign lands is the lack of Syrian
agricultural development. If Syrians would take advantage of the
agricultural opportunities in Syria,
49
the inherent cause for Syrian emigration would be removed and Syria
would become a prominent country.
Agriculture is the basic industry in
Syria and with the development of
agriculture all business will take on
a new life. The article in the March
number of "The Syrian World" by
living Sitt on the "Present Economic Conditions in Syria" ably illustrates this argument.
In conclusion, there is one side of
the question that I have not pressed
into service as an argument in favor
of SYRIA FOR THE SYRIANS
and that is the unselfish argument
having been satisfied with appealing
to self-interest alone. As a matter
of fact our country is poor and backward financially, industrially, politically, socially. Our country needs
us who have been away and imbibed
Western ideas in ail fields of human
endeavor. Our country needs us
more than we need her. Remember
that a man gets out of life the same
measure he puts into it. We are all
struggling for happiness as we have
a right to do. After I have been on
this\planet for fourty-five years and
while I am still in the prime of my
intellectual growth I affirm with all
the power at my command that
there is no real happiness in the
world except that which comes to
you without your seeking. The only
happiness there is in the world is
that happiness which comes to you
as a reward (unsought) to your efforts in making other people happy.
If you can digest this bit of wisdom
which is not original with me but
which bit I rejected myself earlier
in my career till I had had enough
of the experiences of life, you will
agree with me that the selfish motive should not be the only motive
governing our return to our dear
old country
M. Shadid, M. D.
Elk City, Okla
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5§
OUR NEEDS AS A
RACE IN AMERICA
Editor The Syrian World:
Permit me to write a word in reference to the controversy brought
about by Dr. Shadid's article.
Both the affirmative as well as
the negative have missed the vital
joint.
In a:l defects, physical, moral, or
uociological, tho cause must be revealed, dealt with and the result becomes understandable.
The chief complaint made by Dr.
Shadid and his supporters is: that
Syrians are not receiving proper recognition, and are discriminated
against.
The opponents of this idea deny
this and attempt to prove their contention by citing individual cases.
Neither side is wrong, and neither
side is right.
Syrians are not considered on the
same par as other races. This is an
undeniable
and
uncontradictable
fact; and to this extent Dr. Shadid
is correct. On the other hand Syrians are not disregarded because of
prejudice directed against them as
a race. Such a claim is wholly absurd.
The seeming ostracism is not
an organized or intentional hatred,
as some would convey, but only because the Syrians do not control
sufficient political, sociological, commercial and numerical strength, to
command the standing held by Germans, Irish or Italians. It soothes
the theoretical sense to be idealistic;
but the practical truth is that we
receive in the same proportion we
give. This would indicate that the
doctrine of "Might makes right" is,
after all, a correct one. It is. We
do not like to admit it in a land of
Democracy. Personally I am get-
THE SYRIAN WORLD
ting rather dubious about the correct definition of Democracy. We
can say with a satisfying sense of
propriety, however, and soot'h OUT
sensibilities to a consoling degree
that: "Might makes influence".
When I think of oar disorganization, because of the multiplicity and
lack of definitiveness in our organizations, few of which embody the
precepts conducive to a national unity, I am pleasantly surprised that
we receive the attention that we do.
Let us busy ourselves in discovering our defeats, correct them, and
fearlessly and honestly meet the situation with unflinching purpose,
with the fixed thought to become a
part of the great country we are
living in, and as a nationality, coordinate our efforts and fully cooperate with every National American movement. If we must help
Syria let us do so as philanthropic
sons who do not forget their motherland, but who are loyal to the extreme to their adopted country, actively alive to every movement directed to her benefit and progress.
Let us forget ourselves for a time
and stop praising the ancestry we
came from, remembering the great
Arabic poet who said: It is not my
origin which makes me, but rather
what I myself am."
Our remedy can be summed up in
few words: loyalty to adopted country, unselfishness, correction of our
own defects, National organization,
assimilation, and amalgamation.
Dr. H. A. Elkourie.
Birmingham, Ala.
RACIAL PREJUDICE EXISTS
Editor The Syrian World:
Although I am a high school student I take enough interest in civic
affairs to warrant my voicing an
opinion on the controversy agitated
V
�MAY, 1927
51
daughter of President Callea of
Mexico, you made the statement that
President Calles was a Roman Catholic. In the interest of truth and to
keep the records accurate I desire
to advise you as follows:
President Calles is a native of Cajame, Sonora, Mexico. His grandfather was a Syrian peddler of wearing apparel, who rambled into that
country selling his wares. President
Calles' father was born in Sonora,
as was the President himself. He
was baptized a Protestant and has
never had any connection with the
Catholic Church. He acted as a
minister of a Protestant Church in
Sonora, and also taught in a private school. Later on he became interested in a flour and feed store
with an American named Smithers,
which he disposed of in order to join
the revolutionary forces under Carranza. In Sonora President Calles
is still called "The Turk."
PRESIDENT CALLES OF
President Calles married Natalie
MEXICO A SYRIAN
Chacon, a Protestant lady, in HerEditor The Syrian World:
mosillo. They have six children,
I am enclosing a communication three boys and three girls, none of
addressed to "Brooklyn Daily Eagle" whom have been baptized Catholics.
by one of its readers pertaining to One of his sons, Plutarco Junior,
Calles' religion.
married in Monterey, three years
It seems timely that The Syrian ago, a sister of Aaron Saenz and
World inform its readers on that Moses Saenz, the latter Secretary
subject dwelling particularly upon of Education in President Calles'
the seeming paradox of having a cabinet. The family of Saenz is also
Protestant Syrian as far back as Protestant.
_
over one hundred years ago.
Fernando Torroblanco, a Catholic,
You will probably be able to remarried a daughter of President
ceive some details from some Syrians
Calles, in Mexico City about four
living in Sonora, Mexico, about the
years ago. This wedding was solbirth-place of Calles.
emnized in the Catholic Church,
Basile G. D'Ouakil.
upon the insistence of Torroblanco.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
The extraordinary situation is now
The letter in the "Brooklyn Daily presented in Mexico of having a
Eagle" follows:
Protestant President of a country
\5 percent, of the population of
CALLES' RELIGION
which
is Catholic.
A READER.
A few evenings ago in The Eagle,
Richmond Hill, L. I., March 14, 1927.
in writing about the marriage of the
by Dr. Shadid. I do not agree that
foreigners in general and Syrians in
particular are discriminated against,
nor does Dr. Shadid claim this to
exist. He claims, and I am thoroughly in accord with him in this viewpoint, that there is a class of prejudiced Americans who are intolerant
both in matters of religion and race.
I have experienced such incidents
myself when I was a party to an
argument engaged in by my father
and a so-called 100 per cent. American on the supposed residence of
the Pope in the United States. This
American showed such intolerance
that he threatened the Pope with
murder in such an eventuality. There
are others who show just as bitter
intolerance in racial matters.
Thomas T. Shiya.
Niagara Falls, N. Y.
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
52
Discussing a Racial Problem
The American Syrian Federation
of New York called a special meeting on April 15th to discuss the subject around which a controversy is
now being waged in The Syrian
World, on whether the Syrians in
the United States are being discriminated against. President Joseph
W. Ferris of the Association conducted the discussion and introduced as
the speaker of the evening Dr. F. I.
Shatara Who read a paper which he
said was intended for "family consumption" in which he analyzed the
various social ailments of the Syrians and, while lauding them for their
many virtues, pointed out some faults
which he said he hoped would be corrected. Dr. Shatara did not deny,
however, the existence of a certain
amount of snobbery on the part of
Americans, which he attributed to a
consciousness of national superiority.
"It is a well known fact," said
Dr. Shatara, "that a nation at the
zenith of its power and civilization
always looked down upon immigrants
into its country, especially if they
came from a weaker or a less cultured nation. As instance, the attitude of the Arabs of the Abbaside
period towards foreigners may be
cited. The Arabs then ruled supreme;
they had pushed their conquests into
three continents. . While the rest of
the world was in utter darkness, they
were the guardians of science, literature and other branches of learning. Baghdad was then what Oxford and Cambridge are today. No
man, irrespective of his race, was
considered educated unless he knew
the Arabic language. The Arabs referred to foreigners as "A'jam", the
same epithet which they applied to
dumb animals.
"Some Americans of the first generation," cont nued Dr. Shatara,
"like the nouveaux riches, are more
apt to look down upon immigrants
than are the older stock. This is
human nature. The sons of foreigners are more apt to despise foreigners than are Mayflower descendants."
Then, following a more or less intimate discussion of the subject, Dr.
Shatara concluded with these remarks:
"We have a distinct mission to
perform in our adopted country.
That mission is to contribute ourselves to our beloved America at
our best — to combine the wise men
of the East and the wise men of the
West. Let us contribute that kindly,
sympathetic and hospitable gentleman, shrewd in business but honest
and dependable — his word as good
as his bond; industrious but not permitting material pursuits to dim his
philosophy of the true significance
of life; thrifty but not materialistic,
egoistic or self-centered; religious
but not fanatic; home-loving, but not
home-domineering; peace-loving, lawabiding, yet ready to fight when occasion demands; strong individually,
but willing to be led and to abide
by majority rule — remembering
that it is better to be united under
one weak leader than divided under
several good ones."
President Ferris then declared an
open forum discussion and asked several members to give their views on
the subject. We copy from the minutes of the meeting some of the
more salient points occurring in the
remarks of the speakers.
MILHEM A. SAIDY: Of course, as
I
�i—
MAY, 1927
I
immigrants, we cannot all be like
Dr. Shatara, or Mr. Ferris, or Mr.
Mokarzel. We came here to escape
persecution and we came penniless
and had to carry the pack or go to
work in brickyards, farms, factories
and everything imaginable but honest in order to earn our living. None
of us came here with a single dollar in his pocket — and we are not
ashamed of it at all. Today among
us we have the millionaire, the successful business man, the successful
banker, the successful manufacturer,
the successful lawyer, the successful
doctor and the successful man in all
professions. This speaks well for
the Syrians. Of course, we have our
lower classes and we have our uneducated people. These people have
not caught up as yet with the times;
we have to be patient with them.
But they are getting old and soon
they will pass away. The younger
generation will come and do honor
to the memory of the fathers. * * *
There is no Syrian who should be
arhamed to face anybody in this
country for anything he has ever
done. He should be proud. He is
a good, law-abiding citizen. Gentlemen: education will do more to
save us than all the criticism in the
world. Please send your children to
school. Send them to colleges. Spend
your last dollar to educate them.
This is the only thing that will put
you to the front: Education."
DR NAJIB KATIBAH: I would
l!ke to point out that pride — not in
the bad sense but in the good sense
— self-esteem, pride, is one of the
characteristics of the human being.
There is a kind of pride that n-.> human being can afford to ignore and
that is the pride of race. The Japanese, the British, the French, the
Germans and all other races have
their pr.de. If pride is kided and
the individual loses, or the nation
53
loses, or the race loses that pride,
then they are done for. It dwindles
down to what we call in English the
inferiority complex. A man knows
that he is lower than the other fe? •
low. When he gets that idea into
his head, when he gets to be in that
condition, his ambition, his vision,
his aims in life have a cloud on
them. * * * We are in a period of
transition. Transition is the change
from one state to another, and this
is one of the hardest imaginable conditions to be in. It means sacrifice
and it means sometimes a good deal
of bravery to meet the issue. I commend the Syrians for what they have
done. And, after all, the individual
who has risen up is the one who is
respected and who will transmit that
respect to his fellow countrymen.
S. A. MOKARZEL: I have been
impressed very much by some of the
things that have been said here this
evening, and especially by the last
remarks of Dr. Katibah on pride of
race and achievement. I believe he
hit the nail on the head when he
said that every race should feel
proud of itself and that the race
which allows itself to side backwards to the extent of feeling any
vestige of an inferiority complex is
surely going to lose its identity and
be swallowed up in the valley of
oblivion. We hope we will never
come to that. * * * I maintain that
if the language should die it should
not follow that the racial characteristics should die with it. There are
characteristics among our racial
traits — those things that we should
be proud of — that we should not allow to die. These things that we
should feel proud of are up to us
now, espec:ally in this dangerous
time of transition, to take the necessary and proper steps to prevent
from dying. How can we do that?
If we are to permit ourselves to
�54
drift on aimlessly like derelicts on
the open sea, we shall certainly get
nowhere, and we will be at the
mercy of the tempest which will batter us right and left, and no matter
how strong our ship may be it will
be a prey to the waves in the end.
But if we have a good captain at
the helm; if we are sure of the
strength and staunchness of our
ship; and if we apply the intelligence, the industry that is necessary
and required to bring our ship safely to port I think that will be to
our credit—so much so that future
generations will feel proud of us
who had been able to weather the
storm at those dangerous times.***
Whether it is for good or bad that
such a controversy was started, it
is certainly within our power to extract the good that is in it and to
try to bring the question to a fruitful conclusion. It seems to me that
the only concrete suggestion I can
give-—although you can see that I
have not besn able to work out the
details—came to me just now while
I was listening to the intelligent discussion that has been going on here
this evening. There should be some
kind of concerted movement started
by this association which should be
truly representative and which
should embrace the flower of our intellect in New York—for New York,
as you all realize, is looked up to
by all the rest of the United States
as the leader in every intellectual
movement. And we should not try
to treat the negative side alone; we
should try to do something positive
and get some benefit out of all that
we have heard tonight. We can if
we only try to apply our ideas. We
have had the negative side, but that
pride of ours is a good connecting
link with the positive side. We should
encourage pride of race and not defeat our own purpose by negative,
THE SYRIAN WORLD
destructive criticism. *** Talking of
pride of race, not every German, or
Englishman, or Frenchman, or every
man of any other nationality has
done distinctive things to be proud
of so that he could consider himself
possessed of that superiority complex mentioned here. A few distinguished individuals of each race
created the good name and the good
reputation for the race. And the
Syrians have had and have now distinguished individuals. We have a
background in history that we may
be justly proud of. It is simply up
to us to try to bring this to the fore,
so that the common run of our people will know and get to feel a sense
of pride in their race. That is the
way we would be encouraging the
Syrians to attain and maintain the
position that is due them in , the
United States if it is not accorded
them now. And if it is not accorded
them it is mainly due to one cause
and that is the lack of co-operative
action. We lack the proper civic
spirit. This lackness manifests itself not only in work among ourselves, but in our failure to make
ourselves known among the American nation. That is what goes to
the root of the matter. But perhaps
now we are beginning to take a little
more interest. This is a good sign.
We should encourage it. And these
are exactly the lines that I want to
pror-ose to you gentlemen tonight.
We should become active here. We
in New York, by virtue of the fact
that we are looked up to as leaders
in intellectual movements, should do
something that would have nationwide effect; that would not be restricted merely to our own conditions here in this city, but that
would give the lead to others to follow up — so that when we and others join hands we can do something
that will really make u» feel proud
!
i
�MAY, 1927
IT /
i
that we are Syrians, and in the
eventuality that one of our race does
commit a crime, and goes to jail,
there w'il be applied to us the law
of averages and the ninety-nine per
cent, of us will not be condemned
through the action of that single one.
DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN: I would
Ike to call your attention to one
thing that probably you did noc
touch on: I have had my experience
?n New England — and it is said
that a New Englander is the
straightest back n the country - but in not one city in my experience
in New England have I found that
anyone of those people really intentionally looked down upon a foreigner. In fact, many foreigners up in
New England are reai'y admired
and respected by the people there —
provided they are known and their
work is known. What I wanted to
point out to you was this one fun<lament.il thing: the so-called White
race — in contradistinction to the
Brown and Black—and the European
races, look on the Oriental races as
foreign and strange to them; perhaps not because they are inferior
to them, but because they do not understand them. I say that when it
comes right down to it, no white man
or Occ'dental will degrade an Oriental or think that the Oriental is
bel^w him unless he misunderstands
him. I do not blame them. We, as
somebody has remarked, have our
pride in our race, and we thought,
once upon a time, that every outsider
was a prent';e and that we were
God's chosen people. You cannot
overcome that; it is in the make-up
of the race. It is the Oriental against
the Occidental "and never the twain
Shall meet", excepting when one
knows the other and understands
him and reachen such station as
Kipling referred to when he Raid
flliy will never meat unleea they
55
will consider each other men. There
is no Ea?t or West when two men
meet! Now, my point is this: they
have their prejudices and their ideas;
we 'have our prejudices and our ideas.
They have cheir culture and they put
themselves in a position to look down
upon other races. They are misguided, perhaps, and perhaps they are
not. But how are we going to overcome that condition? It exists. You
cannot deny the fact. To overcome
it we must prove to them that we
are capable individually. We have
prover. it individually in many instances, but how are we going to
prove it collectively? Now, that is
the question I would like you to ponder and think over. Indvidually, in
many instances, we have proven that
we are equal to them in many positions. How are we going to prove
to them collectively that we are equal
to them, too?
MAJOR HABEEB A. SAIDY:
There has been a great deal said
about vae'al pride, individual pride,
relifc'ioos pride and al! that. Now,
ger.ticmcn, you have got to remembrr th?.t that is one of the most imrn^tarit phases of this question. The
minute a man loses pride in those
thirds of which he should be proud,
yen might as well call him a dead
ore, because he is gone. It s for
that reason that I, for one, am always proud to say that I am a Syrinn, to say that I am of Syrian parentage, that whatever Syrian traditions are in my favor I never hesitate to claim them. * * * The previous speaker has said something
about knowing that in individual
cases the Syrian has shown that he
is equal to the task placed before
him. But you must give this race
a little chance. We are very, very
young in this country. How long
hav* we been b-re? Thirty or forty
vear*. We cams here entwVy desti-
�56
tute of finance and entirely destitute
of education. Seeing this was a wonderful country we decided to stay.
Some of us did not have the opportunty of educating themselves; some
of us had to carry the pack on their
shoulders; but as time goes on are
our children carrying the pack? So,
after all, give us the opportunity,
and I think we are all availing ourselves of that opportunity. The basis
of all this is education, end when we
would have given our children the
opportunity of education, I think
their Syrian traditions—the strength
that is in the blood, will show itself,
and they will be proud to say that
they are of the Syrian race and of
Syrian blood, and those around them
will be proud to call them their
adopted brethren.
ABRAHAM DAOUD (of Atlantic
City): My experience with the American people has been very pleasant.
Nominally they regard us as foreigners, but foreigners can be distinguished one from the other.
PRESIDENT FERRIS: There was
a reaction, however, I understand, in
Atlantic City at one time, When the
Syrians were not very well known,
but when your organization, the Syrian American Club, put the Syrians
before the public I understand that
there was a complete reversal of
feeling and a change of sentiment
towards the race as a whole.
ABRAHAM DAOUD: We have an
organization there of about eighty
members and they are well thought
of in that commmunity. We do not
feel foreign or persecuted in any
way.
AZIZ TRABULSI: A few years
ago, after I came out of the United
States Navy in which I served during the war, I took it upon myself
to go where the Indians live out
West. I was salesman for a large
concern and made about five or six
THE SYRIAN WORLD
towns a day. Whenever they asked
me my nationality I told them I was
a Syrian. A Syrian? they would ask.
"Is that Jewish?" Naturally, I had
to go to the trouble of explaining it
all. But I found no prejudice against
the race. Everyman stands on his
own individually.
DR. SHATARA: I would like to
say that if this paper has done nothing else it has at least brought out
the interesting discussion we have
had here tonight. * * * We are faced
with- a certain condition and I want
you to think of that condition. I do
not say that we should be ashamed
of being Syrians at all. I want you
to realize that this feeling of being
looked down upon does exist in many
situations. The point I tried to bring
out is: what are those characteristics of ours that are the underlying
cause of the trouble, not what are
our virtues — we have lots of them.
* * * So much has been said of the
second generation. I am afraid, gentlemen, that the second or third generation is not going to be distinguishable from the Americans at all.
They will be completely assimilated.
This will be very nice in a way, but
it is going to be a pity in another
way. Because I feel that we have
a distinct mission in this country.
If your children are going to forget
entirely that they have any Syrian
blood in them, that will be a great
pity, because they will not be able
to make those wonderful Syrian traditions which their parents brought
over a part of their contribution to
this great country.
PRESIDENT FERRIS: I want to
thank the several members who addressed the organization tonight.
This problem of assimilation, as you
all no doubt know, is a question that
confronts every nationality and every
race in this country.
1
�f
<\
M4Y, 7927
57
Political Developments in Syria
<
»
1
M. Henri Ponsot, French High
Commissioner in Syria, is still in
Paris with no authentic information
as to the time of his return. Due
to his protracted stay, there had been
rumors that he had tendered his resignation as a result of the refusal
of the Cabinet to approve his
program for administrative reform
in Syria. But this rumor proved to
be unfounded and the latest report
as to his intentions sets the early
part of April as the date of his return. But no account of the activities and intentions of M. Ponsot can
be confirmed as he still maintains
his taciturnity with seemingly no
concern for what is said about him.
The extended stay of M. Ponsot
in Paris, however, gives ample reason for the belief that he met with
considerable opposition to his reform program. That he seems ready
now to return to his post may be
taken as an indication of his success,
finally, in getting his program approved. But the contents of this
program still remain a mystery. The
nearest guess as to their nature is
what was reported to have been a
statement from a semi-official source
to the effect that M. Ponsot is now
more concerned over the economic
situation in Syria and Lebanon than
he is over the political situation.
His first attention, the report states,
upon his return to Syria, will be
directed towards improving the economic situation in an effort to stem
the tide of emigration and bring relief to the population from the intolerable conditions which have almost become chronic. Ha is reported
aa determined to give especial attention to the promotion of summer-
resort facilities in Syria and Lebanon as the most ready and logical
means of improving the general economic situation. In his opinion, so
the report states, the political situation can afford to wait and will
gradually take care of itself.
Of the many other rumors published about M. Ponsot, the one that
had met at one time with much
credence was the one reporting him
preparing to return to Syria by way
of Turkey in order to effect a new
political agreement with the Kemalist government. This, also, was subsequently denied, together with other rumors reporting him to have
broken silence, finally, and given
an interview on political and economic conditions in Syria while in
Geneva. M. Ponsot seems bent on
making for 'himself a reputation for
firmness, and if he should succeed
in carrying out his program for administrative reforms to the extent he
has succeeded in resisting all temptations to speak, then there is real
hope of something concrete and decisive taking place soon in Syria.
The most important political move
undertaken by the Syrian Nationalists during the last month was the
presentation by Ihsan Bey Jabery,
their representative in Geneva, of a
memorandum to Herr Stresemann,
in his capacity of President of the
League and the member from Germany, outlining anew the demands
of the Nationalists and appealing to
Germany, as morally responsible in
part for approving the French mandate over Syria, to place the case
of Syria before the League in the
hope of getting redress. The Memorandum states that Syria will
/
�58
never consent to the French mandate, as France has refused to follow
in Syria the policy followed by
England in Iraq. Syrian demands
in this appeal to Stresemann are
reduced to three main points:
1—Appointment of an impartial
Committee of investigation to
ascertain the demands of the
Syrians.
2—If that should be impracticable
at the present time, then the
League should take over the
direct mandate by the appointment of a mixed commission for
the administration of Syria.
3—If this also should be found impracticable, then the League is
asked to declare the absolute independence of Syria and to admit
it to full membership of the
League.
The government of Ahmad Nami
Bey in Damascus has had, according
to reports in the Syrian papers, a
sharp rebuff from the acting French
High Commissioner in Syria. It so
happened that at the time President
Nami Bey was on a tour of inspection in northern Syria, members of
the city council, together with a
large number of notables, sent a
telegraphic petition to Paris supporting the demands of the Nationalist Party. Upon the President's
return, he was infuriated at the action of his political enemies and he
peremptorily issued orders for the
dismissal of many high officials. The
acting High Commissioner, however,
stayed the execution of the orders
pending the return of M. Ponsot,
and this was hailed as a great political victory over the President by
his opponents as it is the general
belief that the orders will never be
executed. On the other hand, this
action is being interpreted as an
indication of a change of policy on
the part of France in that it is tak-
THE SYRIAN WORLD
ing advantage of every opportunity
to placate the leaders of the Nationalist Party in Damascus in an effort
to bring about peace and order in the
State of Syria, now that it has almost succeeded in putting down the
revolution in the Druze Mountain.
MILITARY OPERATIONS
A recent statement by the Syrian
Information Bureau in Egypt, conducted by the supporters of the revolution, announces that a general
v.ar council was convoked lately by
the leaders of the armed forces in
Jebel Druze in which the general
military situation was discussed and
important decisions arrived at. The
leaders were agreed that the war
should be pushed with more energy
now that the spring season has set
in and the terrain become more
favorable to military operations.
Special measures were also taken
for supplying the fighting forces
with arms, ammunitions and provisions.
The statement contains the significant announcement that at this
ai council it was decided to form
a new fighting unit which is to be
known as the regiment of Abi Bakr,
in honor of the memory of the first
Moslem Caliph who dispatched military forces against the Romans in
Syria to wrest the country from
their hands.
Coinciding with the publication of
this report was the issuance of a
communique by the French High
Command in Syria detailing the latest military operations against the
remnants of the Druze revolutionists
who had entrenched themselves in
what was supposed to be the impenetrable mountainous section of Lai>h. The report state* that <m
March 30-31 and April 1, a #tronsr
Hi
�59
MAY, 1927
punitive expedition was dispatched
against that section which searched
all caves and crannies and succeeded
in driving away all remaining insurgents. A military observer writing in "Al-Mokattam" of Cairo, a
nationalist sympathizer, concludes
that for the French to have succeeded in accomplishing this, they must
have had the assistance of the local
Arab tribes who are bitter enemies
of the Druzes, and whose men must
have acted as guides to the invaders,
as the rocky nature of the district
permits a handful of sharpshooters
to resist a whole army if not properly guided.
About Syria and Syrians
Restaurant.
The New York Library Club Bulletin for May published the followFollowing the publication of Pres- ing account of the reception:
ident Coolidge's appeal for aid to the
"Syrian friends and members of
sufferers of the Mississipi flood, "Al- the Bowling Green Neighborhood
Hoda", the leading Syrian daily pa- Association gave a reception to stuper of New York, announced in its dents of the Columbia School of
issue of April 25 that the Lebanon Library Service at Bowling Green
League of Progress of New York on April 6. This included a visit to
of which Mr. N. A. Mokarzel, editor the settlement house and library;
of "Al-Hoda", is Supervising Presi- greeting from Mr. Alexander Cledent, has contributed $100.00 towards land representing the Association;
the relief fund and that it stands a nrngram touching on Syrian conready to donate more if necessary. tributions to American life; a visit
to outstanding places of interest in
the Syrian colony, and a special
SYRIANS IN NEW YORK
Syrian dinner.
ENTERTAIN LIBRARIANS
"Mr. Salloum Mokarzel, Editor of
"The
Syrian World", expressed the
The Bowling Green Neighborhood
hope
that
this glimpse of Syrian
Association of New York and its
life
in
New
York would lead the
Syrian friends held a reception on
Columbia
students
from various
April 6 to the School of Library
cities
of
the
United
States to seek
Service of Columbia University. The
out
Syrians
when
they
return home
visiting members of the school were
about 125 young women drawn and establish friendly library relafrom all sections of the United tions with them.
"Miss Harriot Hessler is librarian
States. The program consisted of a
visit to the house and library of the of the community library at Bowling
Association; an entertainment in the Green which serves people of 20 naauditorium; a visit to the publica- tionalities through books furnished
tion office of "Al-Hoda", to the busi- by the Extension Division of the
ness establishment of A. Cassatly & New York Public Library."
The Syrian artists who contributCo., and to St. George's and St. Josed
their talent for the entertainment
eph'! ehurches in Washington St.;
were
Miss Anna Bader, soloist; Miss
and a speeial dinner at the Sheik
LEBANESE SOCIETY AIDS
MISSISSIPI SUFFERERS
*
'
/
�60
Mary Shakty, dancer; Princess Sultana, dancer-soloist, and Mr. Toufik
Moubaid, music accompanist with
the 'oud.
Miss Anna Leonard, of the Bowling Green Neighborhood Association,
with her sympathetic understanding
of the Syrians, deserves special
credit for the arrangement of the
program.
AUTOMOBILES IN SYRIA
REPLACING CARAVANS
Slowly but surely, the commercial
relations between the countries of
the Near East which had been disrupted by the> World War are being
restored to normalcy. Not only that,
but with the appearance of the automobiles and trucks a golden age of
trade activities is prophesied by
those who keep their ears to the
ground.
Already, declares an article in "alAhwal", trade exchanges between
Syria and Persia are progressing at
a rapid pace. The old caravan routes
which carried spices from India, via
Persia and the Syrian Desert, have
become accustomed to the grinding
noise of the heavy trucks, and the
rattling of the Fords. The trading
company of Kuwatli and Tawil is
carrying on a thriving business
with Persia, which, we are informed, owing to its political complications with Russia, is thinking of
turning the bulk of its trade from
the Russian route, via the seaport
of Rasht, to that of Syria, via Teheran and the Syrian Desert.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
vocal and instrumental music in a
national contest held a few months
ago in the capital of Brazil
and sponsored by the Federal Government. The contest was open for
children of 14 years or younger, and
contestants from different parts of
the Republic took part.
Miss Blanche Shweiri received a
golden medal as part of her prize,
together with a sum of money which
she donated to charity. She was offered also free tuition in Europe for
three years, but her parents declared their ability to educate her at
their own expense.
MOTHER SEES TWO
CHILDREN DROWN
The Syrian papers of Brazil of
March 8 report a sad tragedy of a
Syrian mother who lost her two
children while attempting to save
one from drowning. Mrs. Michael
Andary was promenading along the
banks of Poso Alegri river, carrying
an infant son on her arms while besides her walked her three-year old
daughter. The latter noticed some
pret!y flowers growing in the water
and waded in to pick them. She slipped and cried for help. The mother,
with the child still in her arms, dashed in to save the little girl. She, too,
slipped in the muddy bed of the river and dropped her infant and was
rescued while on the point of death,
while her two children drowned.
ON HONORING AN ENEMY
SYRIAN YOUNGSTER
A VIRTUOSO
The Syrians of Brazil have praised to the skies and feted elaborately
a youngster of their race, Blanche
Shweiri, IS, who won first prize for
The latest mail from Syria reports
the arrival in Beirut of Azmi Bey,
the Turkish wali, or governor of the
city during the v/ar. His visit to
the acting French High Commissioner and to the President of the Leb-
I
�MAY,1927
anon Republic was returned by these
officials, and this gave rise to a
great cry of indignation from the
native press which recalled the
atrocities of this tyrant who is claimed to be responsible for the many
executions of Syrian and Lebanese
patriots during the war, together
with the then governor of Syria,
Jemal Pasha. There was one paper,
however, which lauded the administrative and disciplinary ability of
the former governor and insinuated
that, in a way, conditions under him
were more tolerable than they are
now under the French administration.
The announced visit of Azmi Bey
is for the purpose of establishing
factories in Syria for the production
of oriental rugs, due to the presence
in the country of a large number of
Armenian refugees who are skilled
at this work and who furnish ample
and cheap labor.
ARMENIAN HANDKERCHIEFS
FROM SYRIA
"Consular Reports" publishes the
following report from Mr. Harry L.
Troutman, American Consul in
Aleppo:
"Owing to a slump in demand,
declared exports of Armenian handmade handkerchiefs from Aleppo,
Syria, to the United States dropped
from a total of 29,067 dozen, valued
at $35,135, in 1925 to 9,210 tozen,
with a value of $13,485, in 1926.
The increase indicates that higher
grades of handkerchiefs were shipped, but it is partly attributable also
to more exact declared values in
1926. In addition to a decreased
demand, the industry was also somewhat adversely affected by a scarcity of workers at times during the
61
year. Linen imported for handkerchiefs is exempt from duty, but a
deposit is required at the time of importation.
The formalities and
length of time required to obtain
refunds of such deposits are said to
have discouraged some concerns
from undertaking this business."
A SYRIAN-AMERICAN CLUB
Although it is not our policy to
give space to announcements of club
and society elections, we make an
exception in the case of the newlyformed club in Tyler, Tex., whose
members aim at strengthening racial
ties among the Syrians and for that
reason invite correspondence from
other clubs. Herewith is the letter
of Mr. Jos. H. Campbell on the subject:
Editor The Syrian World:
The younger Syrian-Americans of
Tyler, Texas, have organized a social
club the purpose of which is to pro'
mote closer relations among its
members and the advancement of our
social and civic standing in the
community. The club consists of
both sexes, young men and women.
No person is barred from membership because of religious or political
affiliations.
The following officers have been
elected for the ensuing year:
George S. Saleh, President.
Joseph H. Campbell, Vice President.
Evelyn Saleh, Corresponding Secretary.
Paul A. Peters, Recording Secretary.
Fannie Saleh, Treasurer.
The club has been named "The
Good Fellows Club". It desires to
correspond with any other similar
club. Address: Evelyn Saleh, 435
E. Erwin Street, Tyler, Texas.
�62
THE SYRIAN WORLi^
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ASSURING OUR FAITH
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Newspapers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Salloum Mokarzel, a Lebanese American intellectual, founded<em> The Syrian World</em> in 1926. Salloum Mokarzel was the younger brother of Naoum Mokarzel, the publisher of the Arabic-language newspaper <em>Al-Hoda. </em>Together, the Mokarzel brothers ran Al-Hoda Publishing, and in 1909, they published <em>The Syrian Business Directory.</em> </p>
<p>Mokarzel created <em>The Syrian World</em> in order to document and celebrate the culture and history of "Syria." At the time, Syria referred to the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. The publication was primarily aimed towards second-generation children of immigrants, but Mokarzel hoped that it would also appeal to the general American public.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><em>The Syrian World</em> was published between 1926 and 1932 as a journal. In 1932, the format was changed from an academic journal style to a newspaper style, which continued until the periodical's end in 1935. After the death of his brother Naoum, Salloum took over the publication of <em>Al-Hoda.</em></p>
<p>The articles in <em>The Syrian World</em> cover a variety of topics spanning from the practical to the theoretical. Practical subjects include international and domestic travel, historical and contemporary Arabic and Arab-American art and literature, and the mental and physical health and hygiene of immigrants. More theoretical, philosophical, and ideological subjects include ideologies of race, the changing role of women, the formation of Syrian and Lebanese-American societies, and the political and psychological relationships between immigrants and their countries of origin.</p>
<p>All issues of <em>The Syrian World</em> are available, along with full indexes for the first four volumes. For volumes five and six, there are tables of contents at the start of the issues.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabs--United States
Arabic periodicals
Newspapers
Arab American Newspapers
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926-1935
Relation
A related resource
<em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mokarzel Family Papers</a>
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11299/175685" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annotated Index to the Syrian World, 1926-1932</a> at the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center Archives
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Al-Hoda Newspapers</em></a>
Language
A language of the resource
English
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Claire A. Kempa, 2015-2017. Collection Guide written by Claire A. Kempa, 2017.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 August.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings.
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NS 0002
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This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
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Identifier
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TSW1927_05reducedWM
Title
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The Syrian World Volume 01, Issue 11
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1927 May
Description
An account of the resource
Volume 1 Issue 11 of The Syrian World published May 1927. The issue opens with an article by Salloum Antoun Mokarzel on religious problems in the East. The next two writings focus on Lebanon. One is an article that discusses the beauty of Beirut and the other is a poem called "My Lebanon." There is a continuation of the Syrian folk songs from the last two issues with other traditional Arabic stories included throughout the issue. There is also a continuation of "Arabic Sources of Dante" by Dr. Philip K. Hitti. The editor closes out the issue with excerpts from the Arab press, the reader's forum, political developments in Syria, and new discussion on Racial Problems against Syrians in the United States.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals
Arabs--United States--Periodicals
Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals
Language
A language of the resource
English
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Syrian-American Press
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Coverage
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104 Greenwich St., New York, NY
Format
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Text/pdf
Type
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Text
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
1920s
Lebanon
Music
New York
Philip Khuri Hitti
Poetry-English
Religion
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/29d6f28c472a1f05c9100b7ae5e143aa.pdf
1e630c6b2f21db3f1cfae34c4798fab8
PDF Text
Text
THE
SYRIAN WORLD
SALLOUM
A.
MOKARZEL,
Editor.
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS
104
GREENWICH STREET, NEW YORK,
By subscription $5.00 a year.
N. Y.
Single copies 50c.
Entefed as second-class matter, June 25, 1926, at the post office at New
York, N. Y., under tka act of March 3, 1879.
VOL. II.
No. 10.
APRIL, 1928.
CONTENTS
PAGE
American Orfhanage and Relief Work in Syria
CHARLES V. VICKERY
3
A Friend's Birthday (Poem)
J. D. CARLYLE
8
Christian-Moslem Marriages
9
THE EDITOR
Singing His Golden Song
16
BARBARA YOUNG
in
The Endless Race (Poem)
M. J. NAIMY
17
A Natural Wonder of the East
W. A. WEST
18
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CONTENTS
(Continued)
PAGE
Renunciation (Poem)
22
AMEEN RIHANI
7"/^ Fz>.r/ American School in Damascus
25
ANNA LEILA TAYLOR
Onesided (Poem)
21
DR. SALIM
Y.
ALKAZIN
The Progress of the Syrian Nation
REV. W. A. MANSUR
28
Critics
34
G. K.
The War in Arabia
A
GIBRAN
35
POLITICAL OBSERVER
Arab Proverbs
40
Tragedy in Love (An Authentic Arabian Story)
41
Fives, Sevens and Nines
45
Spirit of the Syrian Press
46
Readers' Forum
51
Political Developments in Syria
52
About Syria and Syrians
S7
ILLUSTRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE
The Mess Hall of an Orphanage.
A Scene in an American Near East Relief Workshop in Syria.
Antilyas Orphanage of the Near East Relief.
A Scene in the Armenian Refugee Camp near Beirut.
Nahr-El-Kalb.
Where Oriental Art is Supreme.
Sultan Ibn Saoud.
Ex-King Hussein.
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���THF
SYRIAN WORLD
VOL. II.
No. 10.
APRIL, 1928.
American Orphanage and Relief
Work in Syria
By
CHARLES
V.
VICKREY
General Secretary, Near East Relief.
In THE SYRIAN WORLD of October, 1926, I reported in some
detail the activities of Near East Relief among the orphanages
that have! dotted the shores of the Mediterranean and the slopes
of the Lebanons since war and deportations and famine brought
their miseries to the Near East. In this article I shall tell of the
changes that have taken place in the work during the last year
and a half.
The Director of the Syria-Palestine Area of Near East Relief, Mr. Charles W. Fowle, returned to America in May, 1927,
after four years' service in Syria. The affairs in the Area have
since been administred by Mr. Milton Brown, Mr. Caleb Flagg,
Mr. Gordon L. Berry, General Secretary of the Near East Association and Mr. Frank March, Business Manager. The Syrian
office is in Beirut, the most convenient center for administration.
The staff consists of twenty-one persons. They are engaged in
all the operations of the Area, which include the management of
orphanages with their academic, vocational and special schools;
the giving of medical care, which includes orphanage supervision,
hospital, clinical, Day Nursery, refugee and maternity service;
child welfare work, largely concerned with the outplacing of orphans in homes; outplacing of "graduates" in industry and with
their supervision for a year or two until they are established be-
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
yond fear of exploitation} friendly connections with graduates
chiefly through the Near East League} and the management of
an industrial work-room for widowed mothers and "ex-orphan"
girls who are taught fine sewing and embroidery which is sold
in the Near East Relief industrial bazaar. A new undertaking
is co-operation with the International Labor Office which is developing plans for putting the refugees on the land.
The policy of Near East Relief during the last two years
has been the gradual reduction of the orphanages as the boys
and girls are outplaced with friends or adopted by families or
grow old enough to go out to earn their living. As the organization's work is with "orphans of the Great War" and as no new
orphans are therefore admitted, the natural decrease has been
sufficient to permit the closing of several institutions without detriment to the children remaining. They have become members
of other orphanage families. The closing of Jubeil for instance
sent the lads there to the orphanages at Sidon Hilltop and Antilyas. Then Sidon Hilltop was closed, the girls were sent to
Ghazir, the boys to Antilyas and the little ones of both sexes to
the Birds' Nest to join the other tiny "birdies" in the villa overlooking the Mediterranean.
These reductions in numbers mean reductions in overhead
expenses, rentals, salaries, and the dozens of matters that are
necessary to the upkeep of institutions. Such constructive reduction is the wisest way of meeting and closing the obligations to
which Near East Relief is committed. No child is in any waydeprived of any aid or succor that has been either actually or by
suggestion promised him, but the demands on the organization's
treasury are lessened at the same time that the contributions of
American donors are becoming less.
The existing stations in Syria are as follows. The orphanage
at Ghazir, whose removal nearer to Beirut was contemplated, was
continued at Ghazir as being more healthful and with a more
liberal water supply for the washing connected with its rug manufacture than at any other spot. This orphanage school specializes
in rug making and at the end of December, 1927, celebrated the
finishing of its 2000th rug. The knottage for 1927 was 261,000,000. During the year 43 bales of rugs were shipped to New
York and to Switzerland, 19% of the* output was sold locally.
A considerable group of older girls, beyond orphanage age, are
to some extent self-supporting through their skill in rug making.
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5
They live together with a "mairik" and share the household
charges for food and the housekeeper's salary. The Director
in charge of Ghazir is Dr. Jacob Kunzler, who takes a paternal
interest in his charges even to arranging suitable marriages for
those of marriageable age.
The Director of the Ghazir Blind School is Th. Wiesser.
He is meeting with fine success in making the blind children selfreliant. They find their way about with ease. Blind gardeners
are planting willows to provide a supply of material for basketmaking in which craft the fingers of these unfortunate boys and
girls are increasingly skilful. Many other crafts are taught and
the misfortune of blindness is being seen from a new angle.
Hitherto in the Near East the blind have been mendicants} no
other way than begging has seemed to be open to them. Now
they are being taught to be self-reliant and self-supporting and
they will not be a complete liability to a community as they have
been. The musical ability of the blind children is being cultivated and their contributions to programs on days of festivity gives
much pleasure. They are taught to read Braille.
At Antilyas, a few miles nearer Beirut, is an orphanage of
boys. This is situated on the beach which serves as a campus.
The sea provides an opportunity for water sports and for practice in life saving. Antilyas has the usual schools and is strong
in vocational schools. In cabinet making it is especially good,
its products standing up in beauty and in excellence of workmanship with the products of adult craftsmen. This orphanage has
an exceptionally good band in which there is a great demand for
membership. The Director is Milton Brown. He is at present
on sick leave, Mrs. Edith Glanville, Associate Director, taking
his place at the orphanage.
The only orphanage school remaining south of Beirut is the
Birds' Nest on the hill above the city of Sidon. Here are gathered more tiny children than at any other Near East Relief orphanage and a charming sight they make as they sing and recite
and play their kindergarten games to entertain visitors. Small
as they are they are learning many useful things and each child
has its daily tasks, adapted to its strength and making for the
comfort of his fellow-members in the little community. Full
control of Birds' Nest is soon to be taken over by the Danish
Women's Missionary Board and the orphanage will be moved
to Jubeil.
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
In Aleppo there is a considerable group of "graduate" Near
East Relief boys and girls whose welfare is under the oversight
of Miss Mary Sill. She is developing activities that aid in selfsupport.
Near Antilyas is the orphanage of St. Gregory which receives a subsidy from Near East Relief. It is under the direction of Pere Paul Aris who reports good health among the lads
in his care and a fine spirit among those who have gone out and
are earning their own way.
In connection with the orphans who have left the orphanage
the activities of the Near East League under the guidance of Mr.
Henry Murphy should be noticed. Chapters of the League
are nourishing in Beirut, Aleppo, Zahle, Alexandretta, Ghazir
and Antilyas. The purpose of the organization is to furnish a
social meeting ground for the young people who are now working independently} to ward off loneliness by providing for
amusement which is furnished by the boys and girls themselves}
to arrange for evening study classes and lectures on health, travel
and other interesting subjects} to make possible opportunities for
musical instruction and practice} to aid in gathering collections
of books for libraries. In Beirut a restaurant has recently been
opened for members of the League. There is a large room where
the lads may spend their leisure time in reading or in playing
games and the whole thing is a fine counter-balance to the cafes
of the city.
The League is invaluable to "graduates" both in cities and
in the smaller towns. It aids the members and they in turn aid
others. They have contributed to the Golden Rule funds for
the aid of needy children whose plight they well know through
their own experiences. A group of "ex-orphan" lads in Palestine saved from their earnings no less a sum than $65 and sent
it to America for the benefit of the flood sufferers in the Mississippi Valley and Vermont. The amount was turned over to the
Red Cross.
In Beirut is an industrial workroom where widowed mothers
with children and "graduate" girls do fine sewing and embroideries for the support of their dependents. Their head is Miss
Dorothy Francis and under her skilled supervision many lovely
things are produced which are sold locally and in New York.
An important feature of the child welfare work done by
Near East Relief is the outplacing of boys and girls among the
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APRIL, 1928
villages of the Lebanons. A constant search is going on for relatives of the Syrian children and for friendly folk who will adopt
or take charge of Armenian children. Scarcely a hamlet through
the mountains but has Near East Relief children among its dwellers. The task of selection is not easy, for in the case of relatives
the relationship must be proven and in other cases living conditions are scrutinized carefully. Then periodical visits are made
to those outplaced youngsters and inspection made. Miss Edna
Steiger is in charge of this work.
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Outplacing in industry is another difficult undertaking. To
place boys and girls in earning jobs when there are many adults
seeking employment is not easy. The youngsters have been carefully trained, however, and they are welcomed as apprentices.
Some have started business on their own account, — a carpenter,
a photographer, a pair of bookbinders among them. Near East
Relief does not leave them to struggle on alone; they receive
protective oversight for some time so that in case of illness or
in case the "job" does not turn out as promised there may be
advice or a change.
The medical service given by Near East Relief is one of
its most important ministrations. In every orphanage the principles of hygiene and sanitation are explained and put into practise and the boys and girls go out into the world equipped with
knowledge and habits that should make each one of them a focus
of influence in the place where he lives. There is medical supervision of every child and each orphanage has its infirmary. An
oculist and a dentist give half time to care of the children.
In Beirut, where are the headquarters of the medical and
nursing service, under Dr. Wilson Dodd, there is a hospital
which attends to the usual sorts of cases and also tries out new
methods of cure such as heliotherapy. Near by is the Clinic
whose applicants are chiefly people from the refugee camp. A
new maternity hut, built by contributions from various civic associations, its medical and nursing service given by Near East
Relief, is situated at a convenient distance.
The Armenian refugee camps near the cities of Beirut,
Aleppo and Alexandretta are a source of danger. Last summer a serious epidemic broke out in the Beirut camp. The infant mortality was 90% during the hot months. Within a few
weeks reports have come of an outbreak of smallpox. The buildings are makeshift, sanitary arrangements are primitive, crowd-
"
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
ing is dangerous in many ways.
To remedy this trouble and if possible wipe out this and
similar plague spots a determined effort is being made. Local
organizations handled the situation for a time. Now the International Labor Office of the League of Nations and the High
Commissioner for Refugees, Dr. Nansen, are co-operating with
the French Mandatory government in developing plans to move
these people to the country and establish them on farming land,
supplying the funds and animals needed to start them. Financial aid will be made in the form of loans which will be returned and used as a revolving fund.
Money to make up this fund is coming in from various
sources. Near East Relief has already made a contribution toward this valuable and lasting work and it is in the budget of
the $6,000,000 fund for which a campaign is now being made
in America.
This campaign for $6,000,000 is now in vigorous operation.
The various activities undertaken by the organization have been
budgeted with extreme care—orphanage, vocational, child welfare, hospital, refugee work. It is hoped that this sum, which
will be sufficient to enable the organization to meet with honor
all its obligations will be colletced within a reasonably short time,
though it will take several more years to complete the tasks to
which Near East Relief is now committed.
A Friend's Birthday
Translated from tha Arabic by J. D. CARLYLE
When born, in tears we saw thee drowned,
While thine assembled friends around,
With smiles their joy confest;
So live, that at thy parting hour,
They may the flood of sorrow pour,
And thou in smiles be drest!
�ANTILYAS ORPHANAGE O F THE NEAR EAST RELIEF
$^i^jt-£A
Hoys are here shown receiving life saving instructions.
�i^apHWMIMMVSWMi
SCENE IN THE ARMENIAN REFUGEE CAMP NEAR BEIRUT
. •«
The Armenians here live under the most unsanitary conditions and constitute a grave menace to the country. The American Near East Reliet
is doing much helpful work in alle viatdng distress in this and similar
camps
�THE MESS HALL OF AN ORPHANAGE
This ,is a converted mill used by the .Near East Relief in its institution
in Juniyeh, now closed.
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A seJKNJK IN AN Aiviftivi^AiN iU/i.t
uAoi
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Here (he children, principally Armenian orphans, ar«> * -'ght useful trades which fit them for sclf-sup^—
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�APRIL, 1928
x <
Christian-Moslem Marriages
Serious Sequel of Problem Manifested in Brazil. — Problem
Peculiarly Syrian-American in Character.
By THE EDITOR
A Brazilian physician traveling in Syria writes a letter to
a newspaper of Rio de Janeiro and immediately the whole Brazilian nation is aroused and the government is forced to take
action. The Syrian residents of Brazil are for a time much
alarmed and call meetings to discuss the situation, and by the
adoption of energetic measures succeed in restoring the shaken
confidence of the Brazilians in the Syrians as a race. But sharp
lines of demarcation have to be drawn and explanations entered
into as to the different religious beliefs of certain classes of Syrians. It was a case where necessity dictated this action in order
that the race as a whole may not be wrongfully judged by certain practices restricted to a particular class. In other words, the
case was one of having to administer a noxious dose so as to better insure effecting a cure.
What was to the credit of the Syrians of Brazil and reacted
to their honor was their prompt and unqualified avowal of the
truth and their establishment of a line of defense which could
but win for them the praise and admiration of the Brazilians.
Iney offered no apologies nor asked meekly for clemency, but
simply exposed the truth in all its nakedness and took steps to
make it known to the Brazilian public which had not been aware
of the actual situation. The amends offered were in the nature
of voluntary retributions to retrieve the honor of the race which
had been jeopardized by the actions of a few individuals.
As adduced from the accounts of the Syrian papers of Brazil, the developments in this latest incident took place in the
following manner.
Dr. Carlos Frank, a prominent Brazilian physician and described as a national figure in the country, learned while traveling in Syria of the existence of a large number of Brazilian
women who were said to be held in virtual bondage by their
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
Syrian husbands. In the town of Baalbek alone, he was told,
there were no less than seven of these unfortunate women who
were mostly of the educated class, but yet compelled to live
under conditions which were tantamount to slavery, inasmuch as
they were confined to the harems of their husbands who, upon
their return to Syria, reverted to the practice of polygamy. A
native physician was the one to inform the visiting Brazdian
of the sad plight of his countrywomen. He appealed to him to
take the proper steps for their liberation, as they were all anxious to escape the conditions to which they had been reduced
and return to their country.
<
Upon learning these facts, Dr. Frank communicated them
in a letter to the Brazilian press and urged the taking of immediate steps by the government for the repatriation of the uniortunate women. Naturally, the newspapers seized upon the incident to attack the Syrians as a race without making any distinction between their different classes and varying religious customs.
The result was that the Syrians were in danger of being condemned for a great moral wrong of which they were, as a race,
^Ihe immediate result of these disclosures was that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to whose attention the matter was
called in the first place, called upon the Ministry of Justice for
a complete investigation of the circumstances of the case^^preparatory to his taking final action. Instructions were consequently
cabled to the Brazilian Consul in Alexandria Egypt, to make
proper representations with the authorities of Syria for affording due protection to the complaining Brazilian women until
definite action could be taken.
The Syrians of Brazil, in the meantime, had been aroused
to the seriousness of the issue and called a meeting of thenleading men in business and the press for the discussion of the
2„ They commissioned some of their able writers to preoarfarticles for publication in the Brazilian press elucidating
S intrpreting £ its proper light the apparently grave mattWhat they said was the only thing that could be said under the
circumstances, namely, that those particular Syrians who had
ma^d Brazilian women were of the Mohammedan faith
Tmong whom polygamy is a lawful institution. Some were as
Zlogerlc as toVckre that polygamy, even among the, MohammedaS was being gradually discarded, and that those Syrians
�APRIL, 1928
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guilty of the mistreatment of the Brazilian women were not orthodox Mohammedans, but heterodox of the Shiite sect. They
further stated that most Syrians of Brazil were Christians who
could never be accused of such polygamous practices, and that
the Brazilian women who married those Syrian Mohammedans
with full realization of the differences of their religious beliefs
and social customs have none but themselves to blame, as they
were, in most cases, forewarned of the consequences they have
now fallen into.
Nevertheless, the Syrians would not be content with this
logical defense, but wanted to prove to the Brazilian nation that
even though the Brazilian women were alone responsible for
their plight, they, the Syrians, would not want such accusations
to stand against them even though the race in general could not
be held technically responsible. What they did was to propose
to defray all expenses of travel in repatriating the Brazilian
women now in Syria. This was made possible by the generous
action of Mr. Basil Jafet, a leading Syrian merchant and manufacturer of Brazil, who promised to underwrite the whole operation.
This concrete proof of good intention, coupled with the
able defense of the Syrian writers in the native press, was of a
nature to win the admiration of the Brazilians, and the papers
who had been loud in their denunciation of what they called
Syrian moral turpitude immediately changed tone and credited
the Syrians with all their other laudable qualities which they had
so amply proved during their long stay in the country. But the
government was urged, nevertheless, to undertake the proper
legislative measures for the prevention of such occurrences in the
future.
*
*
The problem of intermarriage between Christians and Mohammedans is of comparatively recent development, and is decidedly a one-sided affair, being confined almost exclusively to the
marriage of Mohammedan men to Christian women. Strange
to say, the manifestations of the problem seem to be also exclusively confined to America, there being but rare and isolated instances of intermarriage between the adherents of the two faiths
in the East.
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
The roots of the problem lie in the nature of Syrian immigration. Ever since its beginning and up to. the time of fte declaration of the Turkish Constitution in 1908, all emigration from
the Turkish Empire was of the Christian element. In the upper
regions of Asia Minor it was the Armenians who emigrated, and
^Mesopotamia, lying to the southwest, it was the Assyrians
But even these two Christian elements were slow to appreciate
and feel the benefits of emigration because of ^ ^^anee
of establishing contact with the outside world. Furthermore,
ligration from the territories of the Turkish Empire was strictly prohibited and those bent on leaving the country had to do so
surreptitiously and by facing many dangers.
Svria however, was more favorably situated in its geographical position for the encouragement of emigration Located on
the shores of the Mediterranean on the main maritime route between Europe and the East, it had the advantage of coming into
doser and more intimate contact with Western influences By
this means, and in spite of the strict censorship maintained durng the times of the Sultans, the Syrians came to appreciate: eomnaratively early the benefits of emigration. European and Amer^Sonajand educational establishments being ^to more
numerous in Syria than anywhere else in the Turkish Empire
hebed so mUch more to spread knowledge of the opportunities
awaking the industrious and ambitious in foreign countries,
especially America.
What placed the Syrians in a comparatively better advantage to evade the strict vigilance of Turkish authorities against
emigration was that they could embark on a sea voyage more «lv than other inhabitants of more remote sections of the Sultan s
domTmons Egypt was directly across the Mediterranean and *
trsSTnomiSlly considered Turkish territory. £«&£««
Turkish subject to obtain a passport from one section of the Empire to the other entailed no great difficulty, and it soon developed that large numbers of Syrians contracted the disease of travelog to Egypt. So on to Egypt they went, but. onl y'*"****
stLpU point to book passage for the promised land of America.
Even when Syrians bJgan To emigrate in ever increasing numblrs as years went by and their objectives became an open secret
Turkish" officials would do nothing to stem the tide in view of
the secret tax they levied on all emigrants.
.
Sough this emigration movement was wholly Synan, it
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r
J2
was also almost exclusively Christian and drawn mainly from
the inhabitants of Mt. Lebanon. The Lebanese, while enjoying
more freedom and security in their autonomous mountain than
their Christian neighbors of the plains who were under direct
Turkish rule, were, nevertheless, struggling under the heaviest
economic difficulties due to the limited resources of their country. Consequently, it was but natural for them to seize on everv
opportunity to seek improvement from outside sources. After a
lapse of but a few years the first emigrants returned with tales
of enormous wealth awaiting the industrious in America, and
while at first the movement was confined to certain restricted
localities, it soon spread to the whole country and other
elements of the population, besides the Christians, began to develop the courage to emigrate.
But still there remained a difference between the emigration of the Christians and that of other elements, principally
Druzes and Moslems. Among the Christians the movement,
after its preliminary stages, soon took the form of family migration, the man taking along with him his wife and children or
coming to America first and then sending for them, while among
the Mohammedan denominations the movement was from its
very beginning as it remains today, a strictly male migration.
This is due to the different social and religious customs of the
two elements which, among the Mohammedans, strictly confine
the women to the home and require that even when necessity
compels them to appear in public they can do so only if they are
heavily veiled. One may well judge the rigor with "which these
customs are enforced by the fact that only in later years, and
more patently after the War, are Moslem women developing
the moral courage to demand their social emancipation of which
the first manifestation is the discarding of the veil.
When these facts become clear, it is not difficult to discover
the reason for the marriage problem of Christians and Mohammedans being not only confined to the marriage of Christian
women to Mohammedan men but of being also almost exclusively restricted to America. Cases of such marriages in both North
and South America may be said to run into the thousands, while
in Syria and the East in general they could safely be set as a
few, isolated cases restricted to the more advanced sections of
the country, and here as elsewhere confined also to the union of
Mohammedan men to Christian women.
�14
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Another peculiarity of the problem is that it is of comparatively recent date. This is due to the fact that Syrian Mohammedan immigration to America did not attain its largest volume
until after the declaration of the Turkish Constitution. > Under
the new regime military service, which had been restricted to
the Turks, became incumbent upon all racial elements ot the
Empire. This made the Syrians and Arabs subject to conscription, a condition from which they had been previously immune
and because of their natural apathy to military service as well
as their traditional fear and hatred of the Turks, their young
men sought escape in emigration.
As can be naturally inferred, the presence of such a large
number of Mohammedans, all young men of military age and
unable to find women of their own race and religion in America,
resulted in their marrying women of other nationalities whom
they encountered on their travels or in their places of settlement.
In some cases the men renounced their original faith and professed Christianity, and where they adhered to their faith they
invariably renounced the principle of polygamy.
No statistics are available on the number of such unions contracted in the United States, but Syrian Mohammedans being
numerically less here than in Latin-American countries of South
America, it is reasonable that the problem should be more in
evidence in these latter countries.
The only apparently authentic information published on
the subiect was that which was reproduced in the June, 1W/
issue of THE'SYRIAN WORLD relative to the intermarriage ot
Christian women and Druze men in the United SWaJta
information came from a Druze source and ^ J*
§?
cover the subiect of intermarriage between Christians and Mohammedans in general. The writer placed American women
maTrTed to Druz'e men at 125 and admitted that divorces^consequent upon such unions "were many for reasons unknown
He
boasted of the fact that "not a single woman ^^
descent, i. e., born of parents who are both Druzes, had married
out ide of her religion," and concluded by exhorting his coreligSs to "return to Syria and there choose mates of their own
See in an effort to preserve the integrity and conserve the purity
of their stocky ^ ^ ^^ polygamy, but their religious
beliefs are much akin to those of the Mohammedans in many
�1
APRIL, 1928
15
other respects. Divorce, for instance, depends on the mere word
of the husband, but their standard of morality and their respect
for their womankind is conceded to be very high.
Without, however, going into the merits of the different
religious beliefs and moral tenets, the' Syrians are now facing the
actualities of a problem which has reached an acute stage and
assumed an international aspect through the incident of the Brazilian women. In the light of the developments in this case,
it seems but natural that the, Syrians of Brazil should follow the
course indicated in vindication of their honor as a race. Especially should it be considered that most Syrians in all the different
countries of America are Christians who observe the same matrimonial customs and other accepted standards of morality obtaining among Christians anywhere in the world. Such being the
case, it is unfair to condemn the whole race by the actions of a
few individuals.
On the other hand, Nancy Millers are to be found everywhere and in all ages. If they choose to ally themselves to
men whose religious beliefs and social customs differ from their
own, they alone should bear the responsibility of their action.
The only condition is that they be duly forewarned, and if in
spite of their full knowledge of the facts they persist in having
their own way, then the matter becomes one of personal choice
and each case should be treated on its own merits without holding the) race of either of the contracting parties to account or responsibility.
As can be readily seen, a whole race is easily apt to be misjudged by the actions of a few of its individuals. An honest exposition of facts conducive to a. better understanding of special conditions obtaining among different classes of Syrians would, therefore, appear imperative. Circumstances which held the threat
of dire consequences drove the Syrians of Brazil to enter upon
the necessary explanations. It would seem that such action is
necessary on the part of Syrians in other countries before the
problem reaches a similar acute stage.
1
I
Trust: not in the promise of the one who has not in his
heart the .'ear of God.
Ali.
I1
«
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
16
Singing His Golden Song
By BARBARA YOUNG
I
And one. came out of the wilderness singing a golden song,
and there was light upon his head.
And in his silken purse were gold and jewels, as much as
a king's ransom.
For he had met one in the wilderness "hen the.caravan
halted,
who ^^J^gf^^^friook upon,
his empty purse a handful ot Dn0nt g
And when the singer laughed and would have none o the
gold and jewels, the travee^presdmn-S-ft ^ mr
my only nches ^ m%^e ^,, s;„g ever in my heart.
rerr'rwtls^fnfforTou S %Ht wLn I am departed
from you."
And each man went his way.
And the singer entered the gate of the city. And he came
singing his golden song, scarce knowing what he sang.
And many loved him and followed him for the song's sake.
But one man followed him for the sake of the silken purse.
And the singer believed in them all, the many and the one,
and he sang.
.
,
of the singer.
,
was
himself. And he went out mto the darkness.
And the singer knew, but taj^«^*
did not
*SffS "ad been a gift from the smger.
«.
�I7
APRIL, 1928
And there was those who saw and understood, and they
said, "This man has stolen your purse, given you for remembrance by that one whom you met in the desert. Go now unto
the judge and he will both restore the purse, and throw the
rogue into prison."
And the singer looked upon them, but he answered nothing.
He only went his way into the wilderness again, singing
his golden song.
X
The Endless Race
By M. J.
NAIMY
Say not, my brother, you have lost the race.
Albeit my feet be fleeter than your feet,
Yet in the trackless voids of Time and Space
Your path and mine invariably meet.
i<y
Swift is the wind, but so's the languid breeze
That gives it birth and sleeps within its breast.
The mother-bird that flutters in the trees
Cannot outfly the fledgelings in the nest.
The mountain stream that hurls in fitful leaps
From rock to rock, its waters cool and clear,
Can reach the distant, ever-silent deeps
No quicker than a dewdrop or a tear.
•
*
j
Come, brother, come. The day is not yet done.
The race goes on relentless as before.
The time to ask who's lost and who has won
Will be when Time and Distance are no more.
Till then let's drown my laughter in your tears
And cast away their soul-benumbing load,
And stride along unmindful of the jeers
Or cheers of those who loiter on the road.
Reprinted from the New York Times of March 14, 1928
�18
THE SYRIAN WORLD
A Natural Wonder of the East
By W. A. WEST
Director of the Freshman School in the
American University of Beirut.
The cave of Nahr-el-Kelb has always been of interest to
the graduates of the A. U. B. Many recall pleasant excursions
up the magnificent gorge of the river to the cave, where the
beautiful scenery outside contrasted with the mystery of the dark
cavern and its unknown waters. Many older graduates no doubt
hTve heard from the lips of Dr. Daniel Bliss stones of that first
party, of which he was a member, which explored more than a
kilometer of the underground passage and returned with remarkable tales of the wonders which they had observed Others must remember the very interesting article published later
by Professor Day, who described, from his own experiences as
well as that of others, the known part of the cave. The present
article is intended to be another chapter in the exploration of
what deserves to be classed as one of the natural wonders of the
Near East.
.
.
.
. .. _.„».
To review briefly the history of explorations in the cave.
Local inhabitants have, of course, always known of the existence
of a cavern of unknown extent, but the first published account
was by a missionary named Thompson, 7^0 v»^ Ae opcmng
in 1836. In 1873 a party consisting of Bliss Maxwell, Hux
ley, and Brigstocke, entered with rafts, and, in the course of sev
erl visits reached a point which is not known to have been pasduS'1927. Processor Day, with several others explored the known part of the cave in 1892, and in 1902 another
party entered. Since that time several explorations have been
Sk, but there is no record of anyone having passed, or indeed
reached, the point attained by the first party.
During the past summer, Dr. Ward arranged an expedition, con isfing of himself, his son Philip, Mr. Forrest Crawford and the writer, while Mrs. Ward accompanied us, and contributed greatly to the success of the undertaking by having a
not meal^eady for us each time we emerged from the chilly
'
�[
f
APRIL, 1928
\
'*,
19
depths of the cavern. Mrs. Ward also entered on one of the
trips, thus having the honor of being the first woman to navigate
the interior. Mr. Henry Glockler also entered at one time.
A good deal of thought was given to the question of boats
or rafts and we finally chose petroleum tin rafts, since these combine the maximum buoyancy with the minimum weight, and had
been found satisfactory by others. A raft of sixteen tins was
fixed upon as being convenient in size, about 1x2 meters, and
sufficient to support three persons. They were made in two sections, of eight tins each, so that they could be taken apart and the
sections transported separately over difficult places. Our success
was mainly due to the fact that these rafts functioned exactly
as intended, and proved themselves well suited to the conditions
encountered, thus they seem to deserve this detailed statement
•
of their construction.
Only a brief summary will be given of the lower cave, and
the easily navigable part of the underground river, since it is
impossible to improve on the excellent description given by Professor Day in his article thirteen years ago. As many will remember, the water comes out of a large cave, near which is a
dry opening which may be entered for some distance. The true
entrance to the inner cave, however, is about 200 meters farther
on, and is much obscured by bushes and rocks. On entering,
down a steep descent, one comes to a level beach of sand and
gravel, in a high, vaulted cave of great size. To the East is a
broad pool of deep, still water, and this continues, almost without visible current, for nearly one kilometer under the mountain.
We launched our rafts and set off on our voyage, but were
stopped after 200 meters by "The Screen", as it is called, a huge
rock which has dropped from the roof into a narrow part of
the channel and completely closed it, the water passing underneath. It is necessary to scramble up and drag everything over,
so we had reason to rejoice at the lightness of our craft. After
passing this obstacle, we paddled on without incident for some
distance, through a succession of great arched domes joined
by lofty hallways. It was as though the floor of a great
k;
church were a lake, and one were sailing on it in utter darkness,
1
. only the roof was usually much higher. We did not neglect to
admire "Maxwell's Column", that fluted stalactite pillar, comparable in size to the columns of Baalbeck, and we wished for
time to explore the lofty galleries, studded with stalagmites, or
�20
THE SYRIAN WORLD
to examine in detail the beautiful or grotesque deposits.
Finally we reached the chamber known as the "Pantheon",
where a large white stalagmite, set or* an island rock in the middle of the channel, stands out strikingly against the dark background. On top of this stalagmite is the bottle left by Dr. Bliss'
party in 1873. In 1892, and again in 1902, it was observed to
be free of deposit, but in the 24 years since that time it has become thickly coated, a very interesting phenomenon. At this
point the channel is somewhat obscured, and it was with some
difficulty that we found the relatively insignificant opening which
gives passage to the next part. A few minutes more of paddling,
and we reached the end of the navigable river, a place which the
first party named "Chaos", where a slope of rough, irregular
rocks comes down to the water and stops further progress.
It is well named Chaos. A jumble of irregular rocks, sloping from near the roof on the right, down to a series of dark
pools on the left; ranging from the size of a man's head to as
big as a small room; some rough and jagged, some smooth and
slippery; in places firmly cemented together with stalagmite deposit, elsewhere entirely loose and unsteady; set with several
large, domed stalagmites, and with one tall pillar reaching the
roof; it surely seemed as though the forces of nature had combined to give a result as confused and fantastic as possible.
We tried several unsuccessful routes before Mr. Crawford
found a way to scramble up the almost perpendicular face of the
mass of rocks from under which the water appeared. After
picking our way over this mass, we found ourselves at the top
of a very steep descent, the cave before us narrowed to a cleft
about three meters in width, but very high, down the bottom of
which the river dashed towards us in a foaming torrent, to vanish under the rocks below. This was "Huxley andBrigstocke
Rapids." We scrambled down, and then along the sides of the
rapids, clinging to projections on the steep rock, and having to
leap across twice, when progress on one side became impracticable.
Finally we reached a broad ledge at the head of the rapids, beyond which the walls were smooth and vertical, but where the
water was smooth and deep. This, we considered, was the furthest point previously reached. Next day, Dr. Ward noticed
an inscription scratched in the rock: "Bliss, Huxley, Bngstocke,
Maxwell, 1873". It was with quite a thrill that we read these
names, half obliterated by the torrents of fifty-three winters.
�APRIL, 1928
21
This confirmed our belief that we had reached the limit of former explorations.
Next day we undertook the task of transporting one of our
rafts, half at a time, over the rocks of Chaos, up one steep slope
and down another, and dragging it up through the rapids. The
distance was perhaps 200 meters; the time consumed, two hours
for each section, or four hours altogether. We advise anyone
who plans to make this trip to practice by working as a hammal
for a week c*r so beforehand. However, the raft was finally assembled on the ledge at the head of the rapids, and we were
ready to launch out into new waters. After proceeding 30 or
40 meters around a bend, we were stopped by a steep, smooth
slope, down which the water rushed in a thin sheet, but by climbing up on a ledge at one side we were able to walk around to
the slope and wade across it, the water being very swift, but less
than ankle-deep. In this way we continued a short distance
along the stream, but were stopped by deep water.
The next day it was necessary to return to Beirut, but Mr.
Crawford and the writer determined to try to push on a little
farther before leaving, since a boat was now available above the
rapids. We managed to drag the raft up the steep slope mentioned above, and continued about 200 meters, sometimes pulling,
sometimes poling or paddling. The water was swift, but smooth,
and usually fairly deep. The channel here was quite different
from the lower lake or the rapids j no longer did we find those
high, gloomy vaults, rather it was a tunnel, six or eight meters
in width, and somewhat less in height, of elliptical cross-section,
running in nearly a straight line. The rock was white and polished, not of the dark color predominant below, but stalactites
were almost entirely absent. At last we reached a chamber of
large dimensions, where a rock as big as a small house had fallen
from the roof, and left only a small opening for the water below. We walked past it at one side, by a narrow cleft, and
were able to see deep, still water and an enticing passage leading on, but we lacked the time necessary to take the boat apart
and transport it across, and so have to leave a question mark at
the end of our record. On returning, we had an exhilarating
run through the swift current of the tunnel, thus compensating
for the labor of working up. A bottle and an inscription await
the coming of the next party to penetrate those dark and mysterious depths.
�22
THE SYRIAN WORLD
It is hoped that this brief account will encourage others to
make the relatively easy trip into the lower lake. The writer
had looked up all the accounts available of previous parties, but
was not at all prepared for the size and magnificence of the spectacles presented. It is truly one of the natural wonders of this
country, and should be more familiar to those who live within
reach of it. Tourists visiting the country from abroad will be
amply compensated for the comparatively easy journey from
Beirut to the cave of Nahr-el-Kelb, the historical Dog River,
only about eight miles north of the city.
Renunciation
By AMEEN RIHANI
At eventide the Pilgrim came
And knocked at the Beloved's door.
"Who's there?" a voice within, "Thy name?"
" 'T is I," he said. — "Then knock no more.
As well ask thou a lodging of the sea, —
There is no room herein for thee and me."
The Pilgrim went again his way
And dwelt with Love upon the shore
Of self-oblivion; and one day
He knocked again at the Beloved's door.
"Who's there?" — "It is thyself," he now replied,
And suddenly the door was opened wide.
I
�APRIL, 1928
23
The First American School In
Damascus
By Miss
ANNA LEILA TAYLOR
*
Damascus, with 225,000 inhabitants, is the largest city of
Syria. About seventy-five per cent, of the inhabitants are Moslems. The city lies about 2,264 feet above the sea and forms
the gateway to the Syrian desert and to Bagdad.
Damascus is undoubtedly one of the oldest living cities of
the world. It is mentioned since Abraham's time. Eleser, the
servant of Abraham, who was sent to Lebanon to find a wife for
Isak, was from Damascus. In the book of Solomon Damascus
is often mentioned. In Damascus were the harems and treasures
of Darius. In Assyrian time the Kingdom of Damascus was
known as Imirisus, and the city, Dimaski. It was here in Damas •
cus where the miraculous conversion of St. Paul took place.
Shortly afterward he preached in the city. In the city wall at
the Bab-Kissan is the window where St. Paul was let down in a
basket at night.
Damascus is known by the Arabs as Esh-Sham or Dimishk.
Since- 634 it has been in the hands of the Arabs and had its most
gloriousi times under the reign of the Omayyads. It was during
that period that the Arabs founded a number of schools of philosophy in Damascus. They were scholars in medicine, astronomy
and mathematics and exhibited much originality in the departments of sciences and arts.
Since the invasion of the Mongols (1400) many of the
scholars and artists were butchered and carried away from Damascus. Since 1516 Damascus has been under the Turkish rule
until the great war when the French became the Mandatory government of Syria and Damascus. The city and country have
* Miss Taylor is a resident of California and a veteran newspaper
correspondent who went to Syria to report on the progress of the revolution in 1925-7. She has returned to America only recently and her account is based on first-hand information.
Editor.
M
I
�24
THE SYRIAN WORLD
suffered much under both governments.
Damascus is noted for its beautiful homes built in the most
luxurious Arab style. The wealthy Arabs are proud of their
ancestral homes built many centuries ago. Some of them were
of huge size like the Palace of Azem with 356 rooms and large
courts, with beautiful mosaics, carvings and arabesques. Kuatly's
house was another one of the rich homes that was very much admired by those few, who had the good fortune of seeing it. Besides the beautiful architecture it was known as one of the most
richly furnished homes with wonderful Damascus furniture and
very old Persian rugs.
Damascus is considered as one of the sacred cities and many
legends of antiquity are connected with it. Adam is supposed to
have lived on the nearby hill. It was there where the body of
the murdered Abel was hidden. Abraham is said to have lived
there once. Even Mohammed is supposed to have been once in
the vicinity of Damascus. Consequently, the city is held sacred
by Moslems and after its partial destruction in October, 1925
many poems and lamentations were written about it by Moslem
writers of all countries.
Damascus is a city for men only. A Moslem woman has
no place in society. Even in the richest homes women walk
quietly like shadows, always afraid to meet a strange man. As
soon as some male visitor appears they hide in the remotest corner of the house. Usually a Moslem woman cannot leave the
house without having the permission of her male relatives, neither can she enter the garden without being heavily veiled. Even
in the presence of her nearest relatives such as father or brothers
she does not dare to sing or dance. There is no restaurant in
Damascus where a Moslem woman can have a meal, not speaking of such luxuries as the theatres, concerts, promenades, etc.
A woman is considered as an ornament of the home and is treated like a slave.
It has not always been that way. During the early period
there were many noted women writers in Damascus, Arab women receiving an equal education with men and taking part in
scientific and philosophical discussions. They have been gradually
subdued until it was considered to be dangerous to educate women at all. However, both men and women are awakening now
to the fact that the country cannot make much progress in future as long as one half of the race is kept in ignorance and
H
ff
*T5
r
T>
V-
�'frf* .
NAHK-KL-KALIS
A short distance above the last bridge, appearing in the background, is (he wonderful cave of the
Dog River, described as a natural wonder of the Near Eeast. .(See Article by W. A. West)
�—
WHERE ORIENTAL ART IS SUPREME
«i
Interior of one of the great palaces of Damascus showing Oriental Art
and conception of luxary at their height. (See Article by M,ss Taylor)
�jim
APRIL, 1928
\
*!
* #
i
25
slavery. The young, educated Arabs begin to demand education for their sisters and daughters and are unsatisfied with their
uneducated wives. Women, too, are becoming more and more
dissatisfied with their present situation and are looking around
to escape the deadly monotony of their lives. But they also
realize that it is very difficult to change old customs and are looking for guidance outside, depending for their education on foreign women until they become ready to take the lead and be independent. At present it would be very difficult for a Moslem
woman to bring about any changes. In the first place, there are not
enough educated women to actually take the lead and, secondly,
a Moslem woman would be very severely criticised if she tried
to introduce any new customs or changes, while a foreigner has
much more freedom and would be more readily forgiven any
possible mistakes that she might make because she is living according to the customs of her country.
The Moslem men and women have a child-like faith in
Americans and in American education and therefore some of the
most progressive Arab women have begged several American
women to come to Damascus to help better the social conditions
of the Moslem women. Finally one American was brave enough
to attempt this work and in 1925 the first American school for
girls was opened in Damascus by Dr. Christine Adamson Essenberg, former professor of the University of California.
She spent the first five months in Damascus as guest of one
of the prominent Arabs, where she had the opportunity to learn
the Arabic language, to get acquainted with the life and customs
of the Arabs and to meet a great number of the better class of
Arab women and to win their love and confidence. Her ideas
concerning her future work were far reaching but after serious
consideration she came to the conclusion that under the very complicated political and social situation the best and safest thing was
to open a school for women of all ages and to make the school
curriculum as flexible and far reaching as possible.
As Damascus is noted for its religious fanaticism and as
she expected to reach as many of the Moslem women as possible
without making them prejudiced against the school, Dr. Essenberg decided to leave out all sectarian religious teaching from
her school curriculum and to follow the plan of the American public school system and in addition to it make the school a social center for the Moslem women. Her ideas were accepted with great
�aasa
26
THE SYRIAN WORLD
enthusiasm by both the Moslem women and men. Special meetings were held by the Arab men and women where the founder
of the school was welcomed and promised all such help as would
be legitimate. Some of the Arab ladies told me that they had
not seen any such enthusiasm and excitement since the last revolution as there was about the new American school. One very
prominent Moslem lady brought her two-year old baby to the
American school saying that this was such an important historical event that she wanted her child to be the first one to be
registered in the school. After that women of all ages came to
register either for special courses or full work. The demands
were so varied from childstudy and painting to fox trot, that it
was impossible to. satisfy all the demands. Every one had great
hopes for the future of the American school. But gradually
dark clouds began to gather over Syria and over the American
school.
. . .£
The war with the Druzes, which seemed so insignificant at
first, began to worry many people. Most of the educated men
of Damascus were imprisoned; others fled the country leaving
behind sadness and distress. Still the women and the remaining
men kept up their interest in the American school. Many villages were burned in the vicinity of Damascus and some of the
dead bodies of the rebels were paraded on the backs of camels
in the streets of Damascus. The Moslem women became very
much intimidated and did not dare to leave their homes. What
a sad outlook for opening a school! Nevertheless the school was
opened in October 1, 1925, and about forty girls gathered in the
school little by little.
They had hardly commenced their work, when on the 18th
of October the French suddenly began bombarding the most
densely populated section of the city and kept this up for 48
hours, destroying about 1200 homes and fifteen mosques. This
bombardment came so unexpectedly that some of the people escaped only in their night gowns, while many were buried in their
burning homes. Many who had been rich before had suddenlybecome poor. After that an exodus took place from Damascus
to Beirut or to the neighboring countries. Men were forbidden
to leave but about thirty thousand women left Damascus. The
American consul even advised the American citizens to leave
Damascus. However, Dr. Essenberg decided to stay in Damascus at her own risk.
V ?!
i
�APRIL, 1928
I
27
The American school was never attacked nor in any danger,
but under the circumstances it had to be closed for a week until
the students began gradually to return. One could not have
chosen a worse' time for opening a school. With the tanks parading in streets and the cannons roaring there is no thought of carrying out the original ideas. All one could do was to keep the
very much frightened girls calm and busy. In spite of the unusual conditions the school may be considered as a success although it has not been self-supporting as previously expected.
It is enough to have students remain loyal to the school. The
smallest number of students have been 25 and many are anxious
to return from Beirut to take up their work again as soon as conditions will improve in Damascus.
Dr. Essenberg is very much loved and respected by the
Arabs of Damascus so that she is always referred to as, "Our
American Lady". Leading men and women of Syria have made
special effort to show her their appreciation. Her work is doing
great credit to America and to the American flag that is flying
over the first American school in the world's oldest living city.
Such work can bring but good fruit and help humanity.
I
\ t
A
Onesided
By
DR. SALIM
Y.
ALKAZIN
O, that upon the sea,
Unchanged, the golden smile
May dwell eternally j
And that its minstrelsy
May evermore beguile
With plaintive melody!
For beauteous is the sea,
When on its burnished breast
It carries hope for me.
�iMttfii
THE SYRIAN WORLD
28
j'l
The Progress of the Syrian Nation
By
REV.
W. A.
MANSUR,
I
i
B. D.
The renaissance of the Syrian nation, race and culture was
brought about by three general factors: emigration, the World
War? and the Syrian Civil War. Emigration brought Syria in
contact with the world; the World War with democracy; and the
Syrian Civil War with Syrian nationalism. The result is a national self-consciousness, a racial solidarity, and a cultural aspiral
' The modern Syrian nation came to self-realization amidst
a world in ferment, nations in crises, and races claiming equal
human rights. Some strive after national or racial independence
or equality. Others strive after economic, political, religious, or
social equality. This is an age of re-adjustment, of reflection
upon a world that ought to be, and of a struggle for self-realization. The question arises as to what shall be the spirit, ideals,
and methods to dominate the Syrian nation today.
This is the plastic age of the modern Syrian nation, lhe
nation that is to be is now in the making. The spirit, goals and
methods of today are creating the nation of tomorrow. 1 he Syrian nation is now awaking to the consciousness of a new and larger
life.
"The rudiments of empire here
Are plastic yet and warm;
The chaos of a mighty world
Is rounding into form."
The Syrian people are gradually adjusting the old to the
new adopting modern methods, and creating a modern nation.
Let it be remembered that civil war is self-exhausting; opposition to world powers, vain; and dumb resignation, suicidal. The
following considerations are meant to set forth certain needs ot
the Syrian nation, suggest modern principles of progress which
will coordinate the nation's ideals and life, and indicate possible
methods for their attainment.
i
�APRIL, 1928
29
/.—Let Culture be the National and Racial Ideal toward National Independence, Freedom and Democracy.
Philip K. Hitti says in THE SYRIANS IN AMERICA, that,
* * * after all, culture, and not a strain of blood, is the determining factor in the identification of a race." This was true of
Greece, Rome and Egypt. It is true today of European nations.
Let the high aspiration for national and racial culture be the
ideal in the making of the Syrian nation.
"But the social life of man has developed many complex
phases not shown by animal social, such as industry, art, government, science, education, morality, and religion," says Charles A.
Ellwood in SOCIOLOGY AND MODERN SOCIAL PROBLEMS. "Collectively these are known as 'culture' (which is the scientific term
for civilization in the broadest sense) and the development of
culture is what distinguishes the social life of man from the
social life of brutes." Let Syrian culture distinguish Syria's civilization from that of all others.
Syria will become autonomous and prosperous through her
national culture. Let Syrian nationalism grip Syria's institutions.
The Syrian nation must not barter its soul away for a mess of
European pottage. Let Syrian character, national temperament,
and national ideals be the mighty defenders, the ferment of continual regeneration, and the spiritual forces which shall exalt the
nation to a place in the sun.
Let Syrians claim cultural recognition, and seek cultural
equality aqd strive for a high place among the nations of the
earth. Let Syrians consider the nature of Syrian culture, the
methods of its attainment, and the dissemination of its benefits
to mankind. Syrian culture will make for the true independence,
freedom, and democracy of the Syrian nation that is to be. Let
Syrian intellect, adaptability, and high ambition be quick to modernize Syria and create thereon a distinctive modern Syrian culture.
l
i
11
<
—True Reform of the Syrian Social Order will Come through
a Gradual Passing of the Older Generations, and the Incoming of the Younger Generations.
True reform fe gradual and is not the result of abrupt social
revolution. There are those who desire immediate changes without
due consideration for the social, moral, economic and religious,
and other habits of the people. Radical changes usually bring dire
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
30
results. The wise course is the conservative-progressive course of
thought, and method. The good in the old order must be preserved while assimilating the new.
"A new generation must come upon the scene, says John
Dewey in HUMAN NATURE AND CONDUCT, "whose habits of
mind have been formed under the new conditions. There is pith
in the saying that important reforms cannot take real effect untd
after a number of influential persons have died." The older
generations with their habits of thought and life must gradually
rive way to the younger generations with their rejuvenated
minds, vigor, expectation and daring for innovations. The old
leadership must give place to the new leadership.
True reform is constructive, it does not destroy. That is
destructive reform which seeks to impose on a generation that
which it is not prepared to take. True reform co-operates witn
The old order whik employing the new knowledge^singAe
new methods, and striving after a higher social order.
lhe
urLT need for a great creative effort has become apparent in
thfaffa rs of mankind," says H. G. Wells in THE SALVAGING OF
Cmu^ioN. Creative effort has gripped the Syrian nation
and ^ to rise to the best in them, to effect social changes in
Svria and to claim the benefits of democracy.
Let the constructive-progressive spirit and the Syrian gen
ius for adaptability dominate the reform of the Syrian social
order True reform is a gradual process in which the old gradually passes away or is eliminated, while the new is being appropriated.
777 —There Must be an Intelligent Permeation of the Masses
' with the True Ideas which Make for National Progress.
"The last century has made more progress than the thousand years preceding it," says Willis Mason West in THE MOT,
WORLD
"In this recent transformation of the wor d, the
three S agents have been democracy, humane senbment
nd saS-nvention." Syrians must incorporate these m*hg
factors into Syrian thinking, feeling and willing. It must be
e^rucrrvee prg
progressive,, and intelligent thinking. Intelligent
constructs
masses>
Leaders
l^nel I he pr n pks or democracy, with a heart for the
S£ and^l theVpose of ameliorating human life by every means possible to science, morals and religion.
I
�APRIL, 1928
31
The Syrian masses must learn to relate their thinking, their
nation, their commerce and their ideals to the rest of mankind.
Syria is no longer isolated. Isolation is deadly. We live in a
socialized world. Syrians must socialize their religion, education, commerce and ideals, as other nations have done and are
doing.
The Syrian nation must learn to control the dynamic spirit
in the modern social order. Shall it express itself in materialism,
imperialism, or idealism? Syria must be protected against the
ravaging forces of western materialism. Materialism having well
nigh destroyed the civilization of the West it is now turning to
the East for new worlds to conquer. Let Syrians beware of the
destructive forces of great wealth, luxury, authority, and religious indifference. Roger Babson says, "We stand at the cross
roads. We must choose between God and Mammon. Materialism is undermining our civilization as it has undermined other
civilizations. Unless we heed the warning in time and get back
to the real fundamentals, we must fall even as the civilizations
of Egypt, Greece and Rome fell — and for the same reason.''
The Syrian nation will make progress to the extent there is true
representative democracy, the forces of nature are harnessed to
serve the nation, and humane sentiment dominates the masses.
IV.—Greater Co-operation will Come through the Spirit of Nationalism, the Revival of Commerce, and the Development
of Great Social Life.
/
\
Good roads, intensified social life, and the diffusion of
knowledge are keys to greater co-operation.
Human co-operation and solidarity are being brought about
through modern transportation. The pack-horse and its kindred means of transportation are being supplanted by the auto,
train, aeroplane. Good roads will help create a new Syria, revolutionize people's thoughts and life and social relation. Good
roads will create a new Syrian commerce, new industries, new
cities and new agriculture. Every mile of good roads in Syria
will do more to modernize Syria than many other efforts combined. The greater the number of motor vehicles sold in Syria
the greater will the demand be for modern roads. An item in
the September issue of THE SYRIAN WORLD says, " * * * the
registration of motor vehicles in Syria as of January 1, 1927,
was 3,854 passenger cars, 39 busses and 268 trucks, totalling
�m
22
THE SYRIAN WORLD
4 162, while in Palestine the total number of motor vehicles is
t;950 and in Iraq, 2,524". The road builder, motor vehicle,
and commerce will compel a greater co-operation in the Syrian
^Nationalism will make for greater co-operation.
National-
ism is a school in which men are led to think «****J£&
alism leads to a conformity of a common mind Nationa ism
S eate a new power in the community which destroys hindrances to the nation's welfare. Nationalism develops a social
urS to attain a higher social life. Nationalism discovers ways
Sthnkmg together, working together, and Irving together
The rise and development of modern commercial enterpr e
will destroy the sectional spirit. "When commerce gradually
Tev vefafter the Dark Ages," says Randall in THE MAKING OF
THE MODERN MIND, "co-operation was absolutely essentia , C£
operation against the local lord and against the perils of the
iou nev" The recrudescence of the sectional spirit, religious
bigotryy,'the continuation of historic feuds, and irrational prejuofes must give way to the spirit of co-operation in the modern
Syrian nadon. Modern education will help destroy much irraSin the thinking that hinders co-operation. Modern commerce, governments, and welfare demand co-operation.
V -The Pattern for Syria's Future National Thinking Must be
' Planted in Syria's Youth, Literature, and Educational Systern.
"The future of any nation," said Roosevelt, "depends upon the molding of the minds and bodies of the younger-generations " Dr. Arnold, the great teacher and father of Matthew
Arnold said, "All who have meditated upon the art of governfngmankTnd have felt that the fate of empires depended on the
ed'cTon of'the young," Rousseau said, "Men and nations can
only be reformed in their youth " Thomas Jefferson said of his
teacher William Small, "He fixed my destiny in life
The
future statesmanship, cultural attainment and P^P^of^
Svrian nation depends on the education of Syria s youth. The
bet^the education of Syria's youth, the better wil be the abili y
of the nation to create and maintain high national ideals, noble
and high national aspiration, develop a greater co-operative spirit,
and rise to the best in the race.
.
Let a high ideal of the Syrian culture, the necessity for co-
1
�APRIL, 1928
I
33
operation, and the welfare of the nation be the patterns of thinking of Syria's youth. Let Syrians believe in their noble destiny. Let
Syrians believe in themselves, in their distinctive civilization, and
in what they can contribute to the world's betterment. "In every age there are chosen peoples," says Edward A. Steiner. "It
was the sense of being a chosen people," says William T. Ellis,
"a set apart nation, a called out company, that imparted deep
seriousness and large purpose to the life of Israel." Let Syrians everywhere, as well as the Syrian nation, realize that Syria
is the motherland of a Syrian Spirit which is to create a SYRIAN WORLD. The Syrian nation must realize its high calling,
impart impulses for its attainment through its youth, and diffuse
its spirit throughout mankind. Let the Syrian nation lay hold
of the keys to Syria's future and prosperity: Syria's youth, literature, and schools. It is what is implanted in Syria's youth that
determines the character, ideals, and prosperity of tomorrow.
Save Syria's youth and you save all, lose Syria's youth and you
lose the past, present, and future.
VI. There Must Develop a Syrian Social Conscience to Create
a Stable Social Order; Foster a Progressive Spirit, and Unite
the People.
An immediate necessity in Syria is the development of a
Syrian social conscience. The social crisis is on everywhere, especially in Syria. In some places it is gradual, in others revolutionary, and in others just beginning. The people are beginning
to claim their rights. The ferment of democracy is everywhere.
The vision of human rights must become the policy of Syria's
statesmen, educationists, economists, industrialists, religionists,
and scientists. "The basis of human right is social welfare," says
Ely and Wicker in ELEMENTARY ECONOMICS. The welfare of
the nation is the basis of a social conscience. For, as Roosevelt
said, "This country will not be a good place for any of us to live
in unless we make it a good place for 'all of us to live in."
A social conscience will help create a stable social order.
Man is a social being. The day for absolute individualism is
gone. Man finds independence, not in absolute independence,
but in mutual dependence. Modern civilization is doing away
with every vestige of isolation. Think of the automobile, railroad, aeroplane, telephone, telegraph, radio and how they have
revolutionized human thought and life. All that stand in the
way of Syria's modernization will be done away with, as is evi-
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
V;
it by «he power of the new world life. A social conscience is
^^Z^Zl'^^r^^Jy,
one flag,
mind ana neart iui o.
one soul, and one glorious destiny.
Critics
By G. K. GIBRAN
One nightfall a man «*£^J^c£
sea reached an inn by t ^d^ He^snaou^
^
£££ "e bSde tbtdoor and entered into tbe tnn.
At ridaight, when all were asleep, a thief came and stole
the traveller's horse.
heean to talk.
And the first man said, "How foolish of you to t,e your
h0re
XT\ttecoSndUid, "Still more foolish, without even
h0bb
tVtth<rd"man said, "It is stupid at best to travel to
*he Xdnthhe°rf^h"said, "Only the indolent and the slow of
foot own horses.
. ,
Then tbe traveller was mucb g*£ £ %£%<+
"My friends, because my horseMS -*£gj£^
stnmge,
stole my horse."
*
1
�APRIL, 1928
35
The War in Arabia
I
By A
/
I
POLITICAL OBSERVER
Recent reports from Arabia indicated for a time that another war was threatening in the Near and Middle Easts. TheWahabis, fanatical followers of King Ibn Sabud, were said to
have made attacks simultaneously on the borders of Iraq and
Transjordania. These two countries are ruled by the sons of exKing Hussein of Hejaz, for whom King Ibn Saoud entertains
the bitterest hatred. This enmity is rooted in both religious and
political differences. Not that the rivals are of different religions,
for they are both Mohammedans, but because they are rivals
and contenders for mastery over the destinies or the Arab
and Islamic world. This, indeed, has become a much more valuable stake than it had been before the World War, for ever
since the abolition by the Turks of the Khilafat the Arabs have
again had visions of assuming the enviable office which yields
such great prestige in the Moslem world. The office, however,
requires that the pretender be of sufficient temporal power to lay
rightful claim to the title of Defender of the Faith, and it is
towards acquiring this prerequisite of prestige and power that
the leading kings and sultans of Arabia are now bending their
energies.
In the furtherance of his ambitions along this line, Ibn
Saoud, Sultan of Nejd, declared war on King Hussein of Hejaz
and later on his son and successor King Ali in 1925 and wrested
from them the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, making himself thereby the most conspicuous figure in Islam. Ibn Saoud
is the leader of the fanatic, puritanical Moslem sect called AlIkhwan, or Brethren, who are also known as the Wahabis, or
the followers of Mohammed Abdul Wahab, a religious teacher
who founded the sect in the latter part of the eighteenth century.
Their distinction is that they exact, and also practice, implicit
observance of the spirit and the letter of the Koran and the
Traditions. Whoever deviates from their conception of the
straight and narrow path is a Mushrek, or unbeliever. This applies not only to those outside the pale of the Mohammedan
faith but to those among the Mohammedans who do not con-
�26
THE SYRIAN WORLD
form to their teachings as well. On the strength of his advocacy of pristine purity in Islam, Ibn Saoud naturally lays claim
to the right of leadership in Moslem affairs.
Ibn Saoud has proven himself anxious to uphold his puritanical beliefs on every occasion. Upon entering Mecca after
his defeat of the Hashimite King Hussein, his first official act
was to order destroyed all the paraphernalia which he considered incompatible with Wahabi practices. A great pyre was made
in the central square of the Holy City of nargiles, phonographs
and records, game tables and other means of amusement and the
torch applied to them. Reform, Wahabi fashion, was being enforced with all the force and ferocity of a wild and desperate
desert nature.
Later came further reforms by way of an official edict being promulgated to the effect that most severe punishment would
be meted on whosoever shaved his beard, wore silks, smoked, or
abstained from attending pravers immediately upon the call of
the muezzin. The Wahabis were out to reform the world and
they proceeded to do so in strict observance of all reform movements originating in the Arab Peninsula — by the sword.
This is but one of the reasons all bridges seem to have been
burned in the way of a permanent understanding between the
Wahabis and their opponents. But the political reason, the grand
motive embracing a dream of a world empire that would bind
the whole Mohammedan world by a strong tie of religious solidarity and make it subject to the will of a single head is one of
the peculiar growths of the World War and the resulting dismemberment of the Turkish Empire. It came about in the following manner.
Great Britain and France, under the secret Sykes-Picot treaty of 1916, had reapportioned the possessions of the Turkish
Empire according to their special interests and agreed that Syria
was to go to France, Palestine, Transjordania and Iraq to Britain. When President Wilson, upon the conclusion of the treaty
of Versailles, decreed in altruistic fashion that the principle of
self-determination should apply to conquered enemy territory,
he did not realize what havoc the promulgation of this principle
would cause to his allies who had secretly arranged matters otherwise. England and France would not consent to sending a
commission of inquiry to former Turkish provinces, and the
United States had to send independently its own King-Crane
�I
*
APRIL, 1928
|
j
j
1
^ j*
* /
jj
1
37
Commission which prepared an extensive report. This report
found its way in due time to the State Department, but was
suppressed. Its conclusions did not conform to the arrangements
arrived at by Great Britain and France in their division of the
spoils, and America wanted to keep her hands off European entanglements. Consequently, the secret treaty between the two
contracting European Powers dealing with the Near East remained in force.
But while this arrangement was apparently agreeable to
both parties, England was accused of double-dealing by promising her Arab allies what she had agreed to cede to her French
ally. Syria, according to the treaty, was to be the share of France,
but England entered into secret agreements with Sherif Hussein
of Mecca, who later became King Hussein, to foster his ambitions of becoming the supreme head of a Pan-Arab, Pan-Islamic
movement. To all appearances, he was the ideal man for the
post. He was a direct descendant of the Prophet. He would be
enthroned king over the Arabs in whose possession would be the
two sacred cities of Islam, Mecca and Medina. He had many
sons who would be made rulers of neighboring countries and by
their allegiance to him form the nucleus of an Arab empire which
would be under the direct influence of Britain. And Britain, as
everyone knows, takes so much interest in Mohammedan affairs!
Her creation of a genuine Arab kingdom whose titular head
would be the successor of the Prophet would go far towards placating and pacifying her Mohammedan subjects. Furthermore,
Turkey had aligned herself with the Central Powers and it was
good policy to create an opposing force to an enemy. The plan
seemed so smooth that England felt no scruples about making a
promise to the Arabs which did not in all particulars conform
to what she had contracted with her ally, France. Fortune also
seemed to have favored her by the advent of Mustapha Kemal
Pasha and his abolition of the Khilafat which made the claim of
the Arab King on the Holy Places of Islam so much more valid.
Therefore, in pursuance of this plan, General Allenby permitted the Arab contingent of his invading army to be at the
head of the columns entering Syria. Damascus was occupied and
soon thereafter Feisal, son of Hussein, then only an Emir, was
proclaimed king. Syria was to be the principal member of a
great Arab confederation ruled over by the sons of Hussein and
forming the nucleus of a rejuvenated Arab Empire, leading in
�38
THE SYRIAN WORLD
turn to a great Islamic, world Empire.
France put an end to the ambitions of the Hashimite family in this respect by declaring war on Feisal and causing him to
flee from Syria. England, not to be daunted, created a throne
in Iraq and installed Feisal on it, making at the same time Emir
Abdullah, another son of King Hussein, ruler of Transjordania.
Thus most of the Arabic-speaking world remained under English influence, Egypt, the one other important Arabic-speaking
country in the Near East, being under actual British occupation.
All this happened without reckoning on the potential power of the sultan of Nejd, the Powerful Ibn Saoud, who had been
watching these developments and making preparations to strike
at the first opportune moment. When he finally struck it was
with the powerful arm of the Ikhwan who were wrought into
fury over what they considered desecration of the sacred places
of Arabia. They caused the deposition of King Hussein and
later that of his son King Ali. But we may be sure that if the
rank and file of the Ikhwan warriors were not aware of the ulterior motives behind this war there was one man of extended
vision who contemplated with apprehension the growth of the
influence of the Hashimite family. That man was Ibn Saoud
who, under the pretext of purifying Islam, succeeded at the same
time in purifying Arabia of the prestige of his arch-enemy.
And now there was the growing menace of Iraq becoming
a strong power on the flanks of Ibn Saoud and at the head of
which was a scion of the Hashimite family. Even since October
and November of 1927 there were raids by the Ikhwan on the
borders of Iraq. To be sure, they were represented as irresponsible incursions by a henchman of Ibn Saoud, a certain Arab
chieftain called Feisal ud-Dawish. But eventually King Ibn
Saoud was said to have championed the acts of his subordinate.
It was, according to dispatches, a compulsory move on the part
of Ibn Saoud to save his face. Dispatches concurrently intimated that Britain had for some time discontinued her annual allowance of three hundred thousand dollars to the Arab king
After all, the perennial religious question in the East cannot be left out of the reckoning. If it is not a question of Mohammedans and Christians, then it is a question of Mohammedans or Christians between themselves. In this case the controversy is about one thousand four hundred years old and stiil
going strong among some sects of Mohammedans. The Wa-
�APRIL, 1928
>
39
habis, followers of Ibn Saoud, are orthodox Moslems upholding
the Sunnite sect, while the majority of the inhabitants of Iraq
are Shiite Moslems who, after the lapse of all this time, still
give loyalty and allegiance to Ali in the matter of succession to
the Khilafat. Something of the animosity still obtaining on this
question may be had from the following incident. About a year
ago the Iraqi government called on the American University of
Beirut for the recommendation of a professor of history. A
teacher was sent who was the pupil of a Syrian historian who
did not believe in the Right of Ali. The pupil, of course, followed in the footsteps of his master and gave lectures which he
considered of a purely scholastic nature rendered without prejudice or bias. He published a book treating on the subject, and
because he would not favor Ali, the idol of the Iraqi Shiites,
there was a riot in which the English police had to intervene and
which resulted in about twenty deaths and a large number of
other casualties.
Iraq, according to the classification of the League of Nations, is considered a class A mandate, meaning that it requires
but little supervision in order to become self-governing. Still
it is found to be fertile ground for such controversies dating as
far back as 1400 years. What then could be expected of the
nomads of the desert who still live under the same conditions
which existed during the remote time of Father Abraham?
The Wahabis are just such a people with a good deal of
emphasis. They are fired by religious zeal quite in keeping with
the hot temperature of the scorching sands of the desert. Their
austerity takes of the very nature of their habitat and it should
not be at all surprising that they go to war upon the least representation that their creed was being violated.
After all, the new difficulties in Arabia may be ascribed to
many reasons, each sufficient in itself to be a casus belli among
such a primitive people. But one should not leave out of the
picture the machinations of European diplomacy. For just
as England was responsible to a large extent for engineering the
revolt against France in Syria, it is worth while considering if
France, in her turn, was not responsible in diplomatically fostering this new outburst of the Wahabis against England on the
Iraqi borders. Ibn Saoud, it was at one time stated, had helped
the Syrian revolution with no less than £15,000 in cash. He
was at that time a loyal friend of England. It was later report-
�40
THE SYRIAN WORLD
ed that he had become a stanch friend of France. Can it be
possible that French money is now being used to give England
a little diversion in Iraq, by a reversal of the process, and repayment in kind?
'
\)
Arab Proverbs
Slaves of passions are more despicable than slaves of
bondage.
Insatiable ambition is captivity without ransom.
The enmity of relatives is more poignant than the bites of
scorpions.
The wise man's wealth is in his knowledge, and the fooPs
wealth is in his possessions.
Counsel is the beacon of safety.
Loss of sight is much preferable to loss of mind.
Truth, although little, will confound falsehood, no matter
how plentiful, just as a small fire will consume a pile of wood
no matter how huge.
/ ',
r
Everything in the world is much greater when heard about
than when seen.
Either be a learned conversationalist or a patient listener.
A man's speech is the index of his knowledge.
Improve your behavior the nearer you get to the grave.
Just as humility is a true sign of wisdom, so is conceit a
sure indication of ignorance.
�I
SULTAN IBN SAOUD
The most powerful potentate of Arabia and Conqueror of the Hashjmite
King Hussein. He is the tall man with the staff.
r
�_ _
EX-KING HUSSEIN
/
Head of the Hashimite family and a direct descendant of the Prophet.
He is now in exile in Cyprus.
�APRIL, 1928
41
Tragedy in Love
e/f» Authentic Arabian Story.
Translated from the Original Arabic.
/
i
During the reign of Suleiman Abdul Malek, one of the
Umayyad caliphs of Damascus, there lived in the city of AlBasra a wealthy merchant called Nairn Al-Ghafari who had an
only son brought up in the lap of luxury and refinement, and
whose name was Zarif. The merchant's fortune was such that
he was spared the further necessity of travel, and he centered
all his attention on the care of his son whom he loved more
dearly than life itself. There was not a wish of the youth that
was not gratified, and his numerous servants and slaves were
ever anxious to carry out with alacrity his slightest bidding. He
was, for that reason, the subject of considerable envy, and what
appeared to add to his good fortune was that nature had endowed him with such pulchritude and grace of figure that there
seemed to be nothing wanting to complete the measure of his
happiness.
However, and in spite, of all the enviable advantages which
he enjoyed, the youth conceived one day the rash idea of wanting to embark on a trading expedition. Like the dutiful child
he was, he broached the subject to his father but only met with
discouragement and disapproval. "Why entertain such a mad
undertaking, my son," said the loving parent. "Thou art the
hope and consolation of my life, and all the fruits of my labor
are thine to enjoy to the fullest extent. Thou seest that nothing has been denied thee and if thou departest from me I fear
some harm will overtake thee and send me to my grave shrouded in grief. Pray, then, listen to my counsel and remain with
me until the end of my days so that I may depart this life in
peace of mind and contentment."
But the boy, in the rashness of his youth, remained obdurate and persisted in his insistance until the reluctant father
gave his consent. Consequently, a large and assorted shipment
of the choicest merchandise was collected together and given
to him, and early of a morning he set his face in the direction
1
�42
THE SYRIAN WORLD
of Bagdad, the enchanted city about which he had heard so much
from his traveler friends.
Once in the great city, Zarif occupied himself above all
with the admiration of the beautiful palaces and the numerous
parks and gardens teeming with life and gaity. He was enraptured wtih his experience and his commercial errand was the
last thing to which he gave a thought. It seemed as if life had
opened for him new avenues of pleasure which had been totally
closed to him in the dull routine of a humdrum existence in AlBasra.
It chanced one day that while passing by the slave market,
he was induced by his companions to enter the enclosure and
witness the proceedings so as to add to his store of experience.
Once within, he saw for the first time in his life the manner of
disposal and the original source of supply of the human material
which filled the harems of the rich men of the country. Lined
around the enclosure were slaves of every color and description j
black Ethiopians like polished ebony; white Circassians like flawless ivory; some of homely appearance but robust of constitution who could be used for menial work, while others of dazzling
beauty who could well grace the palaces of Sultans, and all
destined to be sold off and delivered on the spot to the highest
bidder.
The sight was a novel one to the unsophisticated youth and
he sat for a time watching the proceedings crouched in an inconspicuous corner. Until a maiden was led to the platform whose
surpassing beauty captivated the whole audience and elicited from
them loud exclamations of admiration. Immediately there was
spirited bidding for her possession and her price was being raised
by the tens of thousands of dirhams. And all the while the bidders would be clamoring for opportunities to examine and scrutinize her in order the more to regale their eyes with this exceptional feast of perfect feminine beauty.
But the wily maiden, conscious of her supreme charms, assumed such poses and resorted to such methods as never to gratify the wish of a would-be purchaser in full. She would never
reveal all her body to any one bidder. To this one she showed
a graceful arm, to the other a perfectly moulded leg, and to a
third only one side of a fully budding breast. She had dancing
eyes protected by a perfectly penciled brow of the shape of a
Yamani blade, but whenever a bidder came near closing the deal
�wmm.
APRIL, 1928
43
with her master she would overwhelm him with such a shower
of piercing looks that would have on him the effects of darts
of steel and he would develop sudden reluctance to part with
his money. It was evident that the pretty one would consent
to be sold only to the one who met with her complete favor.
While thus engaged in scrutinizing the bidders her eyes
fell on the youth from Al-Basra whose name, Zarif, well described his comely appearance. Immediately there was a change
in her attitude and she beamed on him with such tender and
warm glances as to leave no doubt of her preference for him.
He could not resist the bewitching twinkle in her eyes and he
forthwith rose and joined the circle of bidders, and it was a
matter of but a few moments when the coveted beauty became
his for a price of a hundred thousand dirhams.
The lad had not expected to come so soon to the realization of such great happiness, and he prepared to celebrate the
occasion that evening with a sumptuous feast to his newly acquired friends. But fate held something unexpected in store
for him—something that he could not forestall, being a stranger
in a strange city.
As it happened, news of the great beauty of the slave girl
fwho was sold in the slave market that day traveled fast among
the men of the city until it had, before evening, reached the ears
of Al-Hajjaj, the atrocious tyrant who was sent by the Caliph
as his agent in Iraq to put down by sword and fire any attempt
at insurrection. Al-Hajjaj had no scruples about the sanctity
of person or property and he sent the commander of the guard
to the youth from Al-Basra with orders to bring to him forthwith the slave girl bought by him that day. In vain did the
enamored youth plead first with the commander of the guard
and then with Al-Hajjaj, and as a climax to his misfortune he
was cast in prison and told that he would not be set at liberty
until he had completely renounced his right of ownership to
the girl.
But Al-Hajjaj, although merciless and unscrupulous, had
a very keen appreciation for his life and it soon dawned upon
him that if the news of his misdeed were to come to the knowledge of the Caliph he could expect no mercy at his hands. Consequently, and in order to remedy matters before it became too
late, he fitted out a great caravan and had the girl sent to Damascus with a message to the Caliph that having found this girl
�H
THE SYRIAN WORLD
whom none but the person of the Caliph deserved, he had presented her to him as a token of his vigilance and loyalty. Needless to say that the girl found great favor in the eyes of the
Caliph.
Soon after, the distracted youth was released from prison
and his first thought was to follow his beloved to Damascus.
There he spent a long time devising means to enter mto communication with her but all to no avail. Until finally he decided on the desperate course of appealing direct to the Caliph, and
he wrote to him saying: "If the Prince of the Faithful will
gratify the wish of a desperate man, I would ask that he permit
his bondmaiden Nohma to sing for me three selections of my
choice, after which he may dispose of my person in the manner
he pleases."
,
Upon receiving the petition the Caliph was greatly enraged,
but later allowed his forbearance to get the mastery over his
anger, and when the officials of the court had departed he ordered both the youth and the girl to be brought to his presence ,
Having been thus brought together again, Zanf asked his
beloved Nohma to sing him in her perfected art a certain^selection from a famous Arab poet-lover, which she did. Zanf went
into such transports of emotion that he lost consciousness.
Upon being revived he asked for another selection and
then for a third, and now that his wish had been gratified and
without waiting for the decision of the Caliph he rushed towards an open window and leaped to the ground below meeting
immediate death.
_
At this turn of affairs the Caliph was much grieved, exclaiming that the youth had too hastily brought on his own end,
for who could conceive of a Caliph exposing a woman of his
harem to the sight of a stranger and then taking her back.
Thereupon the Caliph ordered that the girl be either given
to the heirs of the youth or sold and her price given as alms to
the poor in his memory.
But as the court attendants were leading her out of the
palace, and while crossing a deep moat, the girl wrenched herself free from the grip of her guard, exclaiming:
So must a lover meet his death,
Barren is love unless so set.
�APRIL, 1928
45
And before she could be overtaken and restrained she leaped over the parapet and only her lifeless body was recovered
lying beside that of her youthful lover.
Fives, Sevens and Nines
Kisses are five: a kiss of compassion which is that of the
child; a kiss of consideration which is that of the child's head;
a kiss of respect which is that of the sultan's hand; a kiss of
devotion which is that of the Black Stone, the crucifixes and
the like; and a kiss of passion which is that of women.
*
*
*
Intoxication is five: the intoxication of youth; the intoxication of liquor; the intoxication of wealth; the intoxication of
authority, and the intoxication of love.
J)C
9|€
3|C
Delights are five within five time limits: the delight of a
day which is in drink and boon companionship: the delight of
a week which is in the bath; the delight of a month which is in
the honeymoon; the delight of a year which is in the child, and
the delight of an age which is in the company of loyal friends.
*
*
*
Seven are unstable: the shadow of a cloud; the authority
of the rabble; the love of women; flattery; lying; money,
and inheritances.
*
*
*
Seven pleasures are insatiable: wheat bread; sheep's meat;
cold water; soft robes; perfume; a comfortable bed, and the
sight of the beautiful in whatever form.
*
*
*
Nine are irretrievably wasted: a ladder in a plain; a lamp
in the sunlight; a lock on deserted ruins; cosmetics on a youth;
a crippled peacock; a beautiful woman with a blind man; whispering to a deaf; remonstrance with a lover, and benefaction to
an ingrate.
i
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
46
Spirit of the Syrian Press
Under this caption we hope to present from time to time a microcoamic picture of the Arabic press, not only in this country, but wherever
Arabic dailies and magazines reflect the opinions of responsible, thinking
writers who are treating the different problems that confront the Arabicspeaking world from all conceivable angles. Needless to say, we will take
no part in the discussions reproduced, nor assume any responsibility. Our
task will simply consist in selecting, to the best of our knowledge and
with utmost sincerity, what we think is representative of tihe public opinion as expressed in these editorials.
Editor.
NEED OF A STRONG
POLITICAL PARTY
Everywhere in the United States
the Lebanese have become convinced
of the necessity of creating a strong
political party which would interest
itself in thj affairs of the mothercountry.
Lebanon, in its position in the
East, has ever been like an isolated
rock amidst surging seas, while Syria
was the actual highway for the passage of contending forces. Lebanon
was never mixed either with the attackers or defenders, being satisfied
with the paramount object of maintaining its freedom. If, however, it
is claimed that Lebanon allied itself
at one time with the Crusaders it
was because the small size of the
mountain required that it should
have then, as it still requires now,
a powerfull ally.
It was the Moslems who first attacked the Christians when they
launched on their policy of conquest
and deprived them of their territories and possessions. If the Christians later declared the Crusades it
was by way of justified retaliation.
The Lebanese are still beset with
all sorts of grave dangers. They
are in more need now than ever of
a strong political organization which
would strive to protect their rights.
Up to the present time they can
claim no such advantage unless the
Lebanon League of Progress be this
needed organization, in which case
we would ask all liberty-loving Lebanese to rally around its banners,
especially because it was founded by
the Lebanese of America who have
come more than ever to appreciate
the blessings of liberty.
(Al-Hoda, N. Y., March 13, 1928.)
ARABIAN WAHABIS AND
AMERICAN PROHIBITIONISTS
The American press pictures the
Wahabis as mad zealots who would
not hesitate a moment to wreak
their vengeance on Moslems and
Christians alike once they are given
the opportunity.
In truth, the Wahabis are fired
with extreme fanaticism and it is
but natural that they consider all
who disagree with them in belief
heretics and infidels. If, therefore,
they resort to the use of force
against this tribe or that clan it is
because the belief is deeply rooted
�APRIL, 1928
in their minds that they are doing
so in the interest of true religion.
In this they do not seem to be
exceptional or contrary, for all other peoples in this respect are Wahabis... Even though others do not
use sword and spear for the imposition of their will. The only difference lies in the time and place.
If the Wahabis prohibit the use
of alcohol it is because the Koran
contains explicit references to the
necessity of abstinence and prohibition. But the prohibition of the
Unit°d States, which is sponsored
by a party of Christian ministers
and their adherents, has no valid
excuse for such advocacy in th? teachings of the Christian religion.
American prohibitionists, nevertheless, claim that their policy is the
height and essence of civilization
and when the Wahabis of Arabia,
their peers and equals in the enforcement of prohibition, are mentioned, they turn up their noses
against them in derision and brand
them as barbarians who are yet
away far from civilization.
The paradox of the situation is
that American prohibitionists despise
and deride the Wahabis, and yet
emulate them!
(Meraat-Ul-Gharb, N. Y.,
March 20, 1928.)
FRANCE AND GEHA
The French High Commissariat
in Syria borrowed for Lebanon the
republican form of government from
France. This was for the ostensible
purpose of gratifying a swollen ambition and proved much like the
fable of tihe crow in emulating the
walk of the partridge. Lebanon,
therefore, had the satisfaction of
enjoying a republic, a presidency, a
47
parliament and a ministry composed
of seven members.
The High Commissariat later discovered that this ridiculous imitation was but a swelling symptom
caused by a dangerous puss which
threatened to reach the heart. It
consequently resorted to the expediency of elimination, beginning with
the abrogation of the Senate and
ending by revoking several ministries. It may follow this action by
making other changes and end finally by substituting the republic for
a principality.
Tlr's reminds us of a well-known
tale reputed to Geha.
Geha, it is related, borrowed from
one of his neighbors a large brass
tray and kept it for several days,
at the end of which he returned it
with a brass plate. Upon the neighbor inquiring about the reason thereof Geha informed him that the tray
had given birth to the plate during
the period of the loan and the offspring was, therefore, his by right.
A short time thereafter Geha
again borrowed the tray and returned it this time with a brass bowl,
giving the same explanation.
But when Geha borrowed the tray
for the third time he made no effort
to return it, and when the neighbor
inquired about the reason for the
delay Geha replied that the tray had
met an untimely death during delivery.
This may not be an exact simile
of what is now happening between
France and Lebanon, but it well affords grounds for some deductions.
We fear that the republic and ministries are but dishes and bowls
which the H'gh Commissariat hands
out to us as decoys, while the freedom of Lebanon is destined to die
in confinement.
(As-Sayeh, N. Y., March 19, 1928.)
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
48
Lately, there were celebrations of
progress.
The year 1928 is especially au- some minor jubilees in the East,
such as that of Al-Muktataf, Lisanspicious for its large number of
Ul-Hal, Abdullah Bistany, Father
jubilees. Among Westerners we
find that preparations for such cele- Sheiko and others, but we seem to
pass by many other more important
brations are undertaken long in advance in proof of their great inter- occasions.
In Arabic history there are many
est in the achievements of their
events
which should be commemogreat men. No only are these celerated as well as many outstanding
brations launched through personal
initiative, but governments also historical figures whose memory
take great pains to show their in- should be kept alive. Now* if our
terest and support. Men both liv- ancestors have missed the opportunity of celebrating these jubilees
ing and dead are included in the
we who live in this discerning age
honors, and when the event is of
especial significance and importance should make an auspicious beginning
the jubilee is celebrated internation- by celebrating those great events
whose centenaries fall in our
ally.
We of the East, however, let great t'mes. Mention of a few of these
occasions for such celebrations pass events would seem now to be much
by without giving them so much as apropos.
In this year of 1928 A. D. and
a thought. If at all we mention our
1346
of the Hegira, for instance,
great men and celebrated achievemany
jubilees could be celebrated
ments we do so in the manner of
by
the
Arab world. We do not prolip homage. Our governments of
fess
to
be giving herewith a comEgypt, Syria, Iraq and other Arabicplete
list,
but the few mentioned
speaking countries assume towards
may
be
taken
as a fair indication.
such events an attitude of utter unThe
thousandth
year (Hegira) of
concern and indifference. They seem
the
glorious
epoch
of Saif ud-Dawoblivious to the fact that in our past
lat
El-Hamadani.
history there was many an event
The thousandth year (Hegira) of
which either changed the course of
the
epoch of Abdul-Rahman An-Nahistory, contributed to the advance
ser,
during whose time the Arabs
of civilization^ or was the precursor
of Spain reached the zenith of their
of a great era of education and enlightenment. For these considera- progress, Corodova being the fountions, our governments should be the tain head of science, literature and
first to encourage the celebrations invention, giving Europe its first
of jubilees in the hope that the re- taste of advanced knowledge.
The thousandth year (Hegira) of
collection of past glorious achievethe
death of Mas'oudi, the famous
ments will awaken our people from
their present lethargy. For a jubi- Arab historian.
The one thousandth three hunlee is but a manifestation of universal joy, and if a people is not dredth year (Hegira) of the epoch
given the opportunity to rekindle of Mu'awiyah, founder of the famous
its enthusiasm at frequent intervals Umayyad dynasty in Damascus,
its spirit will soon die out and it whose conquests carried the standwill become lagging on the road of ards of the Arabs to India in the
A YEAR OF JUBILEES
\
�I
APRIL, 1928
East and to Europe in the West.
The centenary (A. D.) of Mohammed Ali Pasha, founder of the present ruling dynasty in Egypt and the
patron of Arab literary renaissance
in that country.
These are but a few instances
meant only to remind the forgetful
among whom may be counted the
ministers of education of Arabicspeaking countries.
(As-Sayeh, N. Y., March 8, 1928.)
I i
NEW SYRIAN MINISTRY
DISAPPOINTING
Upon receipt of the news of the
appointment of Sheikh Tajeddin AlHassani as head of the provisional
government of Syria we were much
elated and laid in the new president
great hopes, realizing the extent of
his loyalty and patriotism. We were
led to this belief by consideration of
his past record, especially that when
he was once offered the same post
by Gen. Gouraud, he refused it except on condition that he would be
given a free hand in modeling the
government to conform to national
aspirations.
It grieves us now to see by his
declaration, promulgated upon his
taking office, that the policies he
outlines do not differ in the least
from those of his predecessor. Can
it be that this change of mind overtook him upon his last visit to
Paris, or is it that the love of office
made him forget his duties towards
the nation which had loved him only because of his uncompromising
stand on the nationalistic principle?
If the President found it impossible to form a cabinet capable of
safeguarding the interests of the
nation, the proper course for him to
follow would have been the rejec-
i
!
i/
49
tion of, the office, as he had done on
a previous occasion, in the interest
of the cause for which thousands of
the brave sons of Syria have given
up their lives.
As matters now stand, the nation
is tired of having France thus continue to thwart it in the attainment
of its just aspirations. It is a pity
that men in whom the country had
reposed its faith should be the tools
for depriving it of the chance to
reap the benefits of its hard and
sustained efforts in the pursuit of
independence.
(Al-Bayan, N. Y., March 14, 1928.)
WHAT THE DRUZES WANT
Who ever expected that the result
of the Syrian revolution would prove
such a fiasco? The French Governor of the Druze Mountain called a
meeting of representatives of the
country and gave them full liberty
to decide on the form of government they prefer. They unhesitatingly decided to remain separate
from the government of Syria and
have no connection whatsoever with
Damascus. It is strange that after
such heavy sacrifices in blood the
Druzes should prefer the old order
and refuse to become a party to
Syrian unity, this unity which was
the principal demand of their leader Sultan Pasha Atrash in fomenting the revolt.
This result certainly proves that
the Druzes have now awakened from
their illusion and realized that the
Syrian Nationalists of Damascus
sought only to make use of them
and deceive them. It is gratifying
to see that finally the Druzes have
come to understand that those were
their true friends who advised them
to come to a peaceable understand-
�• II
| i
50
ing with the French.
Beyond doubt, the Druzes have,
by their display of determination
and valor, enhanced their prestige
in the eyes of the French. But this
moral benefit has been gained at
too heavy a price, because the loss
of seven thousand able-bodied men
out of a Druze population totalling
but a hundred thousand in both
Syria and Lebanon must be deeply
felt. It is a poor consolation for
the Druzes to claim that they are
not sorry for the loss.
The net result of the revolution
is that the Druzes have proven
themselves a belligerent and redoubtable element, but in political
benefits their gains have been nil,
for they themselves now demand a
French governor since they saw
that France was never vindictive
but only sought to teach them a
much-needed lesson.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
them is only the brotherhood of the
Islamic faith?
We shall not revert to the enumeration of the old arguments
which have been so often repeated.
We would refer, however, to recent
accounts published in Mohammedan
papers bearing on the efforts of the
natives of Palestine to thwart the
designs of the Zionists. These accounts leave no doubt that the Moslems consider all efforts creditable
to them. They make plain mention
of the fact and seem to have not the
slightest consideration for the
standing and feelings of other elements.
With such a spirit rampant among
the Moslems, can the Christians be
blamed for fearing them and refusing to associate with them in matters represented as being of national
interest?
(Syrian Eagle, N.Y., March 8, 1928.)
(Ash-Shaab, N. Y., March 22, 1928.)
BENEFITS OF THE REVOLUTION
ISLAMIC MOTIVES IN
•
ARAB MOVEMENTS
To those who question the fruits
of the revolution we would say that
It is strange that we are persistent- it has at least proven that the Syrians are a live nation whom the
ly asked to believe that the Pan
Arab movement is primarily a pa- French have learned to respect. But
triotic one, while we s:e cumulative for it feminine honor would be still
proofs every day that it is only mo- as) cheap in Lebanon as it had been
tivated by religious, Islamic consi- in the past. The revolution has
been the cause for granting Lebanon
derot;ins.
Under the guise of patriotism the a republic which, although a farce,
Moslems oppose foreign mandates is nevertheless called a republic inwhUe they would be openly pro- stead of being a French colony outclaiming their preference for every- right.
For these and many other conthing Moslem in all patriotic considerations. Where pray, can there siderations the skeptics should be
be genuine patriotism with the Mos- convinced of the benefits of the
lems when they place denomination- revolution.
al considerations above everything
(Al-Bayan, N. Y., March 27, 1928.)
else and where brotherhood with
�;
APRIL, 1928
V
51
Readers' Forum
CREDIT CLAIMED FOR
DEFENSE OF SYRIANS
•
K;
Editor, The Syrian World:
Being a faithful reader of The
Syrian World, and being especially
interested in all matters pertaining
to immigration whether ancient
or recent, I was very much surprised to observe that the Syrian Young
Men's Society of this City has been
entirely omitted from the chronicles
of the celebrated Dow Case, thoroughly and ably reviewed by Mr.
Jos. W. Ferris.
While the New York papers were
writing about and heatedly discussing the Dow Case, and before any
concrete action was taken by any
one, The Syrian Young Men's Society of this City dispatched the undersigned to Charleston, W. Va.,
where I spent a week and induced
Judge Smith to reopen the case. I
also had a lengthy discussion with
the Judge in the presence of a large
delegation of Charlestonian Syrians.
That historical visit is recorded in
detail in the Charleston papers.
It was the undersigned who, together with a Charleston delegation,
contracted with attorneys to carry
the case to the Appelate Court.
The argument assigned to Mr. N.
A. Mokarzel with reference to
Christ was the identical expression
used by the writer in discussing the
case with Judge Smith and recorded
in the Charleston papers.
My recollection is that the writer's visit antedated Mr. N. A. Mokarzel's visit by several weeks.
In addition, the writer used the
same expression as early as 1907
before the Immigration Committee
at Washington, D. C, when the
Hon. John L. Burnett, an Alabaman
and Chairman of the Immigration
Committee, was bitterly opposing in
Congress the admission of Syrians
into the United States.
Of course it is too readily admitted that Mr. N. A. Mokarzel is fully capable of making expression
which may be classed as masterpieces, and the purpose of this letter is not to detract from whatever
credit is due him, (not one iota),
but for the sake of fairness and in
order to keep the record straight,
let us not omit the valiant and loyal
work done by the Syrian Young
Men's Society of this City. As a
matter of fact, it was this Society
that pioneered the movement to remove the blemish, and it was this
Society that turned the first wheel
of the machinery which finally accomplished the glorious victory
which was achieved for all.
May I say in passing that it is
now the crucial time for every influential Syrian to do his bit by contributing freely to the campaign to
nominate the Hon. Al Smith for
President of the United States.
Even in Alabama, the stronghold of
the Ku Klux Klan, Smith has a
respectable and an effective following. There is an awakening here
which is proving a neutralizing antidote to the poison of strife and
prejudice from which we have suffered perhaps more than any other
state in the union.
Very respectfully,
Dr. H. A. Elkourie.
Birmingham, Ala.
�_____-
THE SYRIAN WORLD
52
Political Developments in Syria
SYRIAN SITUATION UNDERGOING READJUSTMENT
New Provisional Government Promises Holding General Elections
Within Two Months.
Although there has been a change
of government in Syria, the political
atmosphere seems to be still overcast with clouds of restlessness and
dissatisfaction. It now transpires
that the new President of the provisional government does not enjoy
any great degree of confidence and
support from the Nationalist Party.
He had been held as a model nationalist so long as he opposed the
French, but now that he has accepted office 'with the ostensible
purpose of working in harmony
with them, he has ipso facto
become persona non grata. Some
nationalist organs even accuse
him of compromising with the
French solely in furtherance of his
personal ambitions. The irreconcilables among the Nationalists are
also much dissatisfied with the
whole personnel of the cabinet.
made it plain that the French were
in Syria on a friendly mission, but
that they were there to stay, as they
were honor-bound to carry out the
task entrusted to them by the
League of Nations. Shortly thereafter, the Syrian Nationalists held
their secret convention in Beirut to
formulate a reply to the High Commissioner. Since then political developments were progressing swiftly
but quietly. It was apparent that
the Syrians had finally come to
realize the futility of any attempt
to gain their ends through armed
conflict, and for that reason they
showed considerable moderation in
their reply to the declaration of M.
Ponsot. This move proved to be the
beginning of what promises to be
the end of the drawn out struggle
between the Nationalists and the
Mandatory Power in Syria.
The correspondent further states
The correspondent of the Cairo
paper Al-Ahram in Syria gives the that M. Mogra, the diplomatic Secfollowing details of the negotiations retary of the High Commissioner,
leading to the formation of the new and a former high official of the
French Foreign Office, had been
Provisional Government.
The French High Commissioner, quietly studying the Syrian situaaccording to the account of the cor- tion under instructions from both
respondent, had been patiently wait- his chief and the Quay d'Orsay, with
ing for the opportune moment to a view to arriving at an acceptable
call the Syrians to the realization
solution. Much credit is given this
of an accomplished fact. In his declaration of a few months since, he able secretary by the correspondent.
ti
�53
APRIL, 1928
Ponsot Unbending.
The former Provisional Government of Syria, headed by Ahmad
Nami Bey, the Damad, sensed its
coming doom and made every effort
to effect a compromise. It was represented to the High Commissioner
by the friends of the Damad that
he had carried out his trust under
the most trying conditions, and that
insofar as the proposed change is
not to be fundamental, but merely
a substitution of one provisional
government for another, the Damad
should be kept in power out of deference to his past services and
loyalty.
All arrangements, however, failed to shake the decision of the High
Commissioner although, it is claimed, he had not as yet made definite
arrangements with his successor.
This accounts for the lapse of over
a week between the resignation of
the Damad government and the formation of government! of the Sheikh
Tajeddin Al-Hassani.
The new President was not reluctant in accepting office on this
occasion as he had been on a former
one, but he was sorely tried in forming a ministry that would meet with
the approval of both the Mandatory
authorities and the Nationalist element. The High Commissioner insisted on the appointment of certain
men who were known for their moderation, and although the new government cannot be termed nationalist, it is claimed that it is fully capable of carrying out its limited
mission of convoking the Constitutional Assembly and supervising
the elections.
New Government not Nationalistic.
The Syrian press, as may be expected, is seething with discussions
of this turn in the political situation. There is, however, no unanimity of opinion on whether the
change spells a triumph of the Nationalist cause. Some profess to see
in the move a capitulation by France
to the demands of Syria in that it
promises it a much wider sphere
of freedom than that accorded either Palestine or Iraq, while others
would not be satisfied until France
completely evacuated the country.
Upon assuming office, the new
President issued a manifesto embodying his declaration of policy in
which he called upon the Syrian nation for a display of patience and
moderation until such time as the
constitutional government is created
and begins to function. He advocated a policy of understanding and
co-operation between Syria and the
Mandatory Power, explaining that
only thereby could Syria hope for
a fulfillment of its ambition of being admitted to the membership of
the League of Nations. The President stressed the fact of being in
office temporarily as he hopes that
within two months the Constitutional Assembly would succeed in
formulating the Constitution under
which the de jure government would
function. He also promised that
elections would be held with the
widest latitude of freedom which is
proof in itself of the friendly disposition which the Mandatory Power feels for Syria.
Nationalist's Challenge.
The irreconcilable faction among
the Nationalists takes strong exception to some of the statements of
the new government and places the
latter in the same category as that
of its predecessor. This makes it
plain that the new move of M. Pon-
�54
sot has further split the ranks of
the Nationalists so that now their
capacity for organized and concerted opposition becomes greatly diminished. Signs of dissension had
long since been evident among tine
Nationalists ever since they met
with their decisive reverses in the
field, and this further break in their
ranks would seem to presage the
end of any mass action.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Amnesty not General.
What, however, drew the bitterest
attack from the irreconcilable group
was the application of the terms of
the general amnesty. This, it is
pointed out, was supposed to apply
to all offenses committed previous
to Feb. 17, while in the reservations
to the amnesty many notables are
denied clemency who had never been
tried or convicted. Some of these
In a signed statement published were entrusted at times with reby the General Secretary of the sponsible political missions either by
Syro-Palestinian Committee in Cairo, the government of the Damad or tine
direct charges are made against the French Government itself. They
new government that it is bargain- were, on several occasions, invited
ing away the right of the Syrian to Paris for the discussion of the
nation by entering into some per- Syrian political situation. The plain
manent engagements with the Man- inference is that members of the
datory Power in spite of its provi- Syrian Nationalist Delegation in
sional character. Such, for instance, Europe who had not been extended
is her agreement to the measure of amnesty should have been included
creating the interstate economic under the terms of the supposed
board which the High Commission- general amnesty as proof of tihe
er had proposed. This, tihey claim, good intentions of the Mandatory
implies approval of the present plan Power and the new Syrian Proviof political division of the country sional Government-!
It is pointed out, however, that
which is contrary to Nationalistic
demands aiming at centralization of engagement in revolutionary activiauthority and consolidation of the ties does not constitute a crime, and
the declaration of a general amnesunity of the country.
ty is therefore considered an insult
The government is further criti- to Syrian patriotism. In short, the
cised for not announcing the regu- new provisional government in
lations under which the new elecSyria may be said to have failed
tions to the Constitutional Assem- of its object of reconciling the exbly are to be held. It is taken for
treme Nationalists.
granted that for lack of any definite
In the bill of exceptions to the
statement on the matter the old
general
amnesty many military and
regulations promulgated by Gen.
political
leaders are included, prinWeigand in 1923 will remain in
cipal
among
whom are Sultan Paforce, in which case they would be
sha
Atrash,
Dr. Abdul Rahman
objectionable as permitting too
Shahbandar and
Emir
Shakib
much interference with the liberties
Arslan.
of the Syrian people by the ManAfter the promulgation of the
datory Power, as has been amply amnesty many exiled Syrian Nationdemonstrated by the elections held alists returned to Damascus where
they were welcomed with much popin Lebanon.
�JI
APRIL, 1928
ular enthusiasm.
Although no definite date has been
set for the convocation of the Constitutional Assembly, it is confidently expected that it will be called in
about two months. Active preparations are now on foot for the election of delegates.
Personnel of New Ministry.
\
From a survey of the records of
the members of the new government, it appears that they are all
moderates among whom the President may be said to be the most
radical. On two occasions previously, he refused offers from High
Commissioners to form a provisional
government because of his insistence
on conditions which the French
High Commissioner could not grant.
Sheikh Tajeddin Al-Hassani is a
direct descendant of Abi Bakr, the
closest companion of the Prophet,
and had been, previous to his taking
office, Chief Justice of Mohammedan
law in Damascus.
Other prominent members if his
cabinet are Mohammad Kurd Ali,
a well-known author, journalist and
historian who was appointed minister of education; Jamil Bey Alshi,
who had been Prime Minister of the
Syrian Government following the
battle of Maissalon in which Gen.
Gouraud defeated the Nationalist
Syrian army of King Faisal, and
Subhi Bey Nayyal, who had held
several portfoflios in former ministries.
The personnel of the ministry is
drawn from the several minor
states forming the political unit of
Greater Syria including, besides
Damascus, Aleppo, Horns and Hama.
It is admitted that in the selection
of the ministers prime consideration was given to those who posses-
55
sed political influence so as to insure an orderly election for the Constitutional Assembly, and no attempt was made to select for the
different posts men fitted by education or training to carry out a
technical program of reconstruction.
While these changes are taking
place
in
Damascus, dissension
among the Nationalists abroad
seems to go on unabated. Members of the Executive Committee
of the Syro-Palestinian Party are
still at loggerheads over the right
of Emir Lutfallah to retain the
chairmanship, and finally the leaders of the armed revolt were drawn
into the controversy, Sultan Pasha
Atrash declaring his unqualified support of the faction opposing the
chairman.
It should be recalled that the Lutfallah faction had withdrawn the
credentials of the Syrian delegation in Europe of which Emir Shakib Arslan is a member, but the opposing faction retaliated by outlawing Lutfallah and his supporters and reaffirming their confidence
in Arslan and his colleagues, constituting them their sole representatives and spokesmen.
Druzes Appeal for Funds.
Judging by the public appeals issued by Sultan Pasha Atrash and
his band of loyal followers who are
now in voluntary exile in the desert, the remnant of the revolutionary forces and their families are reduced to dire straits for lack of
proper food clothing and shelter.
The appeals are directed mostly to
the Syrians of America who are
urged not to take account of the
misleading reports about the termination of the revolution, because the
Druze forces are again ready to
�56
take the field as soon as the season
permits the resumption of military
operations.
The Syrian press reports that the
French inspector in Jebel Druze
where the standard of revolt was
first raised, called a meeting of the
accredited leaders of all the districts
of the Mountain for a referendum
as to their desire in joining tihe
state of Syria or retaining their
present form of autonomous government. It is stated that they all
declared for independence, which is
in direct opposition to the professed
aims of the revolution said to be
the establishment of Syria on a basis
of indivisible unity. This is interpreted in some quarters as a further indication of a complete break
between the Syrians and the Druzes.
What would seem to lend color to
this supposition is that some Druze
publicists are now bitterly attacking
prominent Damascene leaders who
were supposed to have taken active
part in the armed struggle. It is
now the claim of the Druzes that
these Syrians even evaded the
slightest skirmishes and were concerned only about their own safety,
living in luxury while the Druzes
gave up their lives in the unequal
struggle.
England Implicated in Revolution.
England appears to be coming in
for her share of the blame in fomenting the Syrian revolution. The
Syrian press reports that when Gen.
Valieres made a trip to Wadi-'lAjam in an effort to effect a reconciliation between the Christian and
Druze elements of the population
he was told by Sheikh Saad Hajale,
chief Sheikh of the Druzes in that
section, that his people were now
ready to live in permanent peace
with their Christian neighbors and
THE SYRIAN WORLD
in unshaken loyalty to the authorities. The Sheikh added that the
Druzes now regret having started
the revolution as they were prompted to it by certain "people" who deserted them in their hour of need.
Upon the General asking the Sheikh
who he meant by his reference the
latter replied that they were the
English.
It was also announced that King
Feisal of Iraq had sent a message
of congratulation to the new head
of the provisional government in
Syria upon his appointment. This is
said to be the first time King Feisal chose to recognize the new regime in Syria after his deposition.
Former rebels are said to be taking advantage of the offer of amnesty in large numbers, but no definite figures are available as to the
total number of those having surrendered so far. w
The Situation in Lebanon.
Following the reorganization of
the ministerial council, the government of Lebanon proceeded to put
into effect certain judicial reforms
by the appointment of mixed courts
and the rearrangement of judicial
districts. As usual, there was a
large element voicing its dissatisfaction with the new measures,
especially because there was considerable reduction in the number of
appointive offices and a shifting of
judicial centers. The loudest in its
objection was the city of Zahle
which saw great harm befalling it
from the decision to transfer the
court of Al-Beka to Baalbek for the
summer session.
Dr. Ayoub Tabet, minister of the
Interior and of Public Health, continues to be the storm center of
politics in the little republic. He
has again threatened the life of the
�APRIL, 192$
new ministry by creating an issue
which he deemed sufficient cause for
him to offer his resignation. In his
character of minister of Public
Health, he was not consulted on some
new health arrangements devised by
the Mandatory authorities regulating
57
passenger traffic between Lebanon
and Palestine, following the appearance of smallpox and the establishment of quarantine He was appeased by the promise of the authorities
to have all such arrangements in
the future passed on by his office.
About Syria and Syrians
RIHANI'S BOOK WELL
RECEIVED IN EUROPE
I
Ameen Rihani's book on "Ibn
Sa'oud of Arabia, His People and
His Land", came off the press in
London at the time when England
thought she had another war on
her hands in Arabia. The Wahabis,
followers of King Ibn Saoud, were
said to have made attacks simultaneously on the borders of Iraq
and Transjordania, both under British mandate, and the British authorities were reported to have sent a
squadron of airplanes to disperse
them. For a time there was great
excitement over these developments
in far-off Arabia, and Col. Lawrence was said to be hastening to
the new theatre of conflict. All of
which made the English take a
great deal of interest in Arabian
affairs.
Just at this psychological moment,
Constable of London, Publishers,
were distributing to the press review copies of the book of our
celebrated author Ameen Rihani
giving account of his personal experiences of his journey in Arabia
and his entertainment for three
weeks by King Ibn Saoud in his
capital, Riadh. The book was taken
up with avidity and accounts of Mr.
Rihani's experiences were transmitted in Associated Press dispatches
to America. For here was something frank, enlightening and timely on the mysterious Arab king
and his people. And the press and
public had our Syrian author to
thank for the wealth of information he gave them on this little
known subject.
What may be remarked is that
the English press saw in the book
proof sufficient that the "Wahabis
are a bloodthirsty people whose
history reeks with blood in every
page", in the words of the Daily
Express, while the French press
takes a totally different viewpoint
of the work, the semi-official Temps
devoting whole columns on its
front page in two successive issues to the review of the book and
finding it "a notable contribution
to our store of knowledge on modern Arabia, whose every page could
be read with pleasure and profit".
Mr. Rihani's American publishers are Houghton, Mifflin & Co. of
Boston who are expected to place
his book on the market in the near
future.
�—op Km
58
BRAZILIAN BAN ON
SYRIAN IMMIGRATION
The Arabic newspaper Fata-Lubnan of Sao Paolo reports that for a
long time the question had been
debated in the Brazilian Parliament
as to whether the Syrians were
desirable as immigrants. The Syrians had many loyal and stanch defenders among the deputies but the
proponents of the exclusion measure
finally won on the ground that the
Syrians were mostly engaged in
commercial pursuits, while the needs
of the country called for agriculturists. The argument was advanced
that although the Syrians were a
very useful element to the country,
their present number should be considered sufficient for the purposes
of promoting trade.
GIFT OF SYRIANS
TO BRAZILIAN NATION
The Sphinx, a Lebanese paper
published in Brazil and the sponsor
of the movement which resulted in
the gift by the Syrians to the Brazilian nation of a monument commemorating the centenary of Brazilian independence, announces that
the base of the monument has already been erected in one of the principal squares of Rio de Janeiro and
that soon the statues will be raised
to position.
The principal unit in the group of
statues, according to the description
of the paper, will represent an Eastern woman bearing a jar of ointment
which she offers to the Brazilian nation, represented by the stately figure of an Indian aborigine. These
two figures will be of a height of
four meters.
Grouped around them will be a
collection of twenty statues, each
THE SYRIAN WORLD
representing a different achievement
of our ancestors, the Phoenicians.
They will be of a height of one to
one-and-a-half meters.
The Syrians and Lebanese of Brazil are making extensive preparations for the presentation ceremonies
which promise to be the most memorable of their kind in the history
of Brazil. The Federal Government,
having approved the sculptor's designs, realized that the monument
will be one of the ornamental landmarks of the city and assigned it to
the square facing the Ministry of
Justice.
The extensive base of the monument is of granite and the statues of
cast bronze.
FIGURES ON FUNDS
FROM AMERICA
The government of Lebanon has
requested all banks and fiscal agencies in the country to furnish it
with complete figures on the funds
sent by the Lebanese in foreign
countries to their relatives in Lebanon during the years 1926 and
1927, together with the names of
the remitters. The object is to help
establish accurately the income and
expenditure of the country.
A similar step has been taken by
the government of Syria.
LEBANESE EMIGRANTS
PROTECTED FROM LOSS
Owing to the losses incurred by
the Lebanese emigrants who upon
arrival at Marseilles are found unadmissible to America, an arrangement has been reached by the Lebanese Government and steamship
companies for the examination of
�.
APRIL, 1928
all outgoing emigrants by a medical
board composed of a representative
from each side, and upon the emigrant being found unadmissible he
is to be returned at the expense of
the steamship company if he holds
a certificate of examination.
MOSLEMS DENOUNCE
MISSIONARY COUNCIL
59
SYRIAN IN AUSTRALIA
RENDERS GOOD SERVICE
Mr. A. A. Alam, Member of the
Legislative Council of Australia and
a resident of New South Wales, who
championed the
cause of the
Syrians when it was tha intention
to exclude them from the country
as not of the white race and helped
win the fight, continues to bring
credit to the Syrian name by signal
national services. His latest success
was in inducing the government to
extend to the farmers a loan of
$5,000,000 to finance buying sheep
and assist them in growing wheat.
The western part of N. S. W. has
just come through a severe drought
and these measures proved very
salutary.
Press dispatches reported the
opening on March 26 of the General
Conference of the International
Missionary Council in Jerusalem.
Delegates to the conference from
all over the world attended and the
natives of the countries of the East
were said to be well represented.
The proceedings of the conference
were reported by the American press
at some length, emphasizing the
fact that it meets on the Mount of
BEIRUT SUFFERS FROM
Olives where Christ delivered the
ECONOMIC DEPRESSION
greatest sermon of all times and
"where Solomon worshiped idols".
Judging from appearances, ecoThere was no mention, however, nonrc conditions in Beirut are in
of the fact that the Palestinian stu- the throes of a depression which is
dents of Al-Azhar, the great Moham- fast developing into a crisis, acmedan University of Cairo, had peti- cording to the Syrian papers pubtioned the British High Commission- lished the early part of March.
er in Palestine objecting strenuous- Merchants are frantically advertisly to "holding such a Christian con- ing special sales to stimulate buying
ference in a country whose inhabi- but disposal of stocks remains very
tants are overwhelmingly Moslems". low. Even the all-night cafas which
The conference should be banned, had been greatly patronized are now
they state, in deference to the senti- closing at 10 o'clock.
ments of the majority and in order
A different picture of conditions
to forever put a stop to tha perni- is given by Mr. Paul H. Ailing,
cious activities of the missionaries American Vice Consul in Beirut, in
who wage one campaign after an- a report to the Department of Comother against the Mohammedan reli- merce
published
in
Commerce
gion in its very home. The peti- Reports of March 12. Mr. Ailing
tioners warn the High Commission- states that economic conditions in
er that failure to act on this demand Syria continued to show improveand end such missionary activi- ment during the second half of 1927.
ties would be frought with the Especially was there an increased
gravest consequences.
demand on motor cars to an extent
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
60
that the dealers had not anticipated.
This was attributed to the influx of
approximately 13,000 visitors and
the ever-growing transdesert traffic.
All local agents, adds the Vice
Consul, are optimistic concerning
the sales prospects of the first six
months of 1928. Agents in Beirut,
who also have the representation of
their manufacturer in Iraq and Persia, are looking forward to a good
year in these countries.
SYRIANS OF NEW YORK
REFUTE SLANDER
Early in March, a whispering campaign was started by some unknown
persons against the shopkeepers of
Rector St. Which has developed into
one of the principal shopping centers of the city for fine embroideries
and laces in which the Syrians specialize.
Reports spread quickly
among the office girls of the district that some girls were found
in the rear of a Syrian lace shop
bound and drugged. Some brave
souls among the girls who> took no
account of the rumors told some
shopkeepers about them. Immediately the Syrian merchants formed an association and engaged a private detective to run down the originator of the false report, but
neither he nor the regular police
sleuths could trace it to any known
source. The prevailing opinion was
that some party with a malignant
motive had started the rumor in an
effort to injure the Syrian trade of
the section. .
The good that came from this
evil incident is that the Syrian merchants were forcibly impressed with
the necessity of collective action
and were prompted to form a regular association for their mutual
protection in the future. All the
metropolitan dailies publis'hed the
account of the vindication of the
Syrian name.
GIFT OF LEBANESE
TO ARGENTINIAN CITY
The Arabic newspaper Al-Ittihadal-Lubnani, published in Buenos
Aires, Argentine, reports that the
Lebanese colony of Babia Blanca
has presented to the city on the occasion of its centenary a beautiful
clock mounted on a marble column
and costing 17,000 pesos. The clock
is to be placed at the main entrance
to the principal park of the city.
NEW CURRENCY IN PALESTINE
Egyptian currency will cease to be
legal tender in Palestine after Mar.
31, 1928, according to a public notice
in the Palestine Official Gazette reported in Commerce Reports. This
order is in accordance with the
original program providing for the
transition of the country from the
Egyptian to an independent currency system. The official introduction
of the new Palestine currency took
place on November 1, 1927.
AN EXPERIENCED TEACHER
Master of Arts, American University graduate, will give private
lessons in Arabic, and also in mathematics and physics. Those interested may communicate with the
office of The Syrian World.
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Newspapers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Salloum Mokarzel, a Lebanese American intellectual, founded<em> The Syrian World</em> in 1926. Salloum Mokarzel was the younger brother of Naoum Mokarzel, the publisher of the Arabic-language newspaper <em>Al-Hoda. </em>Together, the Mokarzel brothers ran Al-Hoda Publishing, and in 1909, they published <em>The Syrian Business Directory.</em> </p>
<p>Mokarzel created <em>The Syrian World</em> in order to document and celebrate the culture and history of "Syria." At the time, Syria referred to the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. The publication was primarily aimed towards second-generation children of immigrants, but Mokarzel hoped that it would also appeal to the general American public.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><em>The Syrian World</em> was published between 1926 and 1932 as a journal. In 1932, the format was changed from an academic journal style to a newspaper style, which continued until the periodical's end in 1935. After the death of his brother Naoum, Salloum took over the publication of <em>Al-Hoda.</em></p>
<p>The articles in <em>The Syrian World</em> cover a variety of topics spanning from the practical to the theoretical. Practical subjects include international and domestic travel, historical and contemporary Arabic and Arab-American art and literature, and the mental and physical health and hygiene of immigrants. More theoretical, philosophical, and ideological subjects include ideologies of race, the changing role of women, the formation of Syrian and Lebanese-American societies, and the political and psychological relationships between immigrants and their countries of origin.</p>
<p>All issues of <em>The Syrian World</em> are available, along with full indexes for the first four volumes. For volumes five and six, there are tables of contents at the start of the issues.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabs--United States
Arabic periodicals
Newspapers
Arab American Newspapers
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926-1935
Relation
A related resource
<em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mokarzel Family Papers</a>
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11299/175685" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annotated Index to the Syrian World, 1926-1932</a> at the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center Archives
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Al-Hoda Newspapers</em></a>
Language
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English
Contributor
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Processed by Claire A. Kempa, 2015-2017. Collection Guide written by Claire A. Kempa, 2017.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 August.
Rights
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The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings.
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NS 0002
Access Rights
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This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
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Identifier
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TSW1928_04reducedWM
Title
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The Syrian World Volume 02, Issue 10
Date
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1928 April
Description
An account of the resource
Volume 2 Issue 10 of The Syrian World published April 1928. The issue opens with an article by Charles V. Vickrey in which he discusses the American orphanage and relief world in Syria. This article is followed by a poem translated by J.D. Carlyle called "A Friend's Birthday." The next article, written by Salloum Antoun Mokarzel, discusses Christian-Moslem Marriages. Following that are a few more poems and an article that discusses the cave Nahr-el-Kelb by W.A. West. There is an article following it that details the first American school in Damascus by Anna Leila Taylor. Rev. W. A. Mansur continues his discussion to the youth of Syria with an article that discusses the progress of the Syrian Nation. The last main article discusses the War in Arabia. The issue concludes with excerpts from the Arab press, the reader's forum, and the political developments in Syria.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals
Arabs--United States--Periodicals
Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals
Language
A language of the resource
English
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Syrian-American Press
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Coverage
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104 Greenwich St., New York, NY
Format
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Text/pdf
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Text
Rights
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The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
1920s
Education
Marriages
New York
Poems-English
Religion
Reverend W.A. Mansur
Rivers
Syria
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/7d71568b2e868bae17709f2444991409.pdf
b2f221da8d02158171de8c5d6bb301ec
PDF Text
Text
^
THE
SYRIAN W(
A MONTHLY MAGAZINE IN ENG
WITH SYRIAN AFFAIRS AND ARABU
m
AT THE GATE OF ARABIA
AMEEN RIHANI
A DAY IN ABU-HAMED
DR. NEJIB A. KATIBAH
DISCOVERING THE SYRIANS
JAMES MYERS
EASTERN RELIGIONS IN THE WEST
SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SYRIA
THE COPY 50c.
�"' "
'1
T
i-.IE
SYRIAN WORLD
SALLOUM
A.
MOKARZEL,
Editor.
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS
104
GREENWICH STREET, NEW YORK,
By .ascription $5.00 a year.
N. Y.
Singl,
^^ ^.
Sntw-ed as second-class matter, June 25, 1928, at the post offic. at New
York N
> - Y., under tke act of March 3, 1879.
VOL. III.
No. 9
MARCH, 1929
CONTENTS
PAGE
At the Gate of Arabia
3
AMEEN RIHANI
The Saint
j 3,
KAHLIL GIBRAN
Children of A merica
\4
Eastern Religions in the West
SALLOUM A.
lg
MOKARZEL
Snowdrops
20
PAUL DEAB
A Day in A bu-Hanted
DR. NETIB
21
A.
KATIBAH
�W^BpWgpWtMiMlMIP .1—
—
I
DM
iwnw-y. . ..
.
.
;
..
l
—
CONTENTS (Continued)
PAGE
Verses To My Daughters
J. D.
29
CARLYLE
Discovering the Syrians
30
JAMES MYERS
Arab Wisdom
32
Success of Federation Assured
33
Editorial Comment—
Tours to Syria
37
Pride in Ancestry
38
Youth and Age
39
Spirit of the Syrian Press
41
Readers' Forum
45
About Syria and Syrians
50
Political Developments in Syria
56
ILLUSTRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE
Ameen Rihani
Testimonial Dinner to Ameen Rihani
xs
�THE
SYRIAN WORLD
VOL. III.
No. 9
MARCH, 1929
At the Gate of Arabia
FIRST LEG OF THE EPIC JOURNEY OF THE NOTED AUTHOR
AND TRAVELER, AMEEN RIHANI, TO FORBIDDEN ARABIA
By
AMEEN RIHANI
"THEY were loading petroleum, stacking the surplus cargo on
the promenade deck of the Dakhalieh, when we arrived. The
other passenger, a lady going to Tor, did not seem perturbed,
For her, inflammability had perhaps lost its charm; or she was
accustomed to a repression hermetically sealed. But for me, there
was the possibility of annihilation, particularly because a certain
happy climax of life had already been reached. I imagined myself going up in a bonfire East of Suez—it needed but a lighted
cigarette to do it—and I enjoyed the extravagant fancy. But,
being a reader as well as a writer of books, I had come prepared
for everything saving such an end. Civilization was left behind,
and all that was antithetic to it I expected to find East of Suez.
It were best, however, had I contented myself with the literary
conception megaphoned to two worlds by Rudyard Kipling. In
any case, there was still a rush-light of romance left, which no
disappointment, literary or real, could snuff out.
East of Suez, south of Suez rather, particularly on a February afternoon, when the Dakhalieh, with its inflammable cargo,
steamed out of the harbor, was full of promise. I deserved all
that was coming; for I had insured myself only against Incredibility and its lame cousin Doubt. My sympathetic mood, which
often became a sympathetic vision, was my only pass-card to
the heart of Arabia, its people, and its kings. I learned to say
mashallah and inskallah, whether I was listening to a historical
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
narrative or to a fairy tale (both are too, often hopelessly mixed
in Arabia), and afterwards, despite the buckram of common sense,
included Allah in my judgment. I was a traveller, a pious and
believing traveller; and, with all the willingness in the world, I
was ready to believe that the Red Sea, for instance, was at one
time as red as carmine, and that East of Suez is, even in our day
of grace, a moral murk, an abysmal continent. For not only
Orientals delight in romancing, be it remembered. You may
travel in Arabia with the Critique of Pure Reason in your saddlebag; but you have to balance it, willy nilly, with the Koran.
WHY THE RED SEA IS CALLED RED
The only other passenger on the Dakhalieh, the lady going
to Tor, knew something about the Koran and the Red Sea. Indeed, although of Celtic origin, she was at home in both. She
told me the story of a sea monster once captured near Tor. The
strength of forty men was required to pull it out of the water.
She saw it and wrote about it to the Royal Society. It had a head
like a monkey's, a thorax like a human being's, while the rest of
the body was that of a fish. This was neither a mermaid nor a
merman, but a mermonkey, unknown, methinks, to the students
of Celtic folk-lore. She also told me why the Red Sea was called
Red; and here too she spoke as an observer with a scientific mind.
It was not red once upon a time as the legend goes; it is not red
everywhere and at all times; but only in the spawning season and
in places where the sea swarms with gold fish, which glisten in the
pellucid water and impart to it the color that gives it its name—
Red Sea!
The sundown glow interrupted the folk-lore conversation.
Celtic mermaids and gold fish were forgotten as we steamed south
between Africa and Asia in what seemed an apotheosis of calm,
crowned with chromatic grandeur. Mt. Sinai was partly in shadow; Mt. Ataka opposite to it was in effulgence; while behind
us, the canal looked like a green ribbon floating northward, and
Suez faded in a purple haze. The scene was continually shifting
and changing. No sooner had the sand hills of Sinai lost the glamor of sundown than the hard contours of Ataka softened in the
glow, undulating withal. Gradually again the scene was transposed. Mt. Sinai was resplendent in rose and violet hues, its outline seeming wondrously plastic, while in the West the dark grey
and sable of Ataka, set off by a rich cream tinged here and there
With gold, made its peaks seem more aggressive as the sun dis-
�MARCH, 1929
5
appeared. It was indeed a masterpiece of atmospheric beauty
and color-contrasts. The ruggedness of Ataka and the delicate
splendor of Sinai could not be more appropriately rendered, or
more harmoniously composed. Hardly anywhere else in Egypt
is the colorful Oriental sky so eloquently expressed. The close
proximity of two continents, rising in a supreme effort on either
side of the water, must give the sun its cue; and when it goes
down, the interval between two splendors is not long. Soon after
darkness the sky is crowded with stars. They had all come out
to enjoy, like ourselves, it seemed, the warmth and the calm of
that February evening. A low sky crowded with stars. It was
"rush-hour" in heaven!
PURIFYING THE PURIFIED
My fellow traveller spoke of the pilgrims and of the Quarantine at Tor. She has been in the Egyptian service more than
twenty years, has seen more of Al-Islam in its pious mood and
squalor than any one else of her race East of Suez or West of it,
and continued nevertheless to love the Muslems and nurse them
with tender care. Not without reason is she called Mother of
the Pilgrims. She carries in the pocket of her love the key to
health and sanitation. She reads the Koran to better understand
her children and she continues, for the sake of remembrance,
to read the Bible. "Let them go to Mecca," she said; "it's a
iplendid spiritual exercise. But they must on their way back
make us also a call—at least for a bath."
The Quarantine Station at Tor, the second best in the world,
is, indeed, one of the guide posts of Civilization East of Suez.
It is international; but its administration is in the hands of the
Egyptian Government. On that sunbaked sandy wilderness, not
far from the village proper, it stands out, a town by itself, hygienically conceived and built; its wards and its stores, its clinics and
disinfecting rooms, its soda water factory and ice plants—they
recall the best in Europe. It can accommodate from two to three
thousand pilgrims at a time, the total number for the whole season sometimes rising to forty thousand. The Egyptian pilgrims,
returning from Mecca, are first disinfected and then sent into
wards for a period of from three to ten days, according to the
prevailing health conditions at the time.
No greater service to Al-Islam, to the world, in fact, could
be rendered by medical science. Ever since the Tor Quarantine
was established, about thirty years ago, Egypt has not had a single
�6
THE SYRIAN WORLD
cholera epidemic. It is, moreover, teaching the Muslems sanitation and hygiene. They first balked at the idea of a quarantine,
resented the interference with the pilgrimage, and objected
strongly to the disinfecting process 3 but they have gradually reconciled themselves to it, and now they appreciate the incomparable virtues of Tor. They are beginning to even enjoy the stay,
and the first thing they ask for, when they arrive, is the bath.
There may be something blasphemous in a disinfectant after a pilgrimage to the Holy Places. "But health and well-being and
cleanlniess," said the Celtic Mother of the Pilgrims, "are enjoined
by the Prophet." She knows the Muslem's Book as well as her
own.
MOTHER OF THE PILGRIMS
A quiet, modest, sympathetic soul, and not without a warmth
of feeling, was my companion of an evening; she had also a sense
of the divine, which her silence expressed. I could not help
thinking that, like the local deities of old, she had imbibed the
spirit of the place. From Suez to Tor and from Tor to Suez
is a pilgrimage in itself, chastening, uplifting. For one thing,
there are no loud voices on the Red Sea, neither in the sky, nor on
the water, nor upon the hills on either side of the Gulf of Suez:
—no over tones in the coloration, no dogmatism, as it were, in the
forms, no harsh outcries in the waves. Everything seems to contribute to the apotheosis of tender variability.
In the morning, at sunrise, the opposite coasts are a pageant
of peaks and domes of a texture not unlike the dunes of the Nufoud; they seem so brittle on the African side that they would
crumble under a gust of wind; while the play of light and shade
on the Sinai slopes, set off by a strip of pinkish haze above, and another of white sand looking like a mirage at the base, is like quicksilver and bronze in a frame of fascinating composition. On
neither side do the colors betray the least violence. At sunset they
are more expressive but not less delicate. The orange that melts
into saffron, and the saffron that goes into mauve, and the mauve
that rises to the sky to embrace its azure limpidity, all stand in the
background of a picturesque chain which becomes bolder in outline as its color atmosphere becomes more subtle, more ethereal.
Even the darkness on the hills is not devoid of a certain glaze,
a certain shade of lucidity. It makes them look in their serrated
peaks like scalloped black lace hung upside down on a silver
thread.
�1
MARCH, 1929
*
There are also peaks softened by time in the soul of Mother
of the Pilgrims} and there is a silver thread for a few ideals
among which she sometimes hangs her humor to dry. Some one
was carrying in a crate a few geese to Tor. "But surely they
can not in Tor afford fresh water for geese," said I. "They
are Muhammedan geese," she remarked, "and if they do not like
salt water they can have sand.* In any case, they'll die among
the pilgrims and go to Paradise." A lucky goose who can find
some one to take him to Tor.
Measuring my luck, since I cherished the hope of going even
to Mecca, though there be something of the goose-nature at the
bottom of such a hope, I considered myself the happier traveller.
For a moment, however, when saying good-bye to my Celtic
friend, a shadow of sadness lingered across my path. What if our
humor were the reality, the Koranic truth? Here be a Christian
woman doing Al-Islam a noble service; and Al-Islam, in the
Paradise to come, gives all its prizes exclusively to the Muslem
man. Mother of the Pilgrims, forsooth. I prefer not to dwell
further on the subject.
Even the Dakhalieh's tea, a murky mixture of something and
milk, which was brought early in the morning by the steward in
a cup as thick as his thumb, were more welcome than such a Paradise. The sin of the steward was in knocking at my door when
I had just gone asleep. For I had spent most of the night on
deck, enjoying the blissfulness of an evening of ineffable calm
as compared with the disquieting atmosphere of a Transatlantic
ship of tourists. In fact, I was still under the influence of the
sunset, and the gibbous moon, with malice or without, came offering me another drink. She brought with her a soft enticing
breeze—another intoxication. I surrendered myself. I was in
thralls. About morning I went down to my cabin, seeking freedom in sleep; but soon after, the steward knocked at the door and,
opening it, offered me a cup of tea. I cursed him in Arabic, thinking half-awake that I was on an Atlantic liner. He apologized
afterwards—in Arabic! He crushed me.
The Dakhalieh is not the best steamer of the Line, but she
is better than the general run of Red Sea craft. I was disappointed, because I did not expect anything so good south of Suez
—barring the tea—and so clean. What does it matter if she makes
* "And if you can not find water, make your ablutions with sand."—The
Koran.
�8
THE SYRIAN WORLD
but seven knots an hour, and if the skipper is a prurient Greek?
From Tor down I was the only saloon passenger, and, in spite of
the cargo on the promenade deck, the illusion of a private yacht
was irresistible. Allah in His mercy has not forgotten His slave
Ameen of Manhattan Island. Allah be praised.
AN EXCITING FIGHT
Al-Wajh, the first Arab port of call, is a little village on a
sandy coast, with two mosques, twelve policemen in khaki uniform, a school, and an empty prison. But this should not be
mistaken. The prison is empty, not because of the want of criminals, but because they are seldom caught. Nevertheless, Al-Wajh
breathes an air of prosperity. It makes its own smacks (sanbooks)
which carry its charcoal, its salt fish, and its sheep butter to Suez
in exchange for wheat and cotton cloth. And north of Al-Wajh,
near Dhoba, I was told, are oil fields unexplored. The seepage
along the coast runs visibly into the water.
One of the twelve poilcemen of the town, a youth of twenty,
carrying a whip with a silver knob, came on board with the school
teacher to supervise the discharge of the cargo. There was, to be
sure, a chaos of outcries and a crowding of sanbooks; but the
only incident that threatened the peace was handled by the young
policeman with firmness and decision. A black boy in one of the
sanbooks picked a quarrel with an Arab; and the two, from the
prows of their boats, not far apart, shouted insults at each other.
The black was the first to act. He stretched himself forward,
lying on his bosom, and clutching at the Arab's arm, dragged
him forth and pushed him into the water. The boy struggled
amidst the craft, and climbed up again to his own, crying and
cursing aloud. The police lad, who witnessed the quarrel and
tried to stop it from the deck, adding his own curses to those of
the two boys, sent for the black eventually and there and then
applied the whip to his bare skin. The boy did not cry. But when
he went back to his sanbook, he stretched himself on the prow,
grinned at his victim, and spat into the water. He then looked up
towards Abu-Kirbaj (Father of the whip) and grinned and spat
in the water again.
CAMELS HAVE MANNERS TOO
Just then the camel of Sherif Zaggal was in the air above the
black's head, hanging by a rope to the derrick chain; and either
out of fright or meanness she staled upon him. Where-
I
�MARCH, 7929
»
upon, the Arab boy chuckled and exclaimed: "Allah is just!"
The Sherif Zaggal, Governor of Al-Wajh, who was going with
us to Jeddah, changed his mind at the last hour and sent his
camel instead. The camel, too, might have changed her mind,
if she were human. But being a camel, and, although on her
first sea voyage, she was indifferent. I paid her a visit on the
morning of the following day when she was lying down. A twoyear-old, and evidently a thoroughbred. Her manner, if not her
features, was a proof of this; for like an Arab girl she was extremely polite. She got up when she saw me coming and stretched
her neck towards me, turning her head to the right and to the
left;—turning her cheek rather, for she did not resent being
kissed. The camel of Zaggal is gifted also with curiosity; for
often she would stretch her neck above the railing and gaze at
the sea and snort. As much as to say, Why has the desert changed
its color? And why do the sands roll and tumble over each other
as if swept by the simoon? Yet, there is no simoon. She sniffed
the air which she seemed to enjoy, and, pursuing her adventure,
she made an effort with her neck to reach the water. She was
wondering whether it was real sand: she would find out for herself. Gifted with curiosity, indeed, is Sherif Zaggal's camel, and
well bred. I wonder if his subjects are likewise.
The police lad at Al-Wajh was certainly polite, and, in one
or two instances, evinced curiosity. He asked me if we had any
camels in New York and if we taught the Koran in our schools.
I made a straightforward reply, which surprised and shocked
him. He was surprised to know that we had no camels, and
shocked to hear that we did not know anything a^out the Koran,
and that we seldom really pray.
At noon and at sunset, the Third Class passengers, who sleep
on the lower decks, spread their little rugs or mats or bits of cloth
and turn towards the East to pray; they really pray;—honestly,
strenuously, fervently pray. For Allah is there, beyond, as palpable as the ship under their knees, and is all-hearing. Beside
him sits Muhammad, who smiles benignly upon the Faithful.
And the huris are there, too, waiting for the Faithful to come.
If this were not so, how could they put up with life, how could
they endure its hardships and trials, how could they see and not
desire the creature comforts that we in our First Class infidelity
were enjoying? No, they neither desire nor envy. They have
the best God in the world, the best Prophet in the world, and
the best Paradise in the world to come. It is yet my lot, and that
�10
THE SYRIAN WORLD
of the reader who goes all the way with me, to realize that an
illusion in a state of detachment can achieve reality, though but
for a spell.
AN ARTIST'S DELIGHT
Meanwhile, we toy with little things and surrender ourselves to the joy of the moment. Color is not only a form of enjoyment j it is a necessity as well as a luxury—like love. Indeed,
color is to the soul what air is to the lungs. And what on the
Red Sea is more gorgeous than its blue? It is a limpid and
lustrous blue, a deep and sensuous blue; a nile blue which is lyrical
in the sun; a blue through which, even in the shade, you can
see the porpoises many feet under water. Neither the Carribean
nor the Eastern Mediterranean in the shadow of the Lebanons
can approach it in purity and rare glaze. It is washed, as it were,
of all the atmospheric vapors and all the particles that make the
waters of the Atlantic opaque and dark. It is a filtered blue.
The eye drinks of it and never tires.
In the Gulf of Suez after sunset there still lingered here
and there patches of gold which added to the fascination of its
blue. The fusion made the slow rolling little waves look like
melted emeralds in gold-lined bowls; and where they did not
fuse, they presented a charming design, a lyrical design j—a melody of saffron hues moving briskly over the broad cerulean
rhythms of the sea.
I asked the Maltese ship doctor if it was the same blue early
in winter, and his reply was that he didn't pay much attention
to it. He further admitted that he couldn't tell one shade of
blue from another. But I heard him at table speak of the blue
mouth of a pretty girl among the Arab passengers. Her lips
are tattooed, said the Skipper, and then made a remark in Greek,
at which the Doctor laughed. The wireless operator, a pinkcheeked, clean-shaven youth from Lancashire, who understood
the Skipper's Greek by inference or by precedent, did not try to
conceal his disgust. He later told me that he was going to leave
the ship. Once I tried to change the conversation, asking, to my
regret, a question about the Maltese language, which is considered to be a conglomeration of Italian, Spanish, and Arabic. But
the Doctor, coming to the rescue, seemed to say, My mother
tongue, right or wrong. He told us that Maltese is the ancient
Phoenician language and that Arabic is derived from it, that is,
�MARCH, 1929
11
from the Maltese! There is always some one on board to spoil
a sea voyage.
It is not necessary, howerver, to make any serious attempt
to avoid an unpleasant subject or situation, on board a ship which
brings you everyday to a new port. The change, with a little
patience, is inevitable. At Yanbo', which is the seaport to AlMedinah, I met an ancient friend, who is familiar to every one
that reads Arabic poetry. For what poet, ancient, medieval or
modern, has not drawn upon Mt. Radhwa for a simile or a metaphor? They have made it walk, and ride, and fight battles; but it
still stands where it stood of old, casting its shadow over Yanbo',
in the morning, and in the afternoon, over the plains and hills
which separate it from the second Holy City of Al-Islam.
Not only the Mountain has not changed, but it harbors a
section of the tribe of Juhainah which shares with it the virtue
of immutability. These Juhainah Arabs are herdsmen who have
lived apart from their fellow tribesmen ever since the days of
the Prophet. They go in sheepskins, live in huts up in the mountain summits, and are self-sufficient. Seldom does any of them
come down to the plain, and seldom do any other Arabs go up
to their heights. Of a certainty, no traveller, native or European, has visited the Juhainahs of Mt. Radhwa, for the Hijaz
Government, even today, cannot give the necessary protection.
AT THE GATE OF ARABIA A T LAST
About twenty-four hours after we leave Yanbo' we sight
the first landmark of the harbor of Jeddah, that is the clearing
•7iark of the navigator, which is Mt. Hamaniyah and the saddle
of Mt. Hadda beyond it. Soon after we come to the outer reefs
near which the water is of a milky color caused by the coral sand,
which is stirred up by tidal streams or storms. Over these reefs
the billows break and form in winter a line which, seen from
Jeddah, gives the illusion of a foaming coast in mid-ocean.
From the first reefs to the shore is a body of water, which
is only affected by the tide. This is the harbor, and in it are
three lines of reefs, with gateways, which are charted minutely
for the foreign navigator, giving the direction of the reefs, their
size, their form, and their sloping to shoals. All of which the
native boatmen know as good as the book of the Red Sea pilot.
They even know more, or they have an eye that penetrates the
darkness. For they can negotiate the reefs at night without any
mishap, zig-zagging around them and gping through the gates
�*
12
THE SYRIAN WORLD
l
as if they were lighted with electricity.
We made our way through the hidden gates meandering
to an anchorage about two miles from land. The reef formations were betrayed by the light and dark green color of the I j
water j—crescents of emerald, floating ribbons of saffron, and here '
and there a white spot indicating a shoal. Another charming
passage in the canvas was the ochre over a bed of sand forming
a foil to the green, and both balancing a path of deep blue.
Jeddah is a clutter of buildings from two to four scories
high stretching about a mile along the coast and inward not more
than half a mile. Its minarets and its tall buildings make its skyline suggestive in parts of that of lower Manhattan. The architecture is pure Arabic, but not of an elaborate style. The walls
are mostly of madrepore plastered on both sides, and a characteristic feature is the woodwork of the mashrabiyahs (lattice
screens) which stand before the windows. They have also contrived, to combat the summer heat, a sort of bay window, a projection of wood rather, which hangs like a balcony over the street,
and can be opened on three sides to the breeze. From a distance the city presents a decent view of prosperity} it is not even
lacking in the aspect of grandeur.
Steam launches and sanbooks came zig-zagging around the
reefs to meet us. And lo! My friend Constantine Yanni, who, ,
ten years ago, a beardless youth, was editing a newspaper in Syria \
and fulminating against the Turks, had become a hirsuit Arab and \
was in the uniform of a Captain of the Hijaz Army. Hola, li
Constantine! But he had come with other officials of the Hashemite Government, and the greeting, in the name of His Majesty
King Husein, was formal, as it should be, and a bit pompous.
Later, we slapped each other on the back.
At the Quarantine pier, more officials and more ceremony.
The mayor of Jeddah expressed to me the regret of His Majesty,
who was in a state of uncertainty about my arrival, caused by
my neglect to cable from, Suez that 1 was coming on the Dakhalieh. Otherwise he would have come down from Mecca to meet
me. "But he is waiting for a word from us," said the Collector
of Customs, as he entered into the office of the Quarantine Superintendent. And there I got the first big surprise in my travels
in Arabia. A telephone in the Holy City of Mecca! The Collector sat at the desk, and, taking up the receiver before him,
asked Central, without any preliminary "Helo" or " 'Elo," to
give him Mecca—Royal Palace. There was no parley and no
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�13
MARCH, 1929
waiting. The Hashemite Secretariate was informed of the arrival
of "Saiyed" Ameen Rihani, and in half a minute the Collector
conveyed to me the Hashemite Secretariate's reply: "Saiyedna
(our Lord) is coming. He will leave Mecca in half an hour."
The Saint
By
KAHLIL GIBRAN
TN my youth I once visited a saint in his silent grove beyond the
hills j and as we were conversing upon the nature of virtue a
brigand came limping wearily up the ridge. When he reached
the grove he knelt down before the saint and said, "O saint, I
would be comforted! My sins are heavy upon me."
And the saint replied, "My sins, too, are heavy upon me."
And the brigand said, "But I am a thief and a plunderer."
And the saint replied, "I too am a thief and a plunderer."
And the brigand said, "But I am a murderer, and the blood
of many men cries in my ears."
And the saint replied, "I too am a murderer, and in my ears
cries the blood of many men."
And the brigand said, "I have committed countless crimes."
And the saint replied, "I too have committed crimes without number."
Then the brigand stood up and gazed at the saint, and there
was a strange look in his eyes. And when he left us he went skipping down the hill.
And I turned to the saint and said, "Wherefore did you
accuse yourself of uncommitted crimes? See you not that this
man went away no longer believing in you?"
me.
And the saint answered, "It is true he no longer believes in
But he went away comforted."
At that moment we heard the brigand singing in the distance,
and the echo of his song filled the valley with gladness.
�«=
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
Children of America
The following article, based on the research and study of the Foreign
Language Information Service, and published in the January, 1929, issue of
The Interpreter, its official organ, is an able presentation of conditions obtaining in the homes of recent immigrants in America. The relations between the older and younger generations have been the concern of all ethnic
groups, Syrians included. The article touches on many social problems
which the Syrian World has been treating for the past three years. Principally because it comes from an organization specializing in the study of
conditions among the foreign born, and committed to the policy of sympathetic interpretation of the point of view of the immigrant, the article recommends itself highly to the serious study of our readers.—Editor.
"pHE sweeping indictment of aliens as criminals, implied at
least in so many discussions these last ten years, has been dismissed by all fair-minded Americans. It had its origin in a
racial holier-than-thou attitude and fell to the ground as soon as
our sociologists and statisticians had time to marshal the facts.
The conclusion of careful students seems to be unanimous that
the percentage of law-breaking among our immigrant population is less than with the native born.
Yet the "crime waves," which are still with us, have made
notorious a host of "foreign" names. The role of inmates in our
prisons and reformatories creates an impression of immigrant
criminality which is not justified by investigation and statistics.
Most often the "alien criminal" turns out to be American born
and American bred, with an "un-American" name for his only
foreign heritage. It is the second generation that contributes
more than its due quota of arrests and commitments to American
prisons. The children of immigrant parents have a still higher
rate of juvenile delinquency. There is comfort in the fact that
this same second generation has apparently produced more than
its quota of achievement in science, the arts, business and inventions, of feats of enterprise and valor. In such instances these
young people are our pride, not our problem. We speak of them
as Americans. It is when they are socially inadequate, that we
are apt to refer to them as the second generation.
Theirs is an American birthright, with opportunities far
greater than their immigrant parents had. With them is no
handicap of language. They are beneficiaries of our public
schools. In many cases poverty or social environment may work
HHH^HHMH^BBHHI^HHHHH^PHMi
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i
�MARCH, 1929
15
for delinquency but, on the other hand, the immigrant father,
just because he has been at the bottom of the ladder, usually
does his utmost to see his children ascend. Their frequent failure is the more striking because of the straight path which their
parents have kept in a country strange to them.
Obviously, no theory of race or nationality fits here. The
complaint that there is more respect for law in foreign countries than in America with its tradition of pioneer freedom, does
not suffice to explain the apparent anomaly. In the villages and
small towns of Europe from which so many of our immigrants
have come, behavior was controlled not so much by outside^ pressure as by habits which had been formed in many centuries of
living together. That the daily bread must be earned by hard
work and by work only, was an experience of daily life for many
generations. The few and simple social groupings had developed
a strong group solidarity. The mode of life was primitive
and for every occasion there were fixed standards of what was or
was not fit to do. There were ancient usages, codes of honor
and the power of a closely-knitted community opinion. In America the immigrant slowly moves away from his traditional norms
but the old habits persist and are still so strong that his proportion of delinquency is below that of native-born Americans.
No such tradition exists for the second generation. No
cultural values have come to it from long lines of ancestors.
The old country community with its fixed limits and standards has
no substitute here. Even the immigrant family—the only social
grouping to survive the trip across the sea—breaks down, strong
as are its ties. Only parents of more than average intelligence
and intuition are able to transmit to their American-born children
something of their cultural tradition and to preserve the solidarity of the family. More often the "revolt of youth" leaves
here much deeper wounds than in native families. The new,
English-speaking American is prone to look with contempt upon
the language and the queer customs and memories of his parents.
He hears the terms of derision which we apply to foreigners and
greenhorns. Even in school he may learn that everything that
is not American is inferior, and he sees this inferiority exemplified in mine workers and factory hands who want to exercise a
parental authority over him. He is ready to gain his way wilfully
—maybe with a justifying reference to "American customs''—
and when the father tries to enforce obedience in a way which
is actually un-American, their relationship may be past remedy.
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F//£ SYRIAN WORLD
Every teacher, social worker, and discriminating law officer knows
how much youthful wrong-doing can be traced to homes which
have been broken up by such cultural dualism.
If Americanization is too rapid it may be as bad as though
it were too slow. Externals of American life are easily assimilated but it is difficult for an individual to establish his own
standards in the stream of American migrations, occupational
changes, social contrasts and shifting groups. With no fixed
habits of conduct young people are apt to assimilate what James
Truslow Adams calls our lawless heritage.
It is mostly for the sake of their children that immigrant
fathers and mothers go to evening school. They are anxious
to keep up with their sons and daughters and to make themselves understood in a common language. Often by teaching
English to parents our evening schools have helped them to keep
their homes together and to check the early delinquency of their
children. Yet a knowledge of English can not be a remedy for
all cases. The first immigrant generation, no matter how willing
it may be, cannot meet the second on the fetter's terms alone.
Few immigrants can assimilate the life of America so rapidly as
to be able to cope with the influence of our "lawless heritage"
on their children. If a too rapid disintegration of our ethnic
groups with their traditional standards of behavior is to be prevented, the parents must be met by the children half-way.
The task of bringing the second generation nearer to the
traditions and ideals of the first cannot be accomplished by the
individual father or mother. How many of us can effectively
interpret the culture in which we live? There is a task for each
immigrant group as a whole acting through its organized bodies.
Unlike the immigrant "colony" which is an expression of the
newcomer's strangeness in America, the fraternal, social and educational organizations which have been established by various
groups, represent their conscious effort to adjust themselves to
Amercian conditions. More or less effectively the old country
language, culture and associations are reconciled with and brought
into touch with the new life in America. An effort by these organizations to reach out after the younger American-born generation is only a recent development. It is dictated only in part
by the wish to increase membership. There is always
current feeling that the organizations should take care
members' children and bridge the gap between the. tw<
ations.
; f
�MARCH, 1929
»]
17
If they can do it, these foreign language organizations deserve our encouragement and cooperation. There is no danger
of perpetuating a foreign language or loyalty even among the
American born. Each organization which bids for the interest
of its members' sons and daughters, starts by introducing the
English language in its publications and lodges; it is the only
language in which the second generation can express itself freely.
As additional inducement activities and devices are adopted which
will attract American born children, and, as a sanction in their
eyes, the cooperation of American schools and agencies is looked
for. Instead of falling back into alienism, the children will bring
their parents further within the influence of American life.
They never can have the same interest that the first generation
has in politics abroad or journeys to the mother country. But
they will be willing recipients of a historical tradition, art and literature in which they can take pride among and as Americans.
Italian or Spanish, Slav or Scandinavian books will teach them
that it took all sorts of "wops" and "bohunks" to make the
world's civilization and that the language and the culture of the
old folks may be worth getting acquainted with. If the organization brings to the younger generation an understanding of another civilization and of folkways and traditions of other peoples and inspires in them a respect for their own parents, a benefit will accrue to everybody concerned. As between a "native"
neighborhood gang and commercial amusements, on the one side,
and a "foreign" club room with American parties, sports and contests, some old country music, song and dance and a "parental
blessing" on the other, the choice should not be difficult.
Three basic truths must not be forgotten: that crime has
always been a problem chiefly of youth; that while there is no
single cause for delinquency, the conflict or inadequacies at home
lie nearly always at the bottom of it; and that the conflict in
immigrant homes is a conflict not only of generations but of culIt is not inevitable. Many of us have traveled abroad,
led a foreign language and have acquired another culcoming nearer to prison gates. Why should the
generation be burdened only with the conflict
to which it is the natural heir? It would
sion is to reconcile them and to interpret
life the valuable elements of all the
its of the "second generation" have
rid.
�16
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Every teacher, social worker, and discriminating law officer knows
how much youthful wrong-doing can be traced to homes which
have been broken up by such cultural dualism.
If Americanization is too rapid it may be as bad as though
it were too slow. Externals of American life are easily assimilated but it is difficult for an individual to establish his own
standards in the stream of American migrations, occupational
changes, social contrasts and shifting groups. With no fixed
habits of conduct young people are apt to assimilate what James
Truslow Adams calls our lawless heritage.
It is mostly for the sake of their children that immigrant
fathers and mothers go to evening school. They are anxious
to keep up with their sons and daughters and to make themselves understood in a common language. Often by teaching
English to parents our evening schools have helped them to keep
their homes together and to check the early delinquency of their
children. Yet a knowledge of English can not be a remedy for
all cases. The first immigrant generation, no matter how willing
it may be, cannot meet the second on the latter's terms alone.
Few immigrants can assimilate the life of America so rapidly as
to be able to cope with the influence of our "lawless heritage"
on their children. If a too rapid disintegration of our ethnic
groups with their traditional standards of behavior is to be prevented, the parents must be met by the children half-way.
The task of bringing the second generation nearer to the
traditions and ideals of the first cannot be accomplished by the
individual father or mother. How many of us can effectively
interpret the culture in which we live? There is a task for each
immigrant group as a whole acting through its organized bodies.
Unlike the immigrant "colony" which is an expression of the
newcomer's strangeness in America, the fraternal, social and educational organizations which have been established by various
groups, represent their conscious effort to adjust themselves to
Amercian conditions. More or less effectively the old country
language, culture and associations are reconciled with and brought
into touch with the new life in America. An effort by these organizations to reach out after the younger American-born generation is only a recent development. It is dictated only in part
by the wish to increase membership. There is always the recurrent feeling that the organizations should take care of their
members' children and bridge the gap between the two generations.
�imwMinw,
MARCH, 1929
I
i
V
17
If they can do it, these foreign language organizations deserve our encouragement and cooperation. There is no danger
of perpetuating a foreign language or loyalty even among the
American born. Each organization which bids for the interest
of its members' sons and daughters, starts by introducing the
English language in its publications and lodges3 it is the only
language in which the second generation can express itself freely.
As additional inducement activities and devices are adopted which
will attract American born children, and, as a sanction in their
eyes, the cooperation of American schools and agencies is looked
for. Instead of falling back into alienism, the children will bring
their parents further within the influence of American life.
They never can have the same interest that the first generation
has in politics abroad or journeys to the mother country. But
they will be willing recipients of a historical tradition, art and literature in which they can take pride among and as Americans.
Italian or Spanish, Slav or Scandinavian books will teach them
that it took all sorts of "wops" and "bohunks" to make the
world's civilization and that the language and the culture of the
old folks may be worth getting acquainted with. If the organization brings to the younger generation an understanding of another civilization and of folkways and traditions of other peoples and inspires in them a respect for their own parents, a benefit will accrue to everybody concerned. As between a "native"
neighborhood gang and commercial amusements, on the one side,
and a "foreign" club room with American parties, sports and contests^ some old country music, song and dance and a "parental
blessing" on the other, the choice should not be difficult.
Three basic truths must not be forgotten: that crime has
always been a problem chiefly of youth; that while there is no
single cause for delinquency, the conflict or inadequacies at home
lie nearly always at the bottom of it; and that the conflict in
immigrant homes is a conflict not only of generations but of cultures. It is not inevitable. Many of us have traveled abroad,
have learned a foreign language and have acquired another culture without coming nearer to prison gates. Why should the
second immigrant generation be burdened only with the conflict
of the two cultures to which it is the natural heir? It would
seem that its natural mission is to reconcile them and to interpret
and contribute to American life the valuable elements of all the
rultures from which the parents of the "second generation" haTre
come, which is all the world.
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
18
Eastern Religions in the West
Extracts from the address delivered at the luncheon of the
Daughters of the United Maronites* Society at the Hotel St.
George in Brooklyn, February 10, 1929.
By
SALLOUM
A.
MOKARZEL
A preceding speaker referred to the fact that the Feast day
of St. Maron, the patron saint of the Maronites, falls in the same
month as those of Lincoln and Washington. Let me remind you
that this in itself is no indication of greatness. Greatness is in the
work which endures—in the character of the service that is so
essential, so noble, that it is carried on from one generation to another with as much conviction and enthusiasm as when it was first
performed by the author himself.
NoW here you are in the United States celebrating the feast
day of a saint who has given his name to a valiant people and
whose work has endured for many centuries long before the discovery of America. There must be something of genuine value
and worth in the teachings and the services of this religious
teacher that they have endured so long. Owing to this very fact
you who are now honoring his memory should be proud that you
are carrying on a work and keeping alive a tradition which has
withstood the ravages of centuries. This is a privilege and a distinction of which you should be especially conscious.
But you are now facing a situation unlike that which obtained
during all the centuries since St. Maron was establishing his work.
You are now in a new country and encountering new conditions
which require unshaken determination to carry on the work preserved by your forefathers. You find that your services and rituals are unlike those practised by your neighbors and might at
first waver then decide to break the ties which bind you to the
past. In this I would like to issue to you a warning—I would
loath to see you lose a valuable heritage and a precious legacy o£
which you are now the custodians. Religion is not a style that
could be subject to the vagaries of fancy. Religion is a principle
and a creed whose test of worth is in its endurance. It would be
a great pity indeed if merely with the change of fcolitica] allegiance you would be prompted to a change of religious rituals.
MHMitWWW
�MARCH, 1929
19
This could not be construed as an indication of progress since it
would not entail a repudiation of creed or change in fundamental
dogma, but merely a superficial transition from one form of ritual
to another.
I wish here to remind you of some historical facts over which
you may reflect and ponder. The Maronites profess the Catholic
faith. They are as much Catholics as the American, Italian,
French or any other Catholics anywhere in the world. The fact
that they practice a different form of ritual does not alter in the
least the fundamental character of their creed. They shou1''
rather, feel proud of the distinctive merits of this ritual. It is
conducted in the very language supposed to have been spoken by
Christ Himself. Aramaic, the spoken language of Syria and Palestine during the time of Christ, is a bosom sister of the Syriac.
They, together with the Hebrew, Chaldean and Arabic, form the
Semitic group. That the rituals of the Maronites' services are
conducted in Syriac should be a distinction and an honor of which
the Maronites should feel proud.
We see the Latin language used in Catholic rituals and we
'ook upon the fact as a matter of course. Now let us see how
Latin came to be used as the ritual language of the Catholic
church.
At the time of Christ Rome was the capital of the Roman
Empire, of which Syria was a vassal state. St. Peter, head of the
/
Apostles, came to Rome to establish Christianity as the state re'i ligion of the Roman Empire. Latin, the spoken language of the
state, was adopted for the rituals because it was the language commonly spoken and understood. Hence we discover that the language of the ritual is but an expediency. Latin has now become
unintelligible even to the descendants of the Romans. Still we
find it used in the ritual out of respect for ancient tradition. This
tradition seems to have been sanctified by constant and uninterrupted usage. Now one is prompted to ask: If the question is o-1
one of tradition, why shouldn't we adhere to the tradition that is
more substantially based on fact than of expediency?
Regardless of the fact that the Maronite ritual is conducted
in the language suppose^ to have been spoken by Christ, its hoary
age and its hallowed traditions should make it worthy of perpetuation for the particular purpose for which it is being used. In
this respect it is of a class with the ritual language of the Greek
Orthodox and the-Melchite Catholic churches. They should all
be preserved as a matter of racial pride and as indication of tenac-
�20
THE SYRIAN WORLD
ity in religious principles. To renounce them would be to break
the most sacred ties that bind us to our ancient and honorable
history.
With the present generation this precious heritage seems to
be safe, but the concern is for the future and it rests upon the coming generations to insure the continuity of the work that has so
far endured for nearly sixteen centuries. Those of the younger
generation who are here today celebrating the day of the patron
saint of their parents should be congratulated upon their sense
of appreciation of a noble and worthy heritage. It is to be hoped
that they will imbue coming generations with this same sense of
obligation towards a sacred cause, to the end that this noble heritage which has come down to them through the ages will endure
to the lasting glory of a valiant race and a most worthy saint and
reformer.
Snowdrops
By
PAUL DEAB
jyjY love sleeps deep in a snowdrop's heart,
That grows on a gaping mountainside,
By the banks of streams that leap and dart—
Dazzling and ruffling that mountainside.
The snowdrop bides in a paradise
Of carrolling birds and sighing pines j
Of velvety shades and saphire skies;
Love's symphony—those sighing pines.
My love now lies in eternal sleep $
For the snowdrop did weary of earth.
Both secret treasures are buried deep}
Loved and cherished by wearying earth.
But love is no vagrant gypsy elf
Frollicking here and then out of sight.
Its roots, deep as the snowdrop's itself,
Shall live forever in thy heart and sight.
• WL
J
«(/
�—
21
MARCH, 1929
A Day in Abu-Hamed
By
DR. NEJIB
A.
KATIBAH
was late in 1897. The Dervishes had been routed at AbuF.Hamed
in August, and Kitchener Pasha had already pushed
y
his troops farther south toward Berber. All was excitement and
activity at Wady Haifa, then the headquarters of the Sudan
Military Railway. Two construction trains had to be loaded
and dispatched to railhead daily, in order to keep the terminus
within easy reach of the advancing army, so as to prevent catastrophe in case of unexpected reverses, and to facilitate the transport of ammunition, supplies and reinforcements whenever necessary. With the carrying capacity of that single-track narrowgauge line taxed to the extreme, it was impossible to furnish comfortable passenger accommodations. In fact this was reduced,
in many instances, to spare space in the "brake-van," or to a
returned empty "animal-truck," in the case of officers and civilians,
the troops shifting as best they could on top of sleepers and rails.
It was in one of those springless brake-vans that, one day,
I found myself traveling, in obedience to orders detailing me for
temporary duty at Abu-Hamed. It was, therefore, not without a
sigh of relief that I did limp out from my irksome place, as soon
as the stout little English engine came to a stop at railhead, now
in the midst of the Nubian Desert. "Surely," I said to myself,
"they will furnish me with less wearisome conveyance for the rest
of my journey." But alas! In this I was doomed to be keenly
disappointed; for, from railhead to Abu-Hamed—a distance of
about 100 miles—I was made to experience what it was to be
churned into—not butter—but a mass of aching muscles and
bruised bones. This process was brought about by a Sudanese
camel and a Sudanese camel-saddle, minus the makhloofa, the
usual riding fur. Ah well! I do not wish to dwell long upon this
part of my experience, as the memory of it creates within me a
sense of extreme tension and discomfort.
There is, however, one thing in this journey, over which my
memory loves to hover. It is the desert. There is a peculiar
charm in that golden yellow sheet of sand spreading out in gentle
undulations all around you. It is the charm of feeling, somehow,
greater than you had been hitherto. You feel that you have a
�22
THE SYRIAN WORLD
personality, and that that personality gradually expands seeking
to fill the vast expanse around you, or perhaps to come in touch,
to commune, with the universal personality that permeates all
space. A feeling of reverence overpowers you. Unconsciously
you become—you feel you are—a Moses, a prophet and a leader,
free, noble, indomitable and full of holy zeal. On one occasion
I was exceptionally impressed as my eye rest fully followed the
successive waves of sand until they kissed the azured sky in the
distant horizon, describing a clearly denned line against the "welkin's cheek." It was early in the morning, and the east blazed
with blending hues of purple, orange, yellow, pink and red, which
my Arab guide appropriately termed "Allah's radiating glory."
And then all was still—nature was worshipfully silentj and, as
it were in obedience to the natural promptings of the heart, my
only companion, the Arab, fell on his knees, looked up to heaven,
then prostrated himself in befitting adoration.
Such, however, were not my thoughts as I neared AbuHamed. I was then musing over war and its horrors. I had
previously witnessed an action, and visited the battlefield an hour
later. It was sickening. The suffering, the agony, the anguish
of the human soul as it violently leaves its earthly abode, without
a word of sympathy or term of endearment, away from home
and friends, and sullen with deep longing for a last look from
that eye that once beamed warmth, devotion and love, was a
sight at once repellant and heartrending. Such were the thoughts
that arose in me as the tall date trees, fringing the Nile, broke \
upon my view in the distance, and reminded me of the struggle
to death between man and man that had taken place there a few
months before. Yes, I expected to arrive in a village laid waste
and desolate by war, with nothing therein to greet the eye save
wounded and disabled men, or no men at all, orphaned children,
and disconsolate wives.
What was my astonishment, therefore, to find that this was
not the case. I found that if, indeed, the people had suffered,
their suffering must have been slight; or, perhaps, owing to the
childish nature of the Sudanese, upon whose memory fortunes
and misfortunes make no lasting impression, the natives had buried their sorrows along with the dead, and, for the time being,
given themselves up to merrymaking. The hubbub of voices,
mixed with the loud and measured beating of drums, filled the
air for miles, and reached my ear long before I arrived at my
destination. As I drew nearer, the noise grew louder but more
i
�MARCH, 1929
J
23
distinct. Finally I alighted in the midst of the rejoicing blacks.
My first observation was that the crowd was divided into as many
groups as there were drums, each drum being the center of a
circle, and each circle making a strenuous effort to out-drum, so
to speak, and to out-sing the other circles.
The Sudanese will not have to have a cause for frolicking.
The whim.suddenly strikes someone to sing, someone else hears
him and runs to his side, others soon join, and the contagion
spreads like wild fire. The drum-beaters come out. Each one
of these worthies is usually affiliated to a staff of volunteer experts, composed generally of a "master-minstrel," a responding
chorus, a few noted dancers, and various odd seconds and sympathizers. The drummer, being attracted by the noise, selects
a spot of vantage near it, and beats away at his drum; his supporters congregate around him, and by their combined effort
attract a crowd.
In this instance, however, there was occasion for the hilarious gathering. A buxom Sudanese lass had been receiving attention from two young men at the same time; and as it was
not within her power to reject either, and naturally impossible
for her to espouse both, the rivals determined to fight it out—
the usual recourse in those climes when Eros is thwarted. The
drummers were promptly advised, hence the gathering and the
noise. The time for the duel not having come yet, the various
circles were still intact, wholly absorbed in their noisy songs
any naive dances, and ostentatiously displaying their vigor, skill
and taste to the admiring spectators. One circle after another
could be seen to thin down to the modest number of its performers, and again swell to exaggerated proportions, as the spectators were attracted by uproarious flourishes, now here, now
there, by the emulating "artists.." At times the competition grew
so keen that the specators themselves were carried away by enthusiasm, and frantically yelled and clapped and hopped in
unison.
There was dancing in every circle, the man usually holding
the woman around the waist in European fashion and dancing
in regular steps to the measured beats of the drum. Some of
their dances seemed to require practice, but, on the whole, the
movements were too violent and the steps too grotesque to suit
our taste.
However harshly we may express our opinion about his
other dances, the Sudanese seems to grin indifferently; but he
�__
EggS
24
THE SYRIAN WORLD
does not do so when we happen to speak lightly of the Shubbal
dance—the goal of every young woman's ambition in that land.
The supple Shubbal dancer is the graceful ballet artist of AngloEgyptian Sudan. She is always sure of large and appreciating
audiences. Lightly she steps into the enclosure, and at once
throws her chest forward and upward, and imitates, with wonderful accuracy, both the movements and the cooing of the male
pigeon a-courting. She puts her feet closely together and takes
the smallest steps possible, thus making but little progress as she
makes her round. She, however, manages to complete the circle,
notwithstanding the prolonged stops she makes in front of the
men to whom she intends "giving the Shubbal." During these
stops she gradually exaggerates the forward and upward upheaval of the.chest, bending backwards, until she makes a sharp
curve of her body, her head hanging within a few inches from
the ground. At this, the man steps forward, gently stoops over
her, passes his hand under her loins, snaps his fingers in a peculiar fashion over her face, and shouts "Hababik ashara, hababik
ashara!" (you are ten-fold welcome), then deposits a coin upon
her forehead, which she will retain if she manages to keep in the
same position so long as she remains thus arched. On resuming
the natural erect posture, supported by the man's arm, she
makes a side sweep with her figure, and'gently brushes his face
with her short braids, thus bestowing upon him the highest public
favor within her power. This means as much as a kiss, and is
termed "giving the Shubbal," after which the dance is named—
the word Shubbal meaning a suit of hair.
V
Some of their songs struck me as being politically unwise,
to say the least. The expedition for the reconquest of Sudan was
virtually an expedition for the destruction of the rule of fire and
sword created by the Mahdi. And it was only recently that these
folk had witnessed the superiority of regular troops to the disorderly hordes of the Khalifa. The breaches made by the cannon balls in the walls of their mud huts had not been repaired
yet, and should have stared their dull brains to reflection. Yet
there stood those negroes, who had come out much the worse for
wear and tear of Dervish misrule, singing the praises of the very
impostor at whose door they should have laid their miseries.
Here are some of those songs with literal translation:
W'el Mahdi ya khulla,
D'an nawwar el hulla,
th
su
tu
wi
to
m
th
fo
Y
'C
n
E
�MARCH, 1929
25
Darab el medir zallaj
Gumu b'il ajal d'al Mahdi d'az zahar!
The Mahdi, friends,
It is he who has illumined the camp,
The sword of victory he has drawn;
Arise quickly—it is the Mahdi who has appeared!
Another:
El Mahdi nuru tibbi!
W'il nima jabik rabbi!
B'ul Kasim balabbi.
El Mahdi, his light is medicinal!
O the grace my Lord has brought thee!
It is B'ul Kasim's (call) that I answer.
(B'ul Kasim is one of the names of the Mahdi whose
full name reads: Mohammad Ahmad Abu'l Kasim El
Mahdi.)
Another stanza of the same:
El Mahdi nur ainaiya,
Kharab el dawla el misriya!
B'ul Kasim zukhriya.
The Mahdi is the light of my eyes,
He has destroyed the Egyptian government!
B'ul Kasim is my treasure.
The nature of these songs spoke plainly of their origin and
their date, and at first I was at a loss to explain why they were
sung in such an incongruous connection, and at such an inopportune time. Of course wide margin should be allowed for their
wild enthusiasm, under the influence of which they were likely
to say what they never meant. In confirmation of this I should
mention that the very singer (not a drinking man) leading in
the first song quoted above, was, soon after, the soloist in the
following:
Ya teir in masheit sallim ala Amara,
'O kul lihum el balad 'tsallamuha el Baggaraj
W'il bint el min gubeil b'il baham tiddara
El yom wityet el mallala.
�26
THE SYRIAN WORLD
O bird, if thou goest, give greetings to Amara,*
And tell them that the town is captured by the Baggara;**
And the girl who formerly took shelter from the moon's rays,
Today steps barefooted on the hot sand.
i
This will be enough to show that they sang at random, giving
no thought to the meaning.
But apart from all that, drunkenness was a great factor in
this confusion.
The Sudanese, both men and women, have a strong appetite
for intoxicants, and, like monkeys, take to them naturally. Every
Sudanese family brews its own beer under the name of Merissa.
It is "dhurra" (a kind of maize), soaked in water long enough
to be mashed by hand, then left undisturbed to ferment. Merissa is a repulsive-looking drink, thick and muddy, but to all
appearances, its effect is quite equal to that of beverages more
tempting to the eye.
On occasions like this, Merissa is procurable from any dame
who seizes upon the opportunity- of making a few pennies by converting her hut into a temporary tavern. She advertises this by
hoisting a rag, plain or red, at her door. There the men (and
occasionally women) resort, squat in a circle on the bare ground,
and help themselves to repeated and deep quaffs from a wooden
bowl—the Sudanese stein—that the woman fills and refills and
passes around.
The time for the duel having come, its announcement was \
followed by a general scramble for the first line, the sitting row,
in the duel circle. The rivals had already taken their places in
the enclosure and proceeded to bare their chests and backs. Soon
they were ready and stood with folded arms, proudly and defiantly
facing each other. They carried no weapons. The commotion
arising from the rush for places soon subsided and eventually
ceased.
Suddenly someone uttejed a loud shout, and tossed a whip
into the circle, which fell between the motionless rivals. It was
a monstrous article. The handle, which was beautifully and artistically covered over with interwoven strips of variously dyed
leather, was a little over one foot in length, of medium weight
and of exceptional strength. The lash which was slightly over four
* Amara is a village on the Nile, north of Dongola.
** Baggara (herdsmen, cattle breeders) is the aristocratic tribe of the
Dervishes, from whom the Mahdi sprung.
\1
V,
�MARCH, 1929
ays,
\
27
feet in length and moderately flexible, was made of tough rhinocerous hide, emerging thick from the handle and tapering to a
free but weighted extremity.
"Begin first, Idris," shouted one of the spectators.
"No, no, you go first, Fanoos," replied another.
At this one of the girls sang a verse in praise of Idris, which
was promptly answered by another in behalf of Fanoos. This
broke the ice, and a flood of panegyric flowed from all quarters,
here in eulogy of one, there of another, until it was impossible
to distinguish either words or tunes. In the meantime each rival
invited his opponent to pick up the whip, and each in turn turned
away from it, haughtily pointing to his back.
Finally an elderly man, apparently of some authority, cast
lots, and Fanoos was handed the whip. Idris, with perfect composure and apparent indifference—nay, with a faint smile on
his lips—leaped into the center of the circle, folded his arms,
balanced himself firmly on his feet, and looked fixedly at his
rival's face. Forthwith the duel began.
The duel is a test of endurance, of fortitude, of stoicism.
Whilst being flogged by his opponent, the man must remain motionless and insensible. He must not flinch or wince; an involuntary shrug, an unintentional twitch, a slight betrayal of feeling on
his part, will be sufficient to constitute defeat. Each adversary
in turn takes the hateful whip in hand, walks, leaps, and jumps
around his silent opponent, swings his arms at full length, and
works his whip ready for the cut; and when all are silent with
exquisite expectation, and the poor devil has strained his nerves
to their highest tension in anticipation of the blow—all is brought
to naught by the sudden walking away of the man with the whip.
He, however, soon recoils and seeks again to quell his victim^
spirit by resuming his hellish work. He jumps exultingly in the
air, flourishes his whip and fiercely bites his lip to nurse his ire;
now he lands to the right, now to the left of his man; now he
gives a terrible cry behind his back, now he steals, cat-like, upon
him; here he whips the air to display his skill, and there he flogs
the ground to show how deep he cuts the sand; and through it
all his piercing eye remains rivited upon his prey. He studies
to defeat his rival, not only by the might of his arm and the exercise of skill in managing the whip, but also by wearing out his
mettle and never dealing the blow when most expected. The
whole sight is repulsive and savage, and this feature of it is the
most inhuman of all. The cruelty of the spectacle can be appre-
�26
THE SYRIAN WORLD
O bird, if thou goest, give greetings to Amara,*
And tell them that the town is captured by the Baggaraj**
And the girl who formerly took shelter from the moon's rays,
Today steps barefooted on the hot sand.
This will be enough to show that they sang at random, giving
no thought to the meaning.
But apart from all that, drunkenness was a great factor in
this confusion.
The Sudanese, both men and women, have a strong appetite
for intoxicants, and, like monkeys, take to them naturally. Every
Sudanese family brews its own beer under the name of Merissa.
It is "dhurra" (a kind of maize), soaked in water long enough
to be mashed by hand, then left undisturbed to ferment. Merissa is a repulsive-looking drink, thick and muddy, but to all
appearances, its effect is quite equal to that of beverages more
tempting to the eye.
On occasions like this, Merissa is procurable from any dame
who seizes upon the opportunity of making a few pennies by converting her hut into a temporary tavern. She advertises this by
hoisting a rag, plain or red, at her door. There the men (and
occasionally women) resort, squat in a circle on the bare ground,
and help themselves to repeated and deep quaffs from a wooden
bowl—the Sudanese stein—that the woman fills and refills and
passes around.
The time for the duel having come, its announcement was
followed by a general scramble for the first line, the sitting row,
in the duel circle. The rivals had already taken their places in
the enclosure and proceeded to bare their chests and backs. Soon
they were ready and stood with folded arms, proudly and defiantly
facing each other. They carried no weapons. The commotion
arising from the rush for places soon subsided and eventually
ceased.
Suddenly someone uttejed a loud shout, and tossed a whip
into the circle, which fell between the motionless rivals. It was
a monstrous article. The handle, which was beautifully and artistically covered over with interwoven strips of variously dyed
leather, was a little over one foot in length, of medium weight
and of exceptional strength. The lash which was slightly over four
* Amara is a village on the Nile, north of Dongola.
** Baggara (herdsmen, cattle breeders) is the aristocratic tribe of the
Dervishes, from whom the Mahdi sprung.
�LD
yhip
was
f the
**
MARCH, 1929
27
feet in length and moderately flexible, was made of tough rhinocerous hide, emerging thick from the handle and tapering to a
free but weighted extremity.
"Begin first, Idris," shouted one of the spectators.
"No, no, you go first, Fanoos," replied another.
At this one of the girls sang a verse in praise of Idris, which
was promptly answered by another in behalf of Fanoos. This
broke the ice, and a flood of panegyric flowed from all quarters,
here in eulogy of one, there of another, until it was impossible
to distinguish either words or tunes. In the meantime each rival
invited his opponent to pick up the whip, and each in turn turned
away from it, haughtily pointing to his back.
Finally an elderly man, apparently of some authority, cast
lots, and Fanoos was handed the whip. Idris, with perfect composure and apparent indifference—nay, with a faint smile on
his lips—leaped into the center of the circle, folded his arms,
balanced himself firmly on his feet, and looked fixedly at his
rival's face. Forthwith the duel began.
The duel is a test of endurance, of fortitude, of stoicism.
Whilst being flogged by his opponent, the man must remain motionless and insensible. He must not flinch or wince; an involuntary shrug, an unintentional twitch, a slight betrayal of feeling on
his part, will be sufficient to constitute defeat. Each adversary
in turn takes the hateful whip in hand, walks, leaps, and jumps
around his silent opponent, swings his arms at full length, and
works his whip ready for the cut; and when all are silent with
exquisite expectation, and the poor devil has strained his nerves
to their highest tension in anticipation of the blow—all is brought
to naught by the sudden walking away of the man with the whip.
He, however, soon recoils and seeks again to quell his victim's
spirit by resuming his hellish work. He jumps exultingly in the
air, flourishes his whip and fiercely bites his lip to nurse his ire;
now he lands to the right, now to the left of his man; now he
gives a terrible cry behind his back, now he steals, cat-like, upon
him; here he whips the air to display his skill, and there he flogs
the ground to show how deep he cuts the sand; and through it
all his piercing eye remains rivited upon his prey. He studies
to defeat his rival, not only by the might of his arm and the exercise of skill in managing the whip, but also by wearing out his
mettle and never dealing the blow when most expected. The
whole sight is repulsive and savage, and this feature of it is the
most inhuman of all. The cruelty of the spectacle can be appre-
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
28
dated only when one sees that every time the whip falls, it inflicts a deep gash from which the blood quickly trickles.
But it is the supreme delight of many a Sudanese to hear
some admiring girl sing out his praise and pour out her love to
him in verse, the louder, the deeper cuts the lash into his flesh.
How often have I seen them bare their backs to each other and
exhibit the scars in proof of their superior "manliness." In fact,
some of them become so enthused over the scene between the
rivals that they jump into the circle and brave the whipper to
make them flinch. To this end they provoke him, calling him
"sissy-armed," "a mere woman," "a feeble stripling," and the
like. These are generally friends of the victim, and probably
do this to afford him a moment's relaxation, as well as to focus
attention upon themselves.
And at last, when one of the two is defeated—when he
shows he is more normally human than his fellow—he walks
away crestfallen, or sinks down to be carried away by his friends.
He never again shows his face in that community, but betakes
him to some distant land, where ridicule and satire, sung in commemoration of his "unmanliness," never reach his ear.
Two verses of such a song are the following:
Ya ammati Hawwa,
_
Ma jibti 'wleid..
Ya ammati Hawwa,
Ma jibti 'wlied;
Y'al fanjari daggo kidi rakasan suleib!
O Aunt Eve,
Thou hast not begotten a man child.
O Aunt Eve,
Thou hast not begotten a man child;
The worthless fellow! When they struck him his backbone
danced!
Ya ammati Hawwa,
Kharji Allah,
Ya ammati Hawwa,
.... Kharji Allah,
Y'al fanjari daggo kidi agio 'nsalla!
O Aunt Eve,
Allah be my help,
PHMI
m
�29
MARCH, 1929
O Aunt Eve,
Allah be my help;
The worthless fellow! When they struck him his mind slipped
out!
Verses to My Daughters
Translated from the Arabic by J. D.
CARLYLE
WITH jocund heart and cheerful brow,
I used to hail the festal morn—
How must Mohammed greet it now?—
A prisoner helpless and forlorn.
While these dear maids in beauty's bloom,
With want opprest, with rags o'erspread,
By sordid labors at the loom
Must earn a poor, precarious bread.
Those feet that never touch'd the ground,
Till musk or camphor strew'd the way,
Now bare and swoll'n with many a wound,
Must struggle thro' the miry clay.
Those radiant cheeks are veil'd in woe,
A shower descends from every eye,
And not a starting tear can flow,
That wakes not an attending sigh.
Fortune, that whilom own'd my sway,
And bow'd obsequious to my nod,
Now sees me destin'd to obey,
And bend beneath oppression's rod.
Ye mortals with success elate,
Who bask in hope's delusive beam,
Attentive view Mohammed's fate,
And own that bliss is but a dream.
�3G
i MA
THE SYRIAN WORLD
nor
by t
geli
Discovering the Syrians
By JAMES MYERS
Industrial Secretary, Commission on the Church and Social
Service of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ
in America.
(Editor's Note — This article is appearing in the followiing publications. The Baptist, The Churchman, The Christian Leader, The Evangelical Herald and Zion's Herald. It is to be included in a book by the
author which is to be published next fall under the title of "Churches in
Social action.")
JT was with unusual anticipation that I followed the man with the
gray megaphone on a trip to Little Syria and later to radical
headquarters. The man with the megaphone was the Reverend
Clarence V. Howell, an ordained Methodist minister, who has
pioneered in the development of Reconciliation Trips in cooperation with Dr. George B. Dean, Secretary of the Department of
Evangelism of the Methodist Episcopal Church, working through
the New York City Society of that denomination.
When I joined the group it had already reached the Syrian
quarter on old Washington Street, one block back from the river
front in lower New York. We went from shop to shop, viewing
the distinctive arts and crafts of the Syrians, the pottery and
earthen vessels of the east, the hammered brass, the Oriental
rugs, the embroidery and fine linens, the beatiful furniture: tables,
chairs and desks all inlaid with ivory and pearl in intricate designs.
The personnel of the trip was a study in itself. They were
college students from the graduate schools, for the most part,
with a few professors, a minister or two, and some social workers.
The students included a Negro, a Chinese, a Japanese, a Frenchwoman, and a German, as well as Americans and others. There
were Jews, Protestants and Catholics. We were about as interesting to each other and to the Syrians as they were to us. "Oh,
look at the Chinese lady," said a little Syrian girl as we passed.
"They're slumming," said another, and "He's drunk," remarked
a little boy of the Reverend Mr. Howell' as he waved his megaphone at the head of the group. But we were not slumming,
i!f
I
l
�MARCH, 1929
31
nor was our leader filled with new wine—a familiar accusation,
by the way, of those other disciples under the spell of a new evangelism in the past.
Mr. Howell led us to "The Sheik," a Syrian restaurant
where a luncheon of native dishes was set before us. There were
i two menus, one printed in English, the other in Arabic. Mr.
Howell came to each table and explained what we were eating!
1 The menu included stuffed grape leaves, squash dried in Syria
and sent over; rice, okra, and lamb roasted on a spit. Thoughts
of an ancient civilization and religious sentiment entered in as
we were told that the large, thin "loaves" of Syrian bread before
us were undoubtedly identical in form and substance with those
broken by Jesus long ago by the shores of Galilee. For dessert
we had biklawa, a Syrian confection made up of pastry, nuts,
fruits, and honey, followed by Turkish coffee.
Mr. S. A. Mokarzel, editor of the Syrian World, then addressed us. He alluded to the ancient culture of his people. He
recalled the contributions of their forefathers, the Phoenicians,
to civilization, including the art of navigation and the invention
of the alphabet. He spoke of the hospitality of the east and assured us that this trait had been brought to America by his people,
in whose name he extended to us a most gracious welcome.
He explained that the Syrians have immigrated only within
the last fifty years. They had all been peddlers at first, dealing
largely in religious goods, rosaries inlaid at Bethlehem, carved
wood from the Mount of Olives. The Syrians have prospered
greatly. They are no longer peddlers. Each has his store and
the line of goods which they carry has greatly widened in scope.
Their more prosperous stores have moved uptown and now occupy sites on Fifth Avenue and the side streets. They do a worldwide trade in laces and rugs. Single houses now have their own
factories in China, Japan, Italy, France, Belgium, as well as in
Syria. For the opportunity of economic prosperity, the speaker
said, his people are deeply grateful to America.
Mr. Mokarzel brought out the fact that the Syrians are a
most law-abiding element in the population and are seldom found
in the courts or jails. The filial respect and devotion of the Syrian
home is the ultimate reason for their good citizenship. These
Syrian domestic traditions are maintained in this country, although
their homes are subjected to serious strain from the prevailing
American environment and ideas. He spoke of recent contributions to art and literature by Americans of Syrian birth. "America
I
V
�32
THE SYRIAN WORLD
has developed in intellect and material things," he said, <cbut has
not yet refined its palate." He pointed to the careful combinations and subtle flavors of Syrian dishes and the sweets, famous
from the time of the Arabian Nights, as indications of an ancient
culture and one of the Syrian contributions to American life.
The question period which always follows an address on a
Reconciliation Trip brought a query from the group in regard
to the language of Syria, which Mr. Mokarzel said has been Arabic since the conquest of the country by the Moslems but was previously Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus. Other questions
followed in regard to assimilation and American citizenship, Syrian women, the "younger generation"; did they go to college?
What did the Syrians think of Lawrence? Was the immigration
quota law fair to the Syrians? The friendliness, the fairness, and
the informative nature of the speaker's address and answers to
questions were the climax of our colorful visit to Little Syria. No
one in the group would be likely ever again to think of the Syrians
as despised foreigners. Rather, one felt a strong inclination to
return, as was suggested by Mr. Howell and as many do after
Reconciliation Trips, to visit the shops and restaurants and to cultivate a further and more intimate acquaintance with these interesting people. When one realizes that Reconciliation Trips are
conducted not to Syrians alone, but to Chinese, Japanese, Russians, Italians, Indians, Mexicans, Latin Americans, to Negro
Harlem and to the Jewish Ghetto, to the Stock Exchange, to factories, to regular labor headquarters, and to radical labor groups,
some of which I shall describe, the results are felt to be incalculable. Only in that day when the thoughts of all hearts shall be
made known, will it be possible fully to measure the results of
these human contacts.
Arab Wisdom
For one to leave wealth to his enemies after his death is
better than to be in need of his friends during his lifetime.
Two things give rise to the greatest worry: The loss of a
beloved and the passing of an opportunity.
Little work with knowledge is infinitely better than much
work with ignorance.
Relaxation of mind is as important as the relaxation of body.
a
�D
i
MARCH, 1929
,--
S3
Success of Federation Assured
11
FIVE ADDITIONAL PLEDGES RECEIVED
DURING FEBRUARY
PLEDGES RECEIVED
Syrian Young Men's Society
The Phoenicians
American-Syrian Federation
Syrian Young Men's Society
The Good Citizenship Club.
The Goodfellows Club
Syrian-American Club
Syrian-American Club
Ladies' Syrian Association
United Young Men's Aleppian Club
St. George Young Men's Society
The Phoenician Club
Young Phoenician Society
Ladies' Auxiliary Phoenician Club
Progressive Syrian-American Club
League of Americanized Syrians
Caravaneers Club
St. George's Syrian-American Society
-Los Angeles, Calif.
Jacksonville, Fla.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Birmingham, Ala.
Birmingham, Ala.
Tyler, Texas
Detroit, Mich.
Cleveland, Ohio.
Spring Valley, 111.
Paterson, N. J.
Canton, Ohio.
Birmingham, Ala.
Lansing, Mich,
Birmingham, Ala.
Oklahoma City, Okla.
f
Oklahoma
Boston, Mass.
Cleveland, Ohio
The number and the tone of responses so far received to our
call for a federation of Syrian societies in the United States indicates that the idea is increasing in favor to a degree which promises ultimate success. Although there had been previous attempts
at such coordination, judging by the several references to this fact
in some of the pledges received, not one, to our knowledge, was
ever launched on such a large scale nor received such nation-wide
response. A perusal of the pledges will immediately reveal the
widespread interest created by our appeal. From as far West as
California, to as far South as Texas, and throughout the other
sections of the Union the spirit of our progressive element has
been aroused to action, and indications are that the movement is
destined to complete success. The cause is admittedly worthy
and our civic consciousness is now being directed in the proper
channels. The example so far set by pledged societies will undoubtedly have its effects in prompting others to take action.
As previously mentioned, final action cannot be deferred,
�34
THE SYRIAN WORLD
indefinitely. It would, therefore, behoove those who still have
the matter of joining under consideration to ponder the necessity
of an early decision. No single organization need fear the loss
of its individual identity and autonomous prerogative, as the fundamental purpose of the Federation is to bring the scattered units
together in matters of national policy only. This is a fundamental fact upon which the appeal was based and in conformity with
which action has so far been taken.
. Furthermore, organization and purpose, together with the
definition of the status of the different constituent bodies, will be
subjects for decision either by the assembly, if convened, or by
referendum, and in this every constituent member will have a
voice. From this it can readily be seen that the destiny of the
Federation is in the hands of its own members who may shape
it in the manner they find best.
The immediate objective, however, is to get pledges to the
basic idea of the Federation, leaving working plans to be formulated later.
It is with satisfaction that we publish the following additional pledges. Thev mark a substantial increase in the general
list of acceptances. We further trust that they, also, like formerly pledged organizations, will work actively to promote the
movement.
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
WOMEN'S CLUB JOINS MOVEMENT
Editor, The Syrian World:
The Ladies' Auxiliary Phoenician Club of this city heartily
endorses the movement for a national federation of Syrian societies in the United States and wishes to subscribe its unlimited
support towards the success of the undertaking.
For the benefits that are bound to accrue from such a project,
we sincerely wish that it will become a reality in the near future.
Heretofore the activities of this club have been limited to the
Syrians in this city, but through the Federation, in cooperation
with its several constituent bodies, it hopes to extend its field of
activities to include the general welfare of the race.
The Ladies' Auxiliary is a sister organization of the Phoeni-
�MARCH, 1929
35
cian Club, composed of Syrian business and professional men and
women of Birmingham. It was organized in 1916 and is chartered under the laws of the State of Alabama.
The principal object of the Phoenician Club and its Auxiliaryis to develop its members educationally, socially, physically and
morally, and to absorb the ideas and principles of Americanism,
thereby creating worthy, representative citizens. It also supports and strives to advance any undertaking which aims towards
the betterment and progress of the Syrian race.
For your splendid efforts in promoting the Federation Movement, we wish to extend to you our hearty congratulations. Truly
no other medium could better serve this purpose.
LADIES' AUXILIARY PHOENICIAN CLUB.
Mrs. Wm. Meshad, President.
Birmingham, Ala.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA.
JOINING IN PARIS
v r
ect,
i-
<
Editor, The Syrian World:
At a recent meeting of the Progressive Syrian-American
Club of this city, the matter of forming a federation of Syrian
societies in the United States which you are advocating was
brought up for discussion and an expression of commendation
was made by nearly every member present. For your information I beg to state that our club, together with the League of
Americanized Syrians of the eastern part of this state, has discussed the organizing of a federation of Syrian societies of this
state with the hope that the movement would eventually become
a national one. From that you will see that the idea has been
in favor with our club and only goes to show the necessity of forming such an organization for the welfare of our race.
Kindly keep us posted on the progress of this most worthy
movement which we earnestly hope will materialize in the very
near future.
PROGRESSIVE SYRIAN-AMERICAN CLUB.
E. Samara, Secretary.
Oklahoma City, Okla.
�36
THE SYRIAN WORLD
BOSTON, MASS.
CARAVANEERS ARE ON THE MARCH
Editor, The Syrian World:
It pleases me to let you know that the proposed federation
of Syrian societies in the United States has met with the wholehearted approval of our organization. We gladly pledge our
consent as we are very much interested in the furtherance of this
movement.
II
With every good wish for the success of this patriotic undertaking, and assuring you of our keen willingness to cooperate in
all activities along this line, we are,
Fraternally yours,
CARAVANEERS CLUB OF BOSTON,
Samuel E. Kinhan, Secretary.
Boston, Mass.
CLEVELAND, OHIO
BEAUTIFUL DREAM THAT SHOULD BE REALIZED
Editor, The Syrian World:
I am happy to advise you that the St. George Syrian-American Society of this city has taken under consideration your proposition for federating the Syrian societies in the United States
and decided to subscribe to this most worthy movement in view
of the great benefits it is bound to bring to our race. This is a
most beautiful dream which every true Syrian patriot should
cooperate in bringing to a realization. Our society feels it is its
patriotic duty to respond to the call and hereby pledges its moral
and material support for the success of the undertaking.
I wish to add a word of commendation for the lofty motive
prompting you to this action and pray that your efforts will be
crowned, with the greatest success.
ST. GEORGE SYRIAN-AMERICAN SOCIETY No. 1.
C. Shantery, Secretary.
Cleveland, Ohio.
�37
MARCH, 1929
EDITORIAL COMMENT
TOURS TO SYRIA
AMERICANS are no longer
the;! provincial, self-sufficient
people they were once reputed
to be. Now Americans are the
greatest traveling nation in the
world. American tours are conducted every year not only to
near-by countries of Europe but
to every other country of any
interest. Americans are becoming increasingly interested in
world conditions, and to that
end seek to gain more accurate
knowledge of countries and
peoples by actual contact. This
is proving to be the best medium
for bringing about a better understanding among nations, and
ultimately will develop into a
most potent factor for the elimination of misunderstanding and
the establishment of permanent
peace. It naturally follows
that all efforts to develop
international amity and accord
should be heartily commended
and encouraged.
Aside from its ultimate effect on international understanding and good-will, travel
should be encouraged for its
broad educational value. The
march of human progress cannot be more graphically illustrated than by a survey of the
actual scenes of the outstanding
events in history. One can re-
construct and appreciate as by
no other means the evolutionary
stages through which the world
has gone.
For these considerations, we
believe Syria should be the most
attractive land in the world for
tourists and students of the evolutionary stages of human history. Containing, as it does,
the Holy Land with its Biblical
and Christian associaitons; old
Phoenicia with its remains of ancient cities once the centrifugal
point of knowledge and civilization, and its many other points
of inestimable interest, Syria
should be the land of first choice
on every tourist's itinerary.
Leaving out of consideration
the recreational attractions
found in some cities and resorts
of Europe, where else in the
world could we find within the
confines of a small country like
Syria such an impressive mass
of genuine historical and educational material — Jerusalem,
the city holy to three great religions, is in Syria, as also are
Bethlehem, the birthplace of
Christ j Tyre and Sidon, seats of
the great Phoenician civilization j Damascus, reputed to be
the oldest city in the world;
Baalbek, whose ruins have defied time and remain to this day
one of the wonders of the
world, and many other places
�Si
of similar import?
Not alone to the average
tourist, but especially to American educators and to the young
American generation of Syrian
extraction a visit to the historical
places of Syria should prove of
unusual interest.
Considering the above, and in
furtherance of the educational
purpose of the Syrian World in
bringing to the Syrian-American
generation a better understanding of their historical background, this publication heartily
endorses and approves of the
projected plan of educational
tours to Syria now being actively promoted by Messrs. A.
K. Hitti & Co. As further encouragement, the editor will
conduct in person the first tour
scheduled to begin with this
summer season. We trust our
readers will approve of this step
as marking another milestone in
our career of service along our
chosen line. We further hope
to bring back material of such
vital and varied interest as will
afford them pleasant and profitable reading for a long time
to come.
It is also our purpose to take
photographs of persons and
places in an effort to make the
Syrian World more profusely
and interestingly illustrated
than heretofore. Other plans
for innovations and improvements in the publication will be
announced in due time.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
PRIDE IN ANCESTRY
There is no gainsaying the fact
that America is the most democratic
country in the world. We 'have no
classes and no nobility. The highest
office within the gift of the nation
is within the reach of every man no
matter how humble his birth. The
fathers of the country, in framing
the Constitution, meant it as a document of complete and absolute disfranchisement of all Americans for
all time from all hereditary and distinctive ranks and stations of the old
world.
Nevertheless, there is that latent
desire in human nature which craves
for distinction. Somehow, there are
still many, even in the most democratic of countries, who place the
highest value on social rank and pay
high premiums for the privilege of
its acquisition. Hence an impecunious European prince recoups his lost
fortune by marriage to an American
heiress. An American millionaire
spends fabulous sums in transplanting whole an old European castle.
The art of the old world is being
rapidly transferred to American museums and homes. In architecture,
old style public and private buildings are being copied profusely in
this land in the making, and home
furnishings and decorations have
taken a decidedly "period" style. In
his search for the aesthetic, the modern American seeks to lend the?
charm and the grace of antiquity to
his new surroundings.
In purely American history, it is
subject of the greatest pride to trace
back one's ancestry to the Pilgrim
Fathers. It is of common occurrence
to hear one remark, under the flimsiest pretext, that he is American
in the fifth, sixth or so many more
t '
-'
�_
;
39
' MARCH, 1929
ViV
j£
generations.
One of the most indicative recent
illustrations of pride in ancestry
is the statement by the founder of
a nationally known chain of restaurants at a stockholders' meeting at
which he was ousted from control,
that with him it was a question of
family pride to retain control of
the company. His forebears, he explained, had been pirates as far back
as the thirteenth century and had
won for themselves a coat of arms
which he 'has adopted as a sign of
distinction for his business establishment. His pride in the retention of this family emblem was so
manifest that he seemed to deplore
the loss of control of the business he
founded chiefly on this account.
All of which goes to prove that
there is that subconscious feeling
deeply rooted in human nature which
seeks the distinction of that which
has been hallowed by age and which
cannot be claimed as the common
heritage of all sons of man. Material wealth is within the reach of
all, and in the attainment of it there
is undoubtedly a distinction. But
the nouveau riche abhors to be alluded to as such even to the extent
that a claim to pirate ancestry having a coat of arms seems to be more
of a desirable insignia of honor.
Money would have as a complement
anything that bears the stamp of antiquity.
In the nature of the case, there
should be some moral satisfaction
to Syrians who can lay claim to one
of the oldest civilizations in history,
and whose ancestors roamed the seas
not as pirates but as merchant
princes bent only on promoting the
interest of civilization and peace.
~:-.
W :'v'-".-:"-'-'->;.
.''"
YOUTH AND AGE
Some wise cousel is being dispensed in the many communications
on the subject of the young generation's relations with their parents.
It is sincerely hoped that the discussion will result in a better understanding by the youth of the parents' viewpoint. The wide divergence in opinion must have some
particular reasons inherent in the
writers' special circumstances or resulting from varying points of observation. What must be taken in
consideration is that not all home
surroundings are alike, nor also the
particulaf dispositions and train-i
ing of either parents or children.
It is dangerous to lay iron-bound
rules or draw immutable conclusions.
An article appearing in another
section of this issue treats of the
same problem as it exists among
other nationalities. What must be
considered is that the period of transition from old traditions and customs to new modes of life is always
a painful one, let alone the fact that
we are living in a rapidly changing
age. Some concession, it would seem,
must be made from both sides.
In the conduct of this controversy .
we are permitting the widest latitude of liberty in order to give each
side the fairest possible hearing. It
would not be conducive to an amelioration of the situation if the facts
were suppressed. Syrians, while
perhaps brought up under a stricter
code of family restrictions, cannot,
nevertheless, be impervious to the
influences of times and conditions.
Most assuredly practices and standards obtaining in the motherland
cannot be rigidly lived up to in
America. Conditions in Syria itself are undergoing a violent change,
�mmr^r—rvr-
THE SYRIAN WORLD
40
and to expect rules of conduct of
even a generation ago to be enforced on the present generation
would be demanding the unreasonable and the impossible.
What we would urge is that the
young generation weigh with calm
deliberation and in a sincere spirit
of moderation the causes which
prompt their elders to their action.
Surely the parents cannot be accused
of remaining altogether foreign to
the requirements of modernism after
having* been so long in America. It
must necessarily be deduced that
they cannot be altogether blind and
deaf to reason. Their solicitude for
the welfare of their children is admittedly above question, and with
the proper method of approach they
may be expected to make some eoncessions.
But the children must never dream
of coercive tactics. They must ever
bear in mind that their debt of devotion to their parents can never be
fully repaid, and the least that is
expected of them is kind consideration. The Syrian World, while permitting the freest expression of opinion, is fully alive to its peculiar position in that it is read mostly by
the young generation and it is in
the hope of bringing to bear the
proper influence on the youth that it
strives for the establishment of harmony wherever the problem under
discussion has become acute in Syrian homes.
n
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE
AMEEN RIHANI—Internationally known scholar and traveler.
Author ef "Maker of Modern Arabia" and of many other works
of poetry and prose.
KAHLIL GIBRAN — Author of The Prophet and other celebrated
works and styled by American writers Poet of the Cedars and
The Syrian Poet
DR. N. A. KATIBAH — Arabic and English poet and scholar.
Professionally a dentist of Brooklyn. One of our regular contributors.
JAMES MYERS—Industrial Secretary, Commission on Church
and Social Service of the Federal Council of the Churches of
of Christ in America.
PAUL DEAB — Pen name of a Syrian college graduate living in
the vicinity of New York.
1
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MARCH, 19m
44
Spirit of the Syrian Press
Under this caption we hop* to present from time to time * microoe*oti« picture of the Arabic press, not only in this country, but wherever
Arabic dailies and magazines reflect the opinions of responsible, thinking;
writers who are treating the different problems that confront the Arabicspeaking world from all conceivable angles. Needless to say, we will take
no part in the discussions reproduced, nor assume any responsibility. OUT
task will simply consist in selecting, to the best of our knowledge and
with utmost sincerity, what we think is representative of the public opinion as expressed in these editorials.
Editor.
EXCLUSION IN MEXICO
The present immigration law in
Mexico is tantamount to an exclusion measure against the Lebanese
and Syrians. Every Lebanese and
Syrian seeking entry into Mexico
is required to possess 10,000 pesos,
or the equivalent of $5,000. It is evident that anyone in possession of
such a large capital is not in need
of immigration.
This represents a discriminatory
measure taken by Mexico only
against the Lebanese and Syrians.
Why such a law was enacted permits of several interpretations, two
of which are the most current and
seem the most plausible. One would
have it that a certain close friend
of Gen. Calles was bribed by some
of our people and when his case was
exposed fell into disgrace. Calles,
therefore, is taking revenge on the
Lebanese and Syrians for having
caused the fall of his friend. The
other explanation is that Calles has
been repeatedly referred to in the
press as being of Syrian extraction,
and he, in order not to show any
partiality towards his kinsmen, singled them out as an object of discipline.
Whatever the case may be, it must
be admitted that business rivalry
is a potent factor in the situation.
The Lebanese and Syrians are noted
for their commercial and industrial
enterprise, and the natives must
seek some way of eliminating their
strong competition.
Among the Syrians, however, there
are thousands of Jews who, while
not associating with our countrymen, assume their name. This element has been responsible for gross
infractions of the law and the stigma of their onerous actions has attached to the Syrians as a whole.
There seems to be no possible way of
correcting the situation other than
by the Lebanese and Syrians arousing themselves to take collective
and effective action to save their
reputation from further injury.
Al-Hoda, N. Y., Feb. 23, 1929.
ZIONIST ACTIVITIES IN
PALESTINE
The Jews appear to be working
methodically and speedily towards
the attainment of their racial objectives in Palestine. A perusal of their
reports on economic development indicates that they are quietly but
steadily making progress along con-
<
�mm
42
THE SYRIAN WORLD
tractive lines. They are engaged
In exploiting the resources of the
country in establishing factories and
pushing land developments. They
are reported lately to have asked the
government for a protective tariff
as a means of insuring the prosperity of some of their infant industries.
The Arabs, on the other hand, are
loud in their protests and complaints
about the activities of the Jews.
Their papers are full of lengthy articles on plans and suggestions,
while no constructive action is being taken. It is but natural that they
should get nowhere if this continues
to be the case. For them there is
no hope of ever achieving their national aims unless they emulate the
Jews and buckle down to work. In
other words, they should stop talking and do some working. They
should turn their attention to the
land and display some genuine energy in cultivating it, the same as
the Jews are doing.
It is evident that the Jews are
making progress in Palestine. They
are fast gaining on the Arabs and
absorbing the land. Are not the
Arabs of the same clay? The only
difference seems to be in the willingness to work. Work is the only
weapon for waging modern warfare, and if the Arabs are really sincere in their determination to effect
the salvation of their country they
should employ the only and most
effective weapon in hand above mentioned.
Meraat-Ul-Gharb, N. Y. Feb. 19,1929
THE NEW SYRIA PARTY
The fourth annual convention of
the New Syria Party in the United
States is an added proof of the Syr-
ian Nationalists' determination to
continue their fight to the end.
Not only the general public but
the Mandatory Power itself has
come to look upon this Party as the
most potent and active factor in the
prosecution of the just demands of
the nation in the claim of its right
to life and liberty. The great sacrifices of the Party have become
known and appreciated by all, and
the nation that is capable of producing such an active force is a nation
that can be trusted to govern itself.
It must also be borne in mind that
these sacrifices are not confined to
the contribution of money but have
manifested themselves most nobly in
the readiness to court danger in the
battlefield. Such a party, therefore,
deserves the support of every liberty-loving, liberal-minded Syrian,
and those renegade papers Which
have been opposing th:s party should
cover their faces in shame when they
perceive the great efforts the party
is doing for the welfare of their
country. These papers should at
least display some consideration for
truth by giving their readers honest
and fa;thful reports instead of feeding them on lies. In this they are
only exposing themselves to the ridicule of fair-minded observers.
Al-Bayan N. Y., Feb. 7 ,1929.
EMIGRANTS AND THEIR
MOTHERLAND
The visit of Sheikh Joseph Estephan member of the Lebanese House
of Representatives, to the United
States and Australia is bound to result in immense benefit to both the
emigrants and their motherland. The
two principal objects underlying this
\isit are to study the advisability of
appointing Lebanese attaches at
I
�MARCH, 1929
French consulates and to promote
the emigrants' interest in the economic development of their country of
origin. Both objects are not only
feasible but of prime importance. In
regard to the first question we can
readily see the benefits accruing
from the presence of Lebanese attaches at the consulates who would
expedite the business of their countrymen and help thereby to eliminate
the cause of much misunderstanding
resulting from the lack of knowledge of French. This at times gave
rise to suspicion which had no foundation in fact.
As to the exploitation of the national resources and the development
of industrial enterprises in Lebanon,
such a policy seems the only way to
the salvation of the country from
being depopulated through the ever
increasing stream of emigracion. The
emigrant sons of Lebanon may be depended upon to extend the proper
help in all such enterprises.
As-Shaab, N. Y., Mar. 1, 1929.
ASKING THE IMPOSSIBLE
The action of High Commissioner
Ponsot in dissolving the Syrian Constituent Assembly had not been altogether unexpected. Ponsot could
not with any semblance of consistency concede to the Syrian Nationalists their demands embodied in the
six articles under dispute. It must
be admitted that he was not sent
to Syria to enact the role of French
generosity. In his capacity of representative of a definite policy he
had to obey orders and under these
orders it was impossible to grant the
Nationalists their demands, otherwise Ponsot and his whole retinue
would have nothing left for them to
43
do in Syria but pack and return
home.
Looking at the situation from this
viewpoint it can readily be seen that
in the face of the Syrians' obstinacy
the situation had to come to such
an impasse with the result that we
have seen. Now their Assembly has
been dissolved with no prospects for
its reconvention in the future. The
result is not very encouraging to the
success of the Syrian nationalistic
policy.
The six disputed articles are
above reproach in themselves. They
represent the enthusiastic aspirations of their makers and stand for
lofty Syrian patriotism. But the line
should be drawn between the possible
and the impossible. The six articles
are of such a nature that it is impossible for the High Commissioner
to grant them.
Now the Syrians have lost the opportunity of winning at least some
concessions by bargaining. They insisted on the six articles in whole
and only succeeded in los'ng them
in whole. The wiser policy would
have been to consent to a compromise in an effort to gain the ultimate national ends gradually.
As-Sayeh, N. Y., Feb. 14, 1929.
UNIFYING LEADERSHIP
No great work can be accomplished without the unification of leadersh;p. Even the most casual observation of events will illustrate
to us the truth of this axiom. It is
doubtful if the result of the World
War would have been what it was
had it not been for the unification of
the Allied command under Marshal
Foch. In our everyday surroundings we find that every family or
T'
�44
THE SYRIAN WORLD
dream of democracy was never to
be realized.
Now we find the world rapidly
gravitating towards dictatorship.
Foremost among the dictators are
Mussolini in Europe and Mustapha
Kamal in Asia. Each is doing splendid work for the stability of his people's affairs and the advancement
of the cause of order and peace.
Amanullah of Afghanistan made a
weak attempt to imitate them and
failed miserably.
If dictatorship has proven of such
benefits to Europe it should prove
infinitely more so to the peoples
of the East. The East is still far
removed from democracy because
Orientals are still slaves to old traditions and customs which render
them incapable of understanding the
true democratic spirit. They are envious of their gold brocaded uniforms and what follows in their
train of worthless titles. It is surprising that the country which, used
to give the Syrians their titles has
now discarded them while the recipients cling to them as though of
the utmost value.
NEED OF DICTATORSHIP
Especailly do we believe that Syria
IN THE EAST
and Lebanon are in the greatest
Democracy was the battle-cry of need of a dictator, a man of iron
the Great War. Its name was held will and inexhaustible energy who
synonymous to the lofty principle would take charge of the helm and
of equality for which nations were save the country from its present
fighting. The youth of each land chaotic condition. Greed for office
gave its blood freely for the dis- has been the greatest curse of our
franchisement of the world and the people, leading to the bartering away
establishment in all its glory of the of the liberties of the nation.
Meraat-Ul-Gharb, N. Y. Feb. 20,1929
great theory.
After four years of bloody strugWhy do archaeologists in our
gle peace came to the world and the
great nations reverted to their greed country restrict their operations to
and love for additional power. They digging in the ground? In the very
were not cured of the evil of colo- souls of our people there are many
nization and the subjugation of weak- antiquarian relics which date back
er nations. The autocratic spirit was thousands of years.
As-Sayeh N. Y.
still rampant in the world and the
clan has its leadership, and so on
all the way up the line from the city,
to the state and the whole country.
We Syrian and Lebanese immigrants are in urgent need of an intelligent leadership. Those of us
who are in any particular city may
speak for themselves but cannot represent all the race in the whole country. What would appear logical under the circumstances would be for
the local and regional representatives to elect a national leadership
in which alone would be vested the
power to speak for the people as a
whole. This leadership should enjoy the cleanest record both in its
political and economic activities. A
convention should be held every year
for elections and for the discussion
of national policies. A strict account should also be given as to receipts and disbursements. From
these different leaderships should
evolve a world leadership that
would represent all of our settlements in every part of the world.
Al-Hoda, N. Y., Feb. 19, 1929.
�\1/
MARCH, 1929
45
Readers' Forum
I,
SYRIAN GIRL EXPLAINS
MEANING OF FREEDOM
Edna Shakar that I do not believe
in free love, companionate marriage
etc. Also to Miss Saloomey, "I do'
Criticism Directed Only to Some
not believe in going to theaters and
Syrian Social Practices
dances every night." I go to a dance
•
occasionally,
to a theater quite freIS
quently,
but
I
have never been inside
Editor, The Syrian World:
of a night club, and I hope that as
I was glad to see the criticism in
long as my mind is normal, I will
the February issue regarding my never be seen in one.
letter which appeared in the Janu"Freedom" does not necessarily
ary issue. My letter seems to have
mean dances and theaters every
caused lively arguments and discusnight, night clubs, and so forth
sions, and I am glad because that is
Freedom" can be had with very litjust what I wanted it to do. My crittle or no attendance to any of these
ics made me realize that my letter
places. A girl need not go with every
was incomplete. I would say in this
Tom, Dick and Harry. That is not
connection that the conclusions I
at all what freedom means. But a
reached in January's letter were the
girl should be at liberty to have boy
result of nearly two years of study friends.
and observation of Syrian social life
One of my critics stated that there
and discussions with many different
were
thousands of fatherless children
Syrian girls, old folks and all.
born each year. That is very true,
Through these conversations I find
but is it all due to freedom? Can
that most of the problems of our
you
solve the problem by keeping
girls are alike, and while there may
your daughters home? I say that
be many exceptions, the condition
really exists among Syrians in gen- you cannot. There isn't a girl but
eral, especially in large Syrian lo- desires to go with the other sex
sometime or other-not because she
calities.
is immoral, but because she is huMost Syrians misunderstood that man.
word "Freedom," which appeared so
Most Syrians seem to think that
often in my letter. My critics, Miss
it
is impossible for a fellow and a
E. K. Saloomey and Miss Edna Shagirl
to go together unless something
kar, misunderstood the word. I am,
happens.
If that is the case, then
therefore, writing this letter to exthere
must
be something wrong with
plain my understanding of "Freethe Syrian morals. Isn't it possible
dom."
I don't doubt that most people who for a girl and a fellow to go togethread my letter think that I am one er unless something happens ? Can't
of those wayward girls who believe a girl and a fellow be companionable, friendly, and have a good clean
in doing "everything" and "nothing."
time?
They certainly can, and for
Well, you may be surprised, but I
that there is all the proof in the
am no*. I want to explain to Miss
world. Nothing make* a man out
,-
�46
of a fellow more than the companionship of good clean girls, and the
same holds true with a girl. Girls
and fellows should go together—and
there is nothing more wholesome for
either. The trouble with most Syrians is that they are narrow-minded
and can only see the dark side of
such friendships. They never stop
to think that there is another s;de,
which is bright and beautiful, and
which leads to happiness.
Does a Syrian mother ever say to
her daughter, "Now, daughter, since
you are old enough you may have
boy friends, but be very careful who
you go with. You must always go
with someone who is dependable,
someone you know very well. Bring
him home first. And when you go
out always be a lady, and gain the
respect of your companions. Never
cheapen yourself by doing things
against your will. Go only to respectable places, etc. etc." Oh, no!
Rather, she would say, "Daughter
don't you ever go out with fellows,
especially American fellows, because
it isn't nice and the people will talk,
and no one will want to marry you."
So you see, the mother does not even
expect her daughter to go out. Perhaps that would be a fine thing if
all the girls abided by such a rule,
but do they? I don't believe very
many do. Instead, many girls will
step out secretly and fall in line with
the rest of the crowd. Nine chances
out of ten, when a girl goes out
secretly, she is not going to go with
the right company, but when she is
expected to bring her boy friends
home, she is going to bring someone
whom she would be proud to introduce to her folks—a gentleman.
Now, then, which is best, to let
your daughter go out with your permission and know with whom she is
f«inr, or make her stay home .until
THE SYRIAN WORLD
she becomes rebellious and steps out
secretly? Isn't it much better to
know that your daughter is being
escorted to a theater, party or wherever she may go, by a nice, clean,
trustworthy fellow than to know that
she is coming home alone which gives
a chance for other fellows to pursue
or scare her ? How are you going to
solve the problem? Surely not by
keeping your daughter home. Don't
forget that every girl wants to go
out and be among young people. She
wants to have her good time while
she is young and carefree.
Some Syrians may let their daughter go out with Syrian fellows but
they will hold the line when it comes
to going with American fellows. Why
is this? Simply because they think
that a Syrian fellow is cleaner. He
is not. Of course, a Syrian fellow
acts nice when he goes with a girl
of his own nationality, but does he
act in like manner when he goes
with other girls? Syrians have the
wrong attitude towards American
fellows and girls. There are some
wonderful American fellows—fellows
that are clean, respectable and trustworthy. No parent need worry about
their daughter if she goes with a
nice, clean American lad. Syrian fellows are all right, but a girl can
not always find a suitable Syrian
fellow neither is she required to. Syrian fellows do not always marry Syrian girls. When a girl works, goes
to school, attends some church, belongs to any club, she comes in contact with Americans, and oftentimes
meets an American fellow that she
likes to go with. Why not give her
the privilege to do so ? The boys have
had this privilege all along. American fellows are human; they are
Christians, and I believe that American fellows make just as good husbands as Syrian fellows, if not bet-
�S^P^S
—.
MARCH, 1929
I
ter. At any rate, no fellow, whether
he be Syrian or American, would
harm a girl against her will. A girl
that respects herself can easily gain
the respect of others, but if a girl
does not respect herself then Why
should a fellow respect her?
• Then, we often misunderstand the
American girl. The American girl
is not as bad as most people think
she is. A girl that comes from a
good American home is sweet, attract;ve, full of pep, life and ambition. She is a lady—clean in mind
and body. She is a girl that fel'ows
love and respect. Of coursa, there
are very nice boys and girls in every
nationality, and there are others
that are not so nice. No one nationality gets all the credit. Therefore, we should treat all people alike.
I wish to congratulate Miss Edna
Shakar on the stand she takes towards popularity, and I only wish
that every girl felt the same way.
Let's give our girls more freedom,
but teach them how to use it. I am
sure that most Syrian girls are capable of taking care of themselves.
MARY SOLOMAN.
M'shawaka, Ind.
47
Probably this is true, but it does not
imply that they are far superior to
the girls. Not by any means except in one case which I will cite.
later. Our parents impose restrictions merely for the protection of
their girls against the influence of
some degrading social conditions. Independence is often the cause of unhappiness and misfortune; so, girls,
let's not complain about not being
allowed privileges as are the Syrian
boys because our prudent parents
know exactly what they are doing.
It is for our own good at the present
time and in the near future. We
owe our parents the highest esteem
possible. Sometimes their opinions
and moral codes seem a little harsh
and do not please us at that particular moment but they generally are
true and will be realized later. Miss
Edna. K.
Saloomey is absolutely
right in stating that "If there were
more like our Syrian parents, there
would be no need for Juvenile Courts,
Divorce Courts and the increasing
number of private schools which
must serve as homes as well."
In Miss Edna Shakar's comment
about defending the Syrian girl, she
advocates that most girls complain
about not having "The right to go
SYRIAN GIRL APPROVES
out with boys at will." Personally,
OF OLD CUSTOMS if my mother gave me absolute permission to go out with boys at will,
Editor, The Syrian World:
The young Syrian generation in T would not care to do so. Now why
America must feel grateful for the should I come to this conclusion? The
opportunity of expressing them- simple reason is that upon analyzing
selves through the Syrian World. this problem, I became greatly proThe magazine is getting to be in- voked at the actions of some girls
dispensable as an organ of service in their reach for "Popularity." If a
girl is tactful, reserved, well-manand usefulness to our race.
In recent discussions in the maga- nered, and possesses poise, she will
zine I noticed lately that some easily reach that goal.
Our boys are also accused of being
girls complain about the fact that
most Syrian boys are allowed more parsimonious when in company with
privileges than tha Syrian girls. Syrian girls and liberal whan in tn«
�48
THE SYRIAN WORLD
band meet the demands of his wife
after he is married?
Another reason for the decrease in
Syrian marriages is that a Syrian
boy feels as though he is under a certain obligation if he speaks to a girl.
Also, if, perchance, "a girl is seen
talking to a boy, it necessarily follows that she is engaged or else people will proceed to question the character of the girl as to why that certain boy ended his calls on her." Is
this fair to our present generation?
No, not by any means. A boy or girl
who possesses self-respect is always
respected under all circumstances.
What harm is there ;n a boy conversing with a girl if he or she were present at some social affair, or anything
of the sort, where both are surrounded by many people or just a
few? That is the vital po'nt in which
our girls and boys are handicapped.
People begin to gossip. Nine times
out of ten it is mostly false.
Syrian girls do not hate their parents (wlr'ch is contrary to Miss
Solomon's statement in the January
issue), but they are disgusted with
the point of view of their parents In
Mr. Aboud, in the January issue, regard to matters of personal consuggested reforms in marriage cus- duct. Although I have never attendtoms which are excellent. Pre-nup- ed any Syrian social affairs in New
tial demands are quite ridiculous. York, I have heard girls compl&'n
This is the cause for a decrease in about their parents' strictness at
our present marriages. Girls and these affairs. They stated that quite
even parents in many cases expect often they would sit as wallflowers
too much from the future husband. during these special occasions. Now
Immediately this causes him to hesi- what wrong can there be found in
tate about marriage. Can anyone dancing properly, especially in the
blame him? How many young men presence of one's parents? I am
can readily be classed as being "set- sure certain reforms can be made in
tled," say, at the age of twenty five. persuading the parents to become a
Quite a minority, indeed. Very few little more lenient.
When the Syrian girl starts out
are even in business for themselves
in
life, she is deprived of certain
or have a position where there are
freedom,
which is true. Later OH,
opportunities for advancement. Conwhen
she
«** married, kits * **••
sequently, how can the future kus-
company of others. My analysis of
this is that our boys look upon our
girls in an altogether different capacity. They do not expect anything
from them in return and their companionship therefore does not become
lavish. This in itself is proof of more
respect on the part of our boys for
our girls.
It has been stated that "few girls
have a chance to select their own
husbands." In reply to this I would
say that the marriages in which the
parents did the selecting, the results
seem to have been very successful
and encouraging. When parents select the husband, they generally use
good judgment. They visit the boy's
parents several times and then form
their opinion as to whether he is suitable or not, for if a boy is good to
his parents and very considerate of
his mother, naturally he will have
the tendency to act the same to his
wife. In most Syrian families there
is always much peace and happiness.
Therefore, the custom of Syrian marriages is certainly worth while in order to aid our race in living happily
and successfully.
1'
�AMEEN RIHANI
Photo by Chas. Matar
�TESTIMONIAL DINNER TO AMEEN RIHANI
Photo by Nash B. Ne Jame
Given by the Syrian community of New York under the auspices of the Principal societies, at Hotel Commodore , March 2, 1929. The attendance was over four hundred
,
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home and children, she knows that
even to the end her husband only
belongs to her and no other person.
I feel sure that we all firmly be|. lieve this is a splendid characteristic
7 found among the Syrians.
There is just one more thing I
would like to mention about the Syrians as a whole. Why is there so
much conceit and jealousy amongst
• I us? I believe it is because we attempt to live far beyond our means,
and consequently, envy gets the best
of us. This problem must be faced
and conquered, for "Envy is the root
of all evil." Some people become
narrow-minded on account of it.
When the problem is solved, we all
will become happier and more progressive. The decrease in marriages
and the problem of social freedom
will be solved, if our parents will
practice certain reforms advocated
by Mr. Aboud. If the Syrians thought
more of cooperaton and stopped gossipping and being critical, how much
more improvement would accrue especially to the future of our girls
and boys? Let's all respond to this
chord in the interest of our personal
success and happiness and to the
good cause of the race.
MATILDA G. ABSI,
1928 Graduate of High School.
Norfolk, Va.
DON'T RAISE SLAVES
IN YOUR HOMES
Editor, The Syrian World:
I am following with much interest the controversy that is being
waged in the pages of the Syrian
World on the question of social ethics and moral concepts among Syrians. To my mind, it is a mistake
49
to live in this age according to the
laws of the past, or to expect compliance with the code of even two
or three decades ago.
To expect a girl in these modern
times to live in strict confinement
is to apply to us moral laws that
were born in the remote past and
are applicable only to particular
countries. Why should a Syrian
girl be expected to remain at home
and be refused the privilege of going
out? As for myself, I see no reason for such a strict rule and feel
that the girl who is brought up in
conformity with Syrian concepts of
morality needs no such restrictions.
She may be absolutely trusted to
be able to take care of herself providing, of course, she would have
been properly enlightened and advised as to the consequences of undue liberties.
My whole reaction to this situation may be summed up in the following: Don't raise slaves in your
homes, but independent, intelligent
ladies with the right perspective
upon the problems of life, who appreciate the value of a clean, moral
character, and they may be trusted
to take care of themselves under
all circumstances.
CLARA K. BISHARA.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
EDITORIAL NOTICE
The editor is in receipt of several
anonymous communications on the
present controversy which he is compelled to ignore. Letters may be
published under assumed names if
the writers so wish and advise the
editor confidentially.
�50
THE SYRIAN WORLD
About Syria and Syrians
SYRIANS np NEW YORK
FETE AMEEN RIHANI
Celebrated Author and Traveler
Entertained At Reception And
Dinner By Over Four
Hundred Admirers
The Syrians of New York celebrated the return of Ameen Rihani
to their midst with fitting jubilation.
On Saturday March 2, the Reception and Testimonial Dinner tendered
in his honor were held at the grand
ballroom of the Hotel Commodore.
The large dining room was filled to
its capacity of over four hundred.
Guests began to arrive at seven,
and in spite of the inclement weather had all arrived within an hour.
The gradual arrival of the guests
permitted orderly introduction to the
guest of honor who received in a
private room adjoining the ballroom. All were seated promptly at
eight.
The gathering was one of the most
distinguished in the annals of the
Syrian community of greater New
York. There was, besides, a substantial representation of American men
of letters, arts and the professions.
The speaking program was restricted to four speakers and planned so as to encompass the life and
literary and scholarly accomplishments of the guest of honor. Mr.
Salloum A. Mokarzel, editor of the
Syrian World, presided and introduced as the first speaker our foremost educator, Dr. Philip K. Hitti of
the faculty of Pr'nceton University
who gave a comprehensive outline
of the history of Arabia, dwelling
particularly on the fact that while
tlv's old country is in the heart of
the world, it still remains a land of
extreme mystery, man being ignorant of vast areas in it while he has
succeeded in exploring both the
North and South Poles. The world,
therefore, he concluded, owes a debt
of gratitude to Ameen Rihani for
the contr-'butions he has made to human knowledge of this interesting
country by his travels and researches.
Dr. Salim Y. Alkazin, the second
speaker, equally able in his scholarly attainments in Arabic and English, surveyed the works of Ameen
Rihan' in Arabic.
,
Dr. Marion Miller, American author and critic, gave a glowing appraisal of Rihani's contributions to
American literature both as an essayist and a poet.
In introducing Mr. Rihani, the
toastmaster spoke of his early life
and his sustained efforts in his literary quests.
Mr. Rihani's address was in both
English and Arabic. He expressed
pleasure at being back among the
friends of his youth in New York
and spoke a word of sound advice
to the young generation of Syrians
on the necess;ty of retaining that
which is valuable in their racial characteristics. In his account of his
travels in Arabia Mr. Rihani told of
many novel experiences in a most
entertaining manner.
The committee had decided on
making an appropriate gift to Mr.
Rihani on this occasion and Mrs.
�MARCH, 1929
h
4
Joseph W. Ferris, chairman of the
Comnv'ttee on Arrangements, was
asked to make the presentation. In
introducing her, the toastmaster
took occasion to refer to her tireless efforts in planning the arrangement for the dinner, and described
her as a "human dynamo." The g:ft
consisted of a gold watch and a set
of thermometer, compass and aneroid.
(Excerpts from the speeches delivered at the d4nner will be published
in a coming issue of the Syrian
World.)
At the conclusion of the ceremony,
the toastmaster announced receipt
of telegrams of good wishes and regrets from the following:
Mr. N. A. Mokarzel, editor of AlHoda; Mr. N. M. Diab, editor of
Meraat-Ul-Gharb; Mr. and Mrs. Caesar Sabbagh, Mr. Guttas Faris and
Dr. Najib Barbour.
An old friend and admirer of Mr.
Rihani, Judge John Jerome Rooney
of New York, sent a beautiful letter
of appreciation with Mrs. Rooney.
What gives cause for elation is
that the dinner, given under the auspices of the Syrian societies of New
York in the name of the Syrian Community, was the first effort of its nature undertaken collectively by the
Syrian organizations of the city.
They came together at the invitation of the editor of the Syrian World
and their display of a fine cooperative spirit gives promise of much
greater collective and constructive
action in the future.
The organizations officially participating in the promotion of the
affair were: American Syrian Federation, Book Club, Damascus Fraternity, Syrian Educational Society
and Syrian Junior League.
Guests of honor as given in the
program included: Dr. Salim Y. Al-
51
kazin, His Excellency A. Azer Bey,
Mr. Sliman Baddour, Mr. Nageeb
G. Badran, Mr. and Mrs. James W.
Barrett, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur W.
Colton, Mr. Najeeb M. Diab, Mr. Nat
J. Ferber, Mr. A. A. Haddad, Dr.
Fh'lip K. Hitti, Mr. Joseph M. Khoury, Mr. and Mrs. Troy Kinney, Miss
Amalie Knobel, Mrs. Laura Miller,
Dr. Marion Miller, Mr. Naoum A.
Mokarzel, Mr. Salloum A. Mokarzel.
Mrs. Max Morgenthau, Jr., Miss
Theresa R. Nagel, Mrs. Henry Neumann, Mr. J. G. Raphael, Mr. Ameen
Rihani, Mrs. V. G. Simkhovitch, Dr.
Riza Tewfik, Miss Lillian Wald and
Capt. and Mrs. M. A. E. White.
MERCANTILE STANDING
OF ARGENTINE SYRIANS
A report of American Consul Dana
C. Sycks at Buenos Aires, Argentine, gives the following information abstracted from the November
16, 1928, issue of the Review of the
River Plate:
"The Syrian community in the Argentine Republic consists of 400,000
members and boasts of 18,000 business houses having an aggregate
capital of 500,000,000 paper pesos
($210,000,000). Of the 18.000 Syrian firms operating in Argentina,
no less than 7,000 are engaged in the
textile and dry goods trades. The
banking needs of the Syrian community are served by the Banco Sirio-Libanes del Rio de la Plata, established in 1925. One of the recent
innovotians to the credit of this bank,
and one which has met with the
greatest success, is its commercial
department and permanent exhibition of merchandise covering the
lines of no less than 65 different
importing and manufacturing firms
operating in Buenos Aires. The per-
�52
manent exhibition is so arranged
that the buyer from the provinces
is able to look over the latest novelties offered by the 65 exhibiting
firms in a very short time. The bank
does not act as intermediary in any
sale resulting from this service, but
does handle mail and telegrams for
its clients."
IMPORTANT LECTURE BY
DR. PHILIP HITTI
Prof. Philip K. Hitti of Princeton
University and formerly of the
American University of Beirut, delivered an important lecture at a
meeting of the Brooklyn Society for
Ethical Culture at the Brooklyn
Academy of Music on February 24.
Dr. Hitti's subject was "Civilization's Debt to the Near East" and
his easy manner of delivery together with his wealth of historical material made a profound impression on
his audience. Dr. Hitti, admittedly
our foremost educator in the United
States, is ably and nobly serving the
cause of Irs countrymen by his erudite exposition of their eminent racial qualities on every possible occasion.
It is a pleasure to state that the
metropol'tan papers carried long accounts of Dr. Hitti's lecture, some
of them devoting to it as much as
a whole column.
SYRIAN ENGINEER
HONORABLY MENTIONED
The Sibley Journal of Engineering, in its February issue, publishes
the following on the success of one
of our Syrian engineers:
"Dr. Michel G. Malti of the Electrical Engineering faculty was recently notified that his paper, "A
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Theory of Imperfect Solid Dietetrics," has been awarded honorable
mention for 1927 by the American
Institute of Electrical Engineers.
"The paper which received this
recognition consisted of the last four
chapters of a Thesis, presented by
the author to the Graduate School
of Cornell University, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy."
The same Journal announces simultaneously the election of Dr.
Malti to its editorial board.
DODGE MEMORIAL FUND
The late Cleveland H. Dodge will
ever be remembered with the deepest feeling of love and gratitude by
the people of the Near East for his
many benefactions and sincere and
helpful endeavors. Especially do the
Syrians cherish lr*s memory for the
solicitude he displayed in promoting
the cause of education in their country through the American University
of Beirut of which his son. Dr. Norman Dodge, is now president. The
proposed Memorial Fund bearing*
h's name and intended to complete
the work he had begun should,
therefore, be welcomed as a fitting
opportunity to honor the memory of
the man by helping the cause that
was so close to his heart.
The appeal explaining the purpose
of this Memorial Fund, addressed to
us by Mr. Wm. M. Kingsley, chairman of the Executive Committee,
should not fail to meet with adequate response from the Syrians of
America. It follows:
"On the sixty-eighth anniversary
of the birth of the late Cleveland H.
Dodge, January 26, a group of
friends who had been associated
with him in his many philanthropies
EBaSBB^SSeKfifSMffiHiBSgKra^
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'
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�MARCH, 1929
53
began raising a $4,000,000 "Dodge sociation, 18 East 41st Street, New
Memorial Fund" to realize one of his York."
most cherished dreams—the permanent financing of the six American
Colleges in the Near East.
"Shortly before his death in June, MUNIFICENT GIFT TO
A SYRIAN NEWSPAPER
1926, Mr. Dodge formulated plans
for raising $15,000,000,00 to endow
What As-Sayeh, a daily Syrian
these colleges with wh'ch his famliy newspaper of New York, heralds as
had been connected for four gener- an unprecedented event in the anations and to which he had devoted nals of the Syrian press in the United
much of his time, his thought and States, was reported by that paper
his wealth. At the beginning of the in its issue of February 26. In their
year the fund amounted to $11,000,- comments on this extraordinary and
000. His friends decided therefore unexpected good fortune, other Syrthat the most fitting memorial to ian newspapers agree with As-Sayeh
his name would be the completion of that the latter has good reason to
the fund by July 1, 1929, the date thank its lucky stars and deal praise
which Mr. Dodge determined.
to this modern Hatem Tai in fullest
"The memorial appeal is a strong measure.
one to the men and women who have
Here is What happened, according
been connected with Mr. Dodge in to the report of the editor of the
one or another of his humanitarian Syran paper:
and educational undertakings. The
Early one February morn, when
possibilities for training leadership he came to his office with an overthrough these institutions, in a field burdened brain and an extremely
still barely touched by the force of light wallet, the postman handed
organized modern education, has a him with the mail a letter from Custrong appeal to believers in inter- racao, B. W. I., which, upon being
national cooperation. Mr. Dodge duly opened and its contents carehimself was firmly convinced that fully examined, was found to contain
American wealth could be put to no a draft on a New York bank for the
more useful purpose than to offer exact amount of $2,361.58. The treasmodern scientific training and an un- urer of the publishing company was
derstanding of western ideals to the called over the telephone to be told
youth of backward countries.
the good news, but April first being
"Substantial gifts have already still far in the distance, and the
been received toward this Dodge Me- treasurer being too shrewd a busimorial Fund, on condition that the ness man and too practical a fellow,
entire amount be subscribed before he refused to believe. How could he
July 1, 1929. Among them was a when such a thing was never heard
personal gift of $500,000 from Mr. of before? Nevertheless, he came
John D. Rockefeller Jr. Friends and down to the office that day earlier
admirers of Mr. Dodge throughout than usual, for the purpose of getthe United States are being urged ting to the bottom of what he still
to help perpetuate his name and his considered a hoax. But, to his
work by sending contributions to the amazement, he found the report aboffice of the Near East College As- solutely true, so true that the
�S4
amount was immediately put to use
in paying some past due accounts
which had been a source of no little
annoyance.
Now the man who sent in this
draft :s a Mr. Waheeb Boulos Simon
who had been a subscriber but for
a short time and is a total stranger
to the editor. Realizing, however,
the necessity of supporting such a
worthy Arabic newspaper as AsSayeh, he sent the large sum as a
price of one share of the stock of
its publishing company, the par
value of which is $100. The draft
was accompanied by a covering letter which left no doubt as the purpose of the donor.
Considering the continuous wailings of Arabic papers in re the
tardiness of their subscribers in remitting their subscriptions, such
good fortune as befell As-Sayeh
should give the editors 'hope that
chivalry is not dead.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
a sort of coalition among the different emigrant groups. Recruits to
the party will be made from each
country as it is reached. The itinerary will include not only Syria,
Egypt, and other Near Eastern countries, but South Africa, Australia,
New Zealand and countries of the
Far East as well.
LEBANON NATIONAL REMAINS
UNDER SYRIAN DIRECTION
A rumor to the effect that the
Lebanon National Bank of New
York had passed from Syrian hands
elicited prompt denial by the bank
in a signed statement published in
the Arabic-language press of the
c:ty. Those who had been associated with the bank since its organization and have so far guided its
affairs remain in office. At the last
election held in January the President and founder was returned to
office as well as many other officers
and directors. The present manageN. Y. SYRIAN EDITOR
PLANS WORLD TOUR ment is composed as follows:
Officers: J. A. Mandour, President
Mr. N. A. Mokarzel, editor of the and chairman of the Board; J. F.
leading Arabic-language newspaper Connor, Esq., Vice President; J. W.
in New York, after a recent visit to Griffiths, Assistant to Vice PresiMexico, announces that he plans to dent; H. A. Walsh, Cashier; N. A.
undertake a world tour in the inter- Haddad, Assistant Cashier; Wm. N.
est of studying the conditions of Syr- Mandour, Assistant Cashier; C. V.
ians in all countries of their immi- Tapp, Assistant Cashier; W. C. Bargration. No definite date is set by ber, Credit Manager.
the editor for his tour, but he states
Directors: J. A. Mandour, George
that he will undertake it immedi- B. Zaloom, M. A. Saidy, Wm. F. Buately the necessary arrangements zaid, Henry Hadad, Hon. George A.
can be made.
Colgan, Theodore J. Richmond, BarHis plan, as outlined, is to form ron W. Schoder, Nathan Berkman,
a party of prominent Syrians, each Abner Baron, Louis Borgenicht, Abof whom will travel at his own ex- raham Jelni, Irving L. Kadin, Hon.
pense and take observations which Lester Lazarus, Stuart C. Ross,
will be later compared with those Henry D. Sinram, Abraham Prince,
of the others with the object of sug- Isidor Wels, Samuel Davis, J. Jogesting improvements and creating nas Jacobs, Edgar A. B. Spencer.
\
I
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' lj
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m.ii-nrtOTl
55
MARCH, 1929
k
NEW EGYPTIAN CONSUL
IN NEW YORK
A. Azer Bey, the newly appointed
Egyptian consul in New York, is the
typical modern, well educated Egyptian who combines the genial characteristics of the East with the erudition of the West. In the discharge
of his duties he is most efficient and
conscientious. He professes genuine
friendship for the Syrians and bids
them avail themselves of all the facilities of the consulate.
Heretofore, however, they had no
trade association in which they
could come together for the protection of their mutual interests or the
promotion of purchase or sales policies. This they are now reported to
have attempted to remedy by forming a trade organization early in
February to which have already subscribed almost five hundred members.
NEWS OF SOCIETIES
ELECTION OF ORTHODOX
PATRIARCH IN SYRIA
)
Following the death of the late
Patriarch Gregory Haddad of the
Syrian Orthodox Church, rumors
have been circulated to the effect
that the Greeks are plotting to regain their lost control of this church
by the election of a bishop from
among them to the vacant see. Other rumors maintain that there exists
among the Syrian Orthodox themselves a strong preference for the
election of a Russian Patriarch who
would give the Syrian Church the
benefit of his organizing ability
without subjugating it to foreign
domination. What appears certain,
however, is that a native Syrian will
be elected from among the several
candidates whose names have been
proposed.
POWERFUL SYRIAN
TRADE COMBINATION
The Syrian community in Detroit,
Mich., is second only to that of New
York City in numbers. It is said to
total about twenty thousand.
The Syrians of Detroit have gone
heavily into the grocery business,
their retail stores in this line totaling almost one thousand.
At the last election of the Ladies
Auxiliary Phoenician Club of Birmingham, Ala., the following officers
were elected for the current year:
Mrs. Wm. Meshad, President; Mrs.
M. H. Bite, Vice-President; Miss
Emiline Meshad, Secretary; Mrs. C.
S. Meshad, Treasurer; Miss Amelia
Mickwee, Publicity Director. Board
of Managers: Mrs. J. N. Pharo, Miss
Clementine Kabose, Mrs. Abraham
Tebsherany, Chairman.
NEW YORK
The Daughters of the United Malonites' Society gave a luncheon and
dance at the Hotel St. George in
Brooklyn, February 10th, on the occasion of the feast day of ti>e patron
saint of the Maron't'.-s
Miss Munera Asfour president of
the society, presided but requested
Mr. Joseph C. Chediac to act as
toastmaster. The guests of honor
were the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Francis
Wakim and Rev. Mansour Stephen.
The speakers were the Rev. Mansour, Dr. Najeeb Barbour, diplomatic
representative of Lebanon with the
French Consulate in New York; Naoum Hatem, Dominick Faour and
Salloum A. Mokarzel.
Miss Margaret Hatem gave several piano selections.
A
�36
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Political Developments in Syria
All hope for a rapid solution of Assembly as contained in his letter
the Syrian problem seems to have on the subject addressed to Hashem
been shattered by the action of the Eey Al Atassi, Nationalist leader
French High Commissioner in Syria and President of the Assembly, is
in proroguing the Syrian Constitu- contained in the following paraent Assembly only a few days be- graph:
fore the date set for its reconvoca"It is neither in an atmosphere of
tion on February 11. Ever since misunderstanding nor by attempting
the return of the High Commission- to disregard the plain facts of the
er from France after his absence of situation that the difference, which
almost six months, negotiations had has interrupted for six months the
been carried on actively between him work of the Constituent Assembly,
and the leaders of the Nationalist can be settled. A preserving effort
Party in the hope of finding grounds still appears necessary in order to
for a common understanding. When, find an issue from the present difhowever, the negotiations dragged ficulties. But in the meantime, and
until almost the very date set for until deep reflection 'has prepared a
the reconvocation of the Assembly way for a solution of this essential
without any announcement being problem, the convocation of the Asmade of a solution, the Syrians were sembly would be without object. This
convinced that the situation had is why, in the present state of unreached an impasse. Their fears certainty, when a definite result, so
were justified when the High Com- much desired in France as well as
missioner promulgated his decree in Syria, I have today issued a deadjourning the Assembly sine die and cree adjourning sine die the Constitmade public the text of the letter uent Assembly."
which he sent to the President of the
It will be remembered that, havAssembly stating the reasons for ing permitted elections to the Conhis action. Now the situation is stituent Assembly, the French High
shrouded with so much obscurity Commissioner gave this body a free
that it isj impossible to advance any hand in framing a constitution for
possible suggestion as to the prob- the country. In this the Assembly
able outcome. On the face of it, it adopted certain clauses to which the
would seem that the Syrian Na- Mandatory Power took exception as
tionalists have steadfastly refused being in conflict with the terms of
any suggestion of compromise in the its mandate from the League of Nastand they have taken since the first tions. The High Commissioner ofmeeting of the Constituent Assem- fered the suggestion at the time that
bly at which the Constitution was the Assembly adopt the constitution
formulated containing the clauses minus the objectionable articles which
objectionable to the Mandatory would be deferred for discussion at
Power.
a later date and probable inclusion
The reason given by the High in a treaty to be entered into beCommissioner for proroguing the tween France and Syria. This the
I
-.
HI
~~'"~~~—*
i
<
�"*"
MARCH, 1929
«
Assembly refused to entertain, with
the result that it was adjourned
for three months pending the result
of negotiations between the High
Commissioner and the Foreign Office in Paris. The protracted sojourn of M. Ponsot in Paris necessitated another adjournment, but the
negotiations initiated after his return the latter part of December
having failed, the Assembly was prorogued.
,
The native Syrian press sheds no
light on the exact nature of the new
causes of disagreement, but it is
hinted in some quarters that the Syrians agreed to exclude the objectionable articles from the body of the
Constitution in an effort to arrive
at a solution of the difficulties, the
articles to be incorporated later in
the proposed treaty according to the
High Commissioner's original suggestion. At this stage, however, M.
Ponsot is said to have insisted on
the elimination of the articles unconditionally, leaving the matter to
the option of France whether or not
to consider them as a basis for future negotiations. This the Syrian
Nationalsts are said to have refused
on the ground that they were responsible to the nation for carrying out
the program upon which they were
elected and could not yield to the
point of betraying their trust.
As the situation now stands, the
provisional government appointed
for the supervision of the elections
to the Constituent Assembly is still
in power. Sheikh Tajeddin, the
President, continues to enjoy the
confidence of the mandatory authorities in spite of the strong opposition to him by the Nationalists. The
agitation for the establishment of a
constitutional monarchy seems to
have abated. Public demonstrations
57
are reported to have taken place in
Damascus following the proroguing
of the Assembly but without any violence. The Nationalists are extremely reserved in discussing their
future plans with the result that the
country is as much in doubt now of
its future as it ever was. The next
move seems to rest with the High
Comnrssioner.
Sultan Pasha Atrash, the famous
Druze leader of the armed revolution in Syria, was reported in press
dispatches to have made to the
French an offer to surrender. This
was promptly denied by the New
Syria Party of the United States.
Act;ng on the conviction that the
Druze refugees in the Syrian desert
are still holding against surrender,
branches of the New Syria Party are
sending funds continually to Sultan
Pasha Atrash and h;s band of faithful followers.
,
THE SITUATION IN LEBANON
The approaching presidential elections in Lebanon appear to have assumed secondary importance in face
of the violent controversy which continues to be waged around the personality of Emir George Lutfallah
who is said to be a candidate for the
office. His hopes of ever achieving
this ambition seem, however, to have
been definitely put at rest with the
issuance by the Bureau of Statistics
of the Lebanese government of a
statement denying him the right of
claim to Lebanese citizenship. The
Maronite Patriarch is said to have
endorsed the present incumbent of
the office for a second term, waiving
thereby the right of claiming the office for a Maronite, which makes it
almost certain that Mr. Charles
Dabbas will be re-elected.
�iii
A
y-riiniinitim,
GLORIOUS HOLIDAY
AND
A
GREAT EDUCATION
is no better way of spending your summer vacation
than by taking our tour leaving New York July 2nd,
escorted by the Editor of THE SYRIAN WORLD, Mr.
Salloum A. Mokarzel, through
THERE
LEBANON, SYRIA and THE HOLY LAND.
Visits will also be made to LISBON, NAPLES, ATHENS,
CONSTANTINOPLE, ORAN
and MADEIRA.
CONGENIAL COMPANIONS
COMFORTABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
SURPRISINGLY LITTLE COST
For booklets and details as well as for membership
in this tour write to
A. K. HITTI & COMPANY
60 Washington Street
NEW YORK CITY
Telephone—BOWLING GREEN 2765-9754
1—ff^wpil if '''I'llPlShiMHM
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Newspapers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Salloum Mokarzel, a Lebanese American intellectual, founded<em> The Syrian World</em> in 1926. Salloum Mokarzel was the younger brother of Naoum Mokarzel, the publisher of the Arabic-language newspaper <em>Al-Hoda. </em>Together, the Mokarzel brothers ran Al-Hoda Publishing, and in 1909, they published <em>The Syrian Business Directory.</em> </p>
<p>Mokarzel created <em>The Syrian World</em> in order to document and celebrate the culture and history of "Syria." At the time, Syria referred to the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. The publication was primarily aimed towards second-generation children of immigrants, but Mokarzel hoped that it would also appeal to the general American public.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><em>The Syrian World</em> was published between 1926 and 1932 as a journal. In 1932, the format was changed from an academic journal style to a newspaper style, which continued until the periodical's end in 1935. After the death of his brother Naoum, Salloum took over the publication of <em>Al-Hoda.</em></p>
<p>The articles in <em>The Syrian World</em> cover a variety of topics spanning from the practical to the theoretical. Practical subjects include international and domestic travel, historical and contemporary Arabic and Arab-American art and literature, and the mental and physical health and hygiene of immigrants. More theoretical, philosophical, and ideological subjects include ideologies of race, the changing role of women, the formation of Syrian and Lebanese-American societies, and the political and psychological relationships between immigrants and their countries of origin.</p>
<p>All issues of <em>The Syrian World</em> are available, along with full indexes for the first four volumes. For volumes five and six, there are tables of contents at the start of the issues.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabs--United States
Arabic periodicals
Newspapers
Arab American Newspapers
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926-1935
Relation
A related resource
<em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mokarzel Family Papers</a>
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11299/175685" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annotated Index to the Syrian World, 1926-1932</a> at the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center Archives
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Al-Hoda Newspapers</em></a>
Language
A language of the resource
English
Contributor
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Processed by Claire A. Kempa, 2015-2017. Collection Guide written by Claire A. Kempa, 2017.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 August.
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The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings.
Identifier
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NS 0002
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
TSW1929_03reducedWM
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Volume 03, Issue 09
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1929 March
Description
An account of the resource
Volume 3 Issue 09 of The Syrian World published March 1929. The issue begins with an article by Ameen Rihani titled "At the Gate of Arabia." This article is a travel journal entry of Rihani's own experience traveling to Arabia. Next is a poem by Kahlil Gibran titled "The Saint," which describes an encounter with a wise divine entity. Next is an article titled "Children of America," based off of research and study of the Foreign Language Information Service, which touches on many social problems. Salloum A. Mokarzel is featured next with an article that covers Eastern Religions in the West. The article is comprised of extracts from the address Mokarzel delivered at the luncheon of the Daughters of the United Maronites Society, Feb. 10, 1929. Next is a short story titled "A Day in Abu-Hamed" by Dr. Najib A. Katibah. The last article is "Discovering the Syrians" by James Myers. There is another update on the successes of Syrian-American federations, which also provides a list of more pledged societies formed throughout the United States. The issue concludes with excerpts from the Arab press, the Reader's Forum, and more on political developments in Syria.
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Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals
Arabs--United States--Periodicals
Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals
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English
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Salloum A. Mokarzel
Syrian-American Press
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New York Public Library
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Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
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104 Greenwich St., New York, NY
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Text/pdf
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Text
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The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
1920s
Ameen Rihani
Kahlil Gibran
Maronite Church
Najib A. Katibah
New York
Religion
Travel
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OCTOBER, 1930
VOL. V. No. 2.
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THE
SYRIAN WORLD
A
MONTHLY MAGAZINE IN ENGLISH DEALING
WITH SYRIAN AFFAIRS AND ARABIC LITERATURE
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GREAT SYRIAN-AMERICANS OF OUR TIMES
REV. W. A. MANSUR
ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS
S. A. MOKARZEL
I
THE TRAGIC LOVE OF A CALIPH
(SHORT STORY)
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THE SYRIAN WORLD A CORPORATION
ALI ZAIBAQ (QUICKSILVER)
(A SERIAL)
S. A. MOKARZEL and T. S. DAYTON
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SYRIA
THE COPY 50c
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�SYRIAN WORLD
Published monthly except July and August
by
THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS
104 Greenwich St., New York, N. Y.
By subscription $5.00 a year.
Single Copies 50c,
Entered as second class matter June 25, 1926, at the post office at New York
N Y
- -. under the act of March 3, 1879.
VOL. V. No. 2.
OCTOBER, 1930
CONTENTS
PAGE
Great Syrian-Americans of our Times
W. A.
REV.
5
MANSUR
On the Road to Damascus
S A.
16
MOKARZEL
Damascus (Poem)
23
THOMAS ASA
The Syrian World a Corporation
94
Alt Zaibaq — Chapter II.
?7
Hunger (Poem)
31
MISCHA NAIMY
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III
CONTENTS (Continued)
PAGE
The Tragic Love of a Caliph (Short Story)
32
On Giving and Taking
G. K. GlBRAN
Ed-itorial Comment:—
The Syrian World, Inc.
39
Relative Obligations
40
The Mission of
THE SYRIAN WORLD
41
AMEEN RIHANI
Political Developments in Syria
49
Situation in Damascus Remains Unchanged
42
France, Italy and the Syrian Mandate
43
Moslems and Christians Quarrel in Palestine
44
About Syria and Syrians
47
�IN THIS ISSUE
fsJO judicial appraisal of pubciate his efforts in analyzing the
I
lie-spirited men among the distinctive characters of the
Syrians could fail to place the chosen men. It is evident that
Rev. W. A. Mansur among the he aims to inspire race pride and
foremost rank. The unstinted exhort to emulation. We are
patriotism, the tireless energy, glad to give publicity to his
the lofty ideals and unselfish findings both as recognition to
motives of this Syrian clergy- the men selected and as a tribman should endear him to all ute to the idealism of the writwho value noble public service. er, although the editor would
Although a pastor of an Amerhave much preferred not to be
ican congregation in Nebraska, included in the list, it being his
his heart is with his own people conviction that what he has done
and he strives to keep in con- is but little of what he would
stant touch with their various like to do, conditions favoring.
activities. His scholarly procThis article of the Rev. Manlivities and passion for research sur will be found most interprompt him not only to record, esting reading. It should not
but to weigh and properly eval- tail of achieving its purpose of
uate the spiritual qualities and arousing a fuller and keener
the moral and material accom- appreciation of our talents and
plishments of his countrymen. accomplishments.
Truly the Rev. Mansur has
been a discovery for the Syrians. Having been isolated ^HERE are any number of
from his people by reason of
legends and Syrian folk tales
his occupation and environment,
associated with Wadi'1-Karn.
we now see him a powerful
This mysterious valley was exmoral force that must eventuplored and described by the
ally be reckoned within the editor during his last trip
shaping of the Syrian destiny
through Syria. In this issue he
in America.
gives a description of its topoIn his article published in this graphy and records the reacissue, the Rev. Mansur gives an
tions of a traveler's passage
appraisal of six Syrian-Amer- through it. The present installcan leaders in different fields of
ment of the editor's travel arendeavor. Readers will appre- ticles also describes the ap-
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H
proach to the famous city of
Damascus in preparation for a
full and interesting account of
his visit which will appear in
a coming issue.
corded are not simply a concoction of the Oriental imagination.
RECENT political developments in Syria and Lebanon
JSJ^l Zaibaq, the superhuman are of unusual importance, and,
hero whose exploits rival in as usual, they are treated withrichness of mystery any record- out bias or prejudice. Especialed in the Arabian Nights, is ly is the situation in Palestine
dared to get the Magic Box aggravated by certain serious
from the Enchanted City. He differences that have risen beencounters traps and is con- tween the Moslem and Christfronted by an army. One of his ian Arabs. The cause of the
extremely perilous situations is nft and the resulting murders
when he discovers that a com- and disturbances are reported
pany of blacks had kidnapped in detail.
the king's daughter to whom
there was no equal in charm and ^E believe most of our readbeauty. How does he act under
ers will be interested in the
the circumstances? The reader announcement that THE SYRwould be well recompensed by IAN WORLD has been made a
perusing the present install- corporation. This statement is
ment of Quicksilver and shar- made on the strength of the fact
ing in its thrills.
that most of our readers have
been steady subscribers from
the inception of the publicaJN the September issue we pub- tion. As such they are in a posilished the first part of a short tion to realize and appreciate
story dealing with the love of our consistent efforts at mainthe caliph Yazid. The second taining it at the highest standpart is published in the present ard indicative of our culture and
issue and should prove most finest traditions. And because
enjoyable reading. We may of this appreciation on their
well repeat that the story is part we would invite them to
based on historical facts, and become active partners. The
the reader would do well to very attractive conditions of
keep in mind that the extraor- subscription to stock are given
dinary happenings therein re- in the announcement.
�.
TTTP
SYRIAN WORLD
VOL. V. No. 2.
OCTOBER, 1930
Great Syrian-Americans of our
Times
By
REV.
W. A.
MANSUR
JHE Jives of great Syrian-Americans of our times are now
_ exemplifying Syrian-American awakening, foreshadowing Syrian raceprogress, and founding Syrian race immortality. A great
people is but the lengthened shadow of the character, achievement, and influence of its great men. It is great men who make
a people great, who make visible their race character, and who
constitute the vanguard of the people's progress
Greatness consists in heroic devotion to a life that sacrifices,
a work that endures, and a purpose that ennobles. Great men
make ideals visible, concrete life, stimulate achievement, radiate
vision, and ennoble living. Great men scorn superficial fame,
disdain selfish ambition, and despise sordid gain. Despite human
frailties there is in great men that which is permanent, overriding
changes of time, overcoming carping criticism, and ever renewtself through enthusiasm aroused in others.
In great Syrian-American souls lie the Syrian race's enlightenment, leadership, and progress. Already the people feel the urge
or their power, recognize resemblances in them to their strivings
and approve within their souls their race leadership. Great Syrian-Americans, because of nobility of character, sincerity of heart
and purity of motive through heroic devotion to some high purpose, are now enriching the Syrian race, glorifying its achievements, and enshrining its name in splendid immortality
"The search after the great," said Emerson, "is the dream of
youth, and most serious occupation of manhood." The writer is
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�6
THE SYRIAN WORLD
hereby calling attention to some great Syrian-Americans of our
times who are bringing the Syrian race to the forefront among
the races in America, who are enshrining the Syrian race in honor
through splendid achievement, and who are leading the Syrian
race in enlightenment, progress, and glory. For the love of our
glorious race, praise of our famous heritage, honor of our splendid
leadership, and vision of our springing yuth, I pay loving tribute
to the following great Syrian-Americans of our times.
/. The Defender of the Syrian-American Race: N. A. Mokarzel.
Emerson said, "Every true man is a- cause, a country, and an
. age; requires infinite spaces and numbers and time fully to accomplish his thought;—and posterity seem to follow his steps as a
procession." Such a true man. is N. A. Mokarzel, for he is a cause,
a country, and an age in himself. His vision enlarges our vision,
his character supports our heritage, his leadership inspires leadership, and his achievements enrich our race.
N. A. Mokarzel's name is known wherever Syrians dwell as
a defender of the Syrian race, upholder of Syrian welfare, and
enhghtener of the Syrian people. Sentinel-like he stands on the
watch for the defense of our race. Hercules-like he stands prepared to uphold the rights of our kind. Beacon-like he stands
ready to enlighten our people.
All creeds, all sections, all parties have found in him a staunch
defender, preserver, and upholder of their rights, liberties, and
happiness. During the period of race immigration he gave the
vision to guide his people. During the era of race struggle he
defended our race against race prejudice, race defamation, and
race disparagement. During the rise of Syrian nationalism he
led with wisdom, sympathy, and courage the thought life of Syrian-Americans.
In America, shepherd-like, he has been leading his people in
culture, philanthropy, and progress. In Syria, statesman-like, he
has been standing for the rights and liberties of his native land.
In mankind, humanitarian-like, he has sought the welfare of the
Syrian race.
He has been educator of Syrian-Americans, promoter of philanthropies, exposer of hypocrisies, and builder of Syrian character, leadership, and welfare. He has smitten sinister forces, unmasked sham leadership, and uncovered selfish movements. He
has been the friend alike of the poor and the rich, the weak, the
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�OCTOBER, 1930
N. A. Mokarzel
strong, the ignorant and the wise, and always for truth iustice
liberty and welfare of Syrian-Americans
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acclaim'N AJMgtCnt P? ^^ exPerience> and posterity will
acclaim N. A. Mokarzel the Grand Old Man of the Syrian-Amer
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ican pioneer generation.
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' ^any^0^ °f ** ^"'^"can W- Antonius Bishal"All the past we leave behind,
We debouch upon a newer mightier world, varied world,
�s
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Antonius Bishallany
Fresh and strong the world we seize, world of labor and the
march,
Pioneers! O Pioneers!"
—Walt Whitman.
In Antonius Bishallany we have a first-fruit of the Syrian
renaissance, a first-token of Syrian progress, and a first-wave of
Syrian-American immigration. The age-long barriers to Syrian
progress began to crumble j autocratic domination, religious oppression, and economic exploitation. Yet within Syrian hearts were
aspirations for religious freedom, political liberty, and economic
prosperity. The first Syrian immigrant to America is a symbol
of the aggressive freedom, race vitality, and aspiration toward
progress of the Syrian race.
In this Syrian-American pioneer we have illustrated the primacy of the spiritual over the material interpretation of life. He
exemplified the basic philosophy of Syrian thought: the religious
character of life. Whether political, economic, moral, social, or
otherwise, to the Syrian mind, the spiritual interpretation of life
is fundamental to human welfare.
�OCTOBER, 1930
9
In this Syrian-American pioneer we have the symbol of the
most benevolent race expansion in history. Through other race
immigrations there may be military power, colonial expansion,
material exploitation, or the spread of some particular religion,
culture or civilization; in Syrian immigration we have the spread
of mutual welfare, race good-will, law-abiding citizenship, and
friendly commerce toward mutual material welfare, happiness,
and progress.
While Greece gave her culture, Rome her law, Syria is eternally giving the world the Syrian Gospel of the Fatherhood of
God, the brotherhood of man, and the kingdom of universal
peace. In the Syrian pioneer among the races, nations, and
tongues of earth Providence is founding a Syrian World Empire
based on the primacy of the spiritual life, the ethical evaluation
of man, and the universal diffusion of human welfare.
3. The Adventurer of the Syrian-American Spirit: Ameen Rihani.
George Adam Smith says in Syria and the Holy Land, "Hebrew and Greek writers acclaim the wealth of Phoenician industries and the size and the range of Phoenician ships. Long before
the Christian era these galleys had passed the Straits of Gibraltar
as far at least as the Canaries and Sicilies 5 and had sailed down
the Red Sea and along the east coast of Africa."
In Ameen Rihani the Phoenician adventuring spirit returns
to life, carrying civilizing influences to countries, nations, and
races of earth, and acting as sympathetic interpreter of various
cultures, peoples, and civilizations of mankind.
In him we have illustrated a trinity of Syrian traits: sympathetic understanding, mutual welfare, and cultural preservation.
His travels were for the benefit of civilization. He sought to
interpret sympathetically a people's history, talents, and culture.
He sought to preserve the treasures of a people's culture for the
enrichment of mankind. The benevolent purpose of his travels
will immortalize him in the histories of Arabia, Syria, and Syrian-Americans.
The Syrian-American race, through Ameen Rihani, contributes its share toward the civilization of mankind. His travels
into Arabia are among the most significant of the century. For
Arabia is the cradle of the Semitic race, and the birthplace of its
far-reaching influences on human progress. Thus the sympathetic understanding of its people, the just appreciation of its achieve-
�10
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Ameen Rihani
ments, and the friendly assistance of its people in their present
need, will mean much toward the future peace,
prospTritv and
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happiness of mankind.
' Prospenty, and
In this Syrian-American's understanding, appreciation and
promotion of Arabia's welfare is a symbol of heTrv ce the Syr
The earth! "^
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OCTOBER, 1930
11
G. K. Gibran
i. The Singer of the Syrian-American Soul: G. K. Gibran.
T. B. Macaulay says in his "Essay on Milton", "He who, in
an enlightened and literary society, aspires to be a great poet
must first become a little child." G. K. Gibran has the heart of
the child of the kingdom of God, full of faith in God, abounding in love for mankind, and rejoicing in song over goodness
beauty and truth.
In Gibran there is a radiancy of the Syrian soul, there is an
�I
12
THE SYRIAN WORLD
effulgence of the human spirit, there is an uplifting power of
enlightenment. He is a seer of the unseen, a herald of the truth,
and an interpreter of the vision.
G. K. Gibran is the singer of the Syrian-American soul
in the true poet there is the delicately tuned ear to hear the
primal song Deity has placed in the earth. There is the finely
tuned mind to catch the whisperings of the Creator in all creation I here is the harmoniously tuned eye to behold the beauty
the Great Artist has spread on the canvass of nature. There is
the virtuous y tuned heart to feel the profoundest emotions of
the human heart. For it takes divinity to understand divinity
true nature to appreciate nature, and harmony to catch the harmonious cadences of earth, sky, and sea.
_
Gibran is great because he is supremely human, vibrant with
imagination, and clear in seeing and singing of the invisible.
.What the eye is to the body, the window to the house, imagination is to the soul: it is the eye of the soul. In the true poet we
have ecstasy of feeling, superior range of imagery, and divine
gift of expression. The true poet, mystic-like, pierces the unseen
with dynamic spiritual insight; musician-like, catches the harmonious cadences of reality; and psalmist-like, breaks forth in songs
or praise, gladness, and worship.
In Gibran the Syrian-American soul rises to sing of the Great
Singer, the Great Poet, and the Great Artist. The Syrian soul
rises to exalt human feelings, human seeing, and human appreciation to the glory of the Creator and Father of mankind. Such a
singer must lie close to the heart of nature, have insight into
reality, have commerce with the unseen, and have confidence in
the victory of goodness, beauty, and truth.
5. 77;,? Scholar of the Syrian-American Mind: Philip K. Hitti.
In Philip K. Hitti is the rise of the Syrian mind toward the
highest pinnacle of world scholarship. In our new homeland he
represents the Syrian intellect's power to climb to the heights
By his achievement the way is pointed out to the younger generation to achieve the highest within their heritage. He personifies
to the world the potentialities of the Syrian mind, its intelligence
its character, and its reach.
'
H. G. Wells says in The Outline of History, "At Cordoba in
particular there were great numbers of Christian students, and
the influence of Arab philosophy coming by way of Spain upon
�OCTOBER, 1930
13
PMip K. Hitti
the universities of Paris, Oxford, and North Italy and upon Western European thought generally, was very considerable indeed."
J^nilip K. Hitti is already shedding light in the New World upon
the treasures of the East. He is arousing respect for the Syrian
race, its history, and its native Jand. He is interpreting the history place, and contributions of the Near East to the modern
world. In him is the founding of Syrian intellectual, cultural,
and civilizing influences in the university centers of the world
In this worthy scholar of the Syrian-American race we have
�14
THE SYRIAN WORLD
inspiration for ambitious Syrian-American youth. His writings
are now turning the tide toward appreciation of our race His
personality is winning a way for a larger place for our race among
the races in America.
In the persons of some characters we see a nation turn the
corner to better times, and of such persons is Philip K Hitti His
success marks a landmark of the Syrian mind, shows the trend
ot Syrian mentality, and points the way to greater Syrian achievement.
Some men's influences color the history of all succeeding ages
In the rise of this scholar of the Syrian-American mind we have
set in motion influences which forever color the history of the
Syrian-American race, the American nation, and the modern
world.
6. The Leader of-the Syrian-American Awakening: S. A. Mokarzel.
Rupert Brooke, the soldier-poet, said. "Now, thanks unto
God who hath matched us with this hour."
S. A. Mokarzel is a leader whom the Lord has matched with
this hour of our Syrian-American race awakening, with this era
of Syrian-American race Americanism, and this period of our
Syrian-American race solidarity for enlightenment, achievement,
and glory. Prophet-like, he discerned the awakening of the Syrian-American race to their race history, race talents, race legacies,
and race-glory. Seer-like, he saw the need of the Syrian-American
generation for race enlightenment, race solidarity, and race
Americanism. Genius-like, he has endeavored to enlighten the
Syrian-American mind, promote race solidarity, and spur the
Americanism of the Syrian-Americans.
In this great soul are envisioned the aspirations of our generation. In his noble efforts are foreshadowed the attempts of
our race. In his hopes are symbolized the ideals of our people
Some men are interpreters of their race to the races of mankind. They act as mediators between the races of earth. They
lift their race to fame, power, and prestige among the races of
humanity. In S. A. Mokarzel we have a leader whose sterling
leadership is given to arouse the American nation to the appreciation of the Syrian race and its contributions to human progress.
S. A. Mokarzel is a leader whom Providence has raised for
our times. He possesses the true qualities of leadership for the
Syrian-American race awakening: character, ability, vision, spirit-
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�OCTOBER, 1930
15
uality, personality, Americanism and will H. • K
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honor the great men, leaders cfta,actcr
characters f tt ^nan-AAmericans
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great men other
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i uili oad, raises the credit of all the citizens.
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�16
THE SYRIAN WORLD
On the Road to Damascus
A CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF THE EDITOR'S
TRIP ABROAD
By
A.
SALLOUM
MOKARZEL
XI
QF all the cities of the East, Damascus remains by far the most
tyically Eastern. The veil of romance which guards its charms
rnd mysteries has defied the efforts of time to remove. Its ancient
landmarks, its tortuous, narrow streets and covered bazaars, its
singular distinction of being the outpost of settled civilization,
the border line between the desert and the sown, all remain as
evident today as at any time during the hoary history of the city,
reputed to be the oldest in the world. It is a strange feeling one
experiences when approaching this most famous of Syrian cities.
The reverence and awe inspired by its religious and political associations strangely mingle with the buoyant feeling of delight
aroused by its rich heritage of legend and fable. And the actuality does not fall for short of the expectation. Whichever way
you turn, your enraptured eyes rest upon a scene as beautiful as
it is strange. Perhaps nowhere else in the world are such extreme
contrasts to be found in such close proximity. A camel strides
leisurely in the crowded street jingling his bells heedless of the
tooting of automobile horns. A shepherd drives his flock of goats
and fat-tailed sheep in congested streets and over trolley tracks
as if his was the right of way. Veiled women flit about like phantoms while others parade nonchalantly in ultra-European styles.
And at the same time and in the same air of incongruity you
will see men of the desert with their heavy ighals and long flowing robes, brushing elbows with others in cut-away coats and spats,
while soldiers in trim uniforms and shining muskets offer a
strange contrast to the desert horsemen in the immemorable accoutrement of their tribes with but the addition of a long-barreled rifle.
*
*
*
*
I shall not here dwell on the history of Damascus and its
kaleidoscopic career throughout the ages. I shall, rather, confine
I
�1—mi.i
OCTOBER, 1930
}?
myself to recording my personal impressions and experiences on
my mt to the great city which I had read so much about but
had never seen. As mentioned in a previous installment, conditions prevailing in the country up to the close of the 19th century, when I migrated to America, did not induce much traveling,
bad roads and brigandage being potent deterrents, as well as a
particular pass ,n the Anti-Lebanon reputed to be extremely dangerous, its very name striking terror in the hearts of travelers
lhis pass had always been known to be infested with brigands
and almost invariably desperadoes and outlaws sought the Safety
of its crags and winding passes when fleeing pursuers. Wadi'lKarn, or Valley of the Horn, was a name associated with the
most sinister traditions.
H°'A
£ Washed wish of visiting this pass was to be
gratified. We were ,n times of peace and security and all we
could draw upon for thrills of danger was our imagination. It was
my farm purpose to see the country entire, and where I entertained any preference was for those hitherto little frequented or
inaccessible spots over which legend had thrown a shroud of mys-
We crossed the Plain of Al-Beka< over a fine asphalt road
which continued for some considerable distance over the gently
r-jsing foothills of the Anti-Lebanon range. The scenery aW
he valley was more pleasing than we had anticipated, judging
by the barren view of the mountain as a whole, because of the
care given to forestation.
Crossing a hill about midway in the mountain we came upon
a narrow gorge marking the beginning of Wadi'1-Karn To all
appearances there was nothing formidable or awesome about the
place; no precipitous or high towering cliffs that could not be
scaled, no extraordinary rock formations or caverns suitable for
hiding or holding siege On the contrary, the wadi looked tame
with its low flanking hills of almost even height. The early mental picture I had formed of it was rudely shattered
But we had not progressed far before I began to reform my
first opinion as I gradually discovered why the wadi cast such a
sinister spell over travelers, especially those acquainted with its
pas history. The farther.we went the stronger, the ominous
feeling grew, so that it was with a welcome sense of relief that
one emerged into the relatively hospitable valley of Maissaloon.
What gives to Wadi'1-Karn its sinister spell, ks forebodings
of lurking danger, is not its impressiveness as a valley as much
�—I
18
THE SYRIAN WORLD
T
thebaTl °L i°TtB71 %T m tke Valley °f Mtssdoon, where
the battle that deaded the, fate of Syria was fought between the
byrtans and the French in 1920
as its peculiar topographical formation. It is a sort of canvon
running through hills of uniform height and forming ,arZ
and restricted honzon. It is desolate and bleak and, what is more
its ^Jigging course never permits of a perspective of more than
re
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extremely
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and sharp
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that the nlH
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folk
song so-
Littk SUr rise theref
P 'the woman
^>
highly praised
wW husband proved so brave as to "journey to Damascus
Debouching from Wadi'1-Karn at Maissaloon one comes in
touch with the first signs of civilization. An old inn by the side
or a rill has been turned into a gasolene station. Here also the
eye is regaled by the sight of vegetation, and flocks of goats doing
to it their proverbial damage, leaving only the old and lofty} trees
uninjured.
To the east of this spot rises a hill which commands the little
valley and on which could still be discerned traces of the fortifications which the Syrian army, composed mostly of raw recruits,
hastily threw up in its valiant but vain effort to check the advance
ot the French army under general Gouraud in 1920. That battle
�D
OCTOBER, 1930
19
The cemetery of the French soldiers who fell in the battle of
Maissaloon, at but a short distance from the tomb of the Syrian
Minister of War.
decided the fate of Syria and paved the way for the French occupation of the interior. Its anniversary, falling on July 24, is commemorated with elaborate ceremonies every year, delegations
coming from all sections of the country to take part. On the day
of our visit, August 10, some of the wreaths placed on the tomb
of Joseph Bey Azme, the Syrian War Minister who preferred
death to retreat, were still in evidence. The tomb was wrought
in white marble but stood in an open field, in sharp contrast to
the finely kept and walled-in cemetery of the French dead.
We gained the summit of the hill over a sharp-winding road
which gave access to a vast deploying plateau as level as it was
bare. The straight road reaching the farther hills to the east
stretched like a narrow ribbon. To the south rose towering Mt.
Hermon whose sombre grey monotony was relieved only in spots
by lingering snow patches. What wonders of transformation
could be wrought in this beautifully located spot among the mountains by the magic touch of water! But nature seems to have
reserved its bounties for a spot further east, and a little lower
in elevation.
We had to make a few detours in crossing the plain where repairs were being made to the road. But the hard and even surface of the ground made travel possible in any direction without
�':#.*
PANORAMIC VIEW OF DAMASCUS
3
Co
3
The famous capital of Syria with its flat-roofed houses and towering minarets,"appearing
like a sparklmg gem of multicolored hues set in a vast emerald field." '
ft 5 ||
P
3
fir Gf cr
o a
O
ST ET
a,
P
P
c«
OfQ
C O 3 K* El
3 3 fD ^ 3"
2 5-^3
22
O
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b
�MM
OCTOBER, 1930
21
much discomfort, The opposite hills were reached in less than
half an hour.
The most widely quoted reference to the beauty of Damascus and its famous Ghouta is the story related of the Prophet
Mohammad that when, during one of his commercial journeys, he
emerged from the sandy wastes of the desert and beheld the
dazzling green of the Damascus orchards, he exclaimed, "This
is a terrestial paradise. I will not enter it for fear of jeopardizing
my chances of entry into the Paradise of the hereafter." The
Prophet's exclamation of surprise and admiration may well be,
in modified form, that of all travelers approaching Damascus, whether from the east or the west. Except that from
the west the first effect of exotic delight at the music of murmuring streams and the beauty of rich verdure and the welcome coolness of the embalmed air is intensified by progressive stages a«
one descends the gentle slopes to gain the plain. Here the more
one advances the wider the fields of green expand in testimony
to the magic effect of the branching waters. One no longer remembers the scorching heat of the desert sun, nor the desolate
expanse of sandy wastes. The eye that hungered for a touch of
green is here treated to it in unexpected measure, and the feeling
of ecstasy becomes supreme. The sharp contrast attending the
sudden transition from one extreme to the other is, perhaps, what
accentuates this feeling of relief. The effect is such as to create
a most happy predisposition to enjoy the many other beauties of
the city and its setting.
The road runs along the banks of River Barada amidst enchanting scenery. The gently sloping terrain offers an ever
changing vista of charm and beauty. Alternating cascades and
pools afford endless temptations for the pleasure-loving Damascenes. The single railroad track on the opposite bank is cause for
but little disturbance in the quiet of the pleasant surroundings,
trains being run hardly more than twice a day. This neighborhood of the head-waters of Barada, bearing such musical names
as Dummar and Hamat, has long been the inspiration of poets
and the theme for many a popular song.
Emerging from these sylvan retreats and scenes of delightful rusticity, the traveler comes to a point affording a dazzling
panoramic view of the city spreading in the plain. It appears not
unlike a sparkling gem of multicolored hues set in a vast emerald
field. The domes and minarets of its many mosques, the huge
�f0t
!
22
THE SYRIAN WORLD
A typical scene in one of the old quarters of Damascus, where a
shepherd claims the right of way for his flock over trolley tracks.
glass-covered roofs of its bazaars looming like great hangars,
the drab of its closely huddled buildings frequently relieved by
rich touches of green in streets or courtyards, all combine to lend
it an aspect of a dream city, especially to one just emerging from
the waste and desolation of the desert.
Now the city is not entered through a gate as of old. The
approach is over a broad boulevard that still bears the marks of
an early stage of development, having progressed only to the
point of being lined with ultra-modern looking cafes all along
the water course. The only imposing building before entering
the confines of the city proper is the old Turkish barracks now
transformed into a university.
Soon after we were at the entrance of the principal hotel and
being received by a porter in native dress, not altogether sightly,
and in bare feet and slippers. This was not calculated to impart
a favorable first impression, but the place proved to be good in
all other respects. After lunch and a short rest we started on
what proved to be some of the most interesting experiences of
our travels through Syria.
.,...
.,-.- ..
awwMMfe*ri.^
�OCTOBER, 1930
Damascus
(The Pearl of the East)
By
THOMAS ASA
The Prophet's earthly paradise thou art,
Eternal mound in countless ages lain;
And though another has usurped thy part,
Ten thousand years shall over thee in vain.
And in the midday sun thy minarets,
Resplendent with their alabaster gleam,
Tow'ring rise, which no mortal eye forgets,
The earthly vision of some poet's dream.
And to the Desert sight thy sheltered bow'rs
Give strength to wearied limbs of pilgrimage;
Thou should'st have been the mart of sacred pow'rs,
O'er which three shrines in futile efforts wage.
And with the advent of the evening hour,
As fades the purpling sun into the West,
The faithful Muezzin cries from his tow'r,
And calls to pray'r who seek the Prophet's rest.
And when the welcome canopy of Night
Embraces thee within its dark'ning shades,
The moon and stars, with their celestial light,
Illume with Love thy gardens, streams, and glades.
'Tis then I think what once wise Omar thought:
Drink deep of wisdom, beauty, happiness;
Conform thy Life to what the Earth has wrought,
Ere Death shall close thee to the Sun's caress.
mmnmHHmSmi-.
�24
THE SYRIAN WORLD
The Syrian World a Corporation
An Investment Productive of Moral Benefit and
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JN all the history of Syrian immigration to the United States no
pubhc project has yet been undertaken that combines the two
TuzZf "w ] ^^i and finandal Profit as the PublicationTf
L
SUCh THE SYRIAN W RLD is
SiL thfH
°- u*
°
« ^der-
V S thC Sen US consi
nir^H Q
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deration of every publicspirited Syrian, Lebanese, or any of the other immigrant ele-
thC
ArabiC tOI
e
"ns
de^ ^
^^
^now
- The
-eh
consideration
are many
and varied, and
that~£
the publication
h" tZZToT"
"^ ^^ fr°m
COm m n ownershi
AmeriT^ f 1
r °
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th£
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HISTORY OF THE PUBLICATION
is the realization of an ideal. It was
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CW
PP mSS am n th£
del
in
Zt^
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different'commu'nt
ties, in America and abroad, with whom they had natural bonds
of racial interests. Another and equally important obje is "or
the Syrians m America to provide a medium for the proper interpreta ion of Synan culture and the representation of the Syrians
in heir true standing as a component element in the American
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striven to attain throughout its career. Its efforts have been such
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I he Syrians have found in the publication a dignified organ fittingly representing them in their finest cultural traditions, and the
Americans have welcomed it as a source of information urgently
needed on Syria and the Syrians. The four years of THE SYRIAN
W0RLD'S publlc tl
h
d to estaW4 .t ^ JVRIAN
I
n the esteem of the thinking element in our community. The
test or its usefulness and necessity is in the answer to the ques-
�OCTOBER, 1930
25
toon: Has THE SYRIAN WORLD been of benefit to the Syrians,
and can we afford to dispense with it?" A thinking Syrian, man
or woman has yet to be found who would not consider the suspension of THE SYRIAN WORLD, or a publication of its character,
an irreparable national loss. As a racial element in America we
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HOW TO PROMOTE AND PERPETUATE THE
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tor putting into effect the plans for expansion, and lends to it
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That the stock may be distributed as broadly as possible the
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For illustration: If a subscriber should purchase eight shares
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�26
THE SYRIAN WORLD
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All net earnings of the corporation over and above the diviSt Ck arC
able
t
tnTrT
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° holders
^of
cretion
of the Board
Directors to the
the«^excommon
St ck wil1 be held
untif
^V^
"* °fthe
° successful operation
* < of*
until aa^ven'sum^
given sum is received
insuring
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PROSPECTS HOLD GREAT PROMISE
m Jh7dditi°nai CaPltal ra'Sed ^ the sa]e of st°ck will be used
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Syrians in America, but also increase its popular appeal and sub
stantially enlarge its circulation with a consequent increase in
revenue. This in turn would further add to the effectiveness of
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The immediate field for the increase of circulation is extensive. Being the only organ for the Syrians published in English
every English-reading Syrian in America or abroad is a potential
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born. Conceding that only 10% of this number can be ultimately
induced to subscribe, the publication would not only be carrying
out its educational mission effectively, but would also prove a
financial success.
*"
The capital sought by the sale of stock is to form the necessary
organization that would seek the means of reaching the vast number of prospective subscribers among the Syrian communities scattered throughout the United States.
Besides, the circulation of THE SYRIAN WORLD need not be
restricted to Syrians. Every Syrian proud of his name would be
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immediately open an unlimited field for
In view of the above stated facts, investment in
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2riSJ e0rp0ratl°!: Su°Ulrd haVC the Str°nSest aPPeal *> publicspirited Syrians, whether from consideration of profitable investment or the promotion of a work that exerts the strongest influence on our standing in America as a race
^
m
�OCTOBER, 1930
27
ALI ZAIBAQ
(Quicksilver)
THE UNPARALLELED ADVENTURES OF THE
CHIEF OF POLICE OF THE CALIPH HAROUN
AL-RASHID, OF THE CITY OF BAGDAD.
Translated from the original Arabic by
A. MOKARZEL and THADDEUS S. DAYTON
SALLOUM
CHAPTER
II.
THE ENCHANTED CITY
"Q my son," said Quicksilver's mother, "the Enchanted City is
at a distance of forty days' journey from Cairo. No mortal
man has yet visited it and returned alive. Know also that the
Magic Box of the All-Seeing Eye, is constructed of precious
stones: emerald, diamond, ruby, and turquoise. It was fashioned
by a certain Greek Sorcerer who was accustomed, by sitting within
it, to view therefrom all parts of the world and all their treasures,
simply by turning about.
"After finishing this work he performed an act of geomancy,
and it was disclosed to him that after his death this box would fall
into the hands of a certain stranger from Egypt. Therefore, he
selected an island far from the Enchanted City, and there he
built a great dome beneath which he deposited this enchanted
box which was the fruit of his life's toil. Then, as a further precaution, he enchanted the island and caused two opposing scimitars to play up and down forever before the entrance so that no
one might pass. Also he built a great statue of brass which he
placed at the entrance of the Enchanted City as a guardian against
anyone who might come with designs against this product of his
witchery. Now the function of this statue of brass is to utter a
thunderous cry whenever a stranger from Egypt approaches the
gates of the city, thereby informing the inhabitants of his presence. Thereupon they will rush forth to slay him."
"^?^Tr.i-<
�po
THE SYRIAN WORLD
lifeT0W^mZJ°n,"l.-0,IltinUed Fatimah> "y°u are risking your
Me ,n undertakingthis
hazardous task, but if you persist in it I
e y U
rCP
Zt nCe t0 tHe Shrine f
and
r
°
° ^Pt's Patron saint,
asl f° 1°
and ask for his intercession with God so that he will help you to
P Y
execute successfully this undertaking."
Accordingly Quicksilver went that night and lay down in the
shnne and whi e he was in peaceful slumber therecame to hfm
uTAnd a heavenly voice called to him and said-
two ruhi?,UlCkl
.1 5ef°re Ly°U depart CUt out a branch about
that
temn e nVnarry ^
K y U^n Mm
^0WS before this
]t Wlth
y Ur ***
Urne
You
13 K
/
° °
°
J°
y-
U find that
it w 11 be of great service to you in executing your mission »
Upon arising next morning Quicksilver cut off a branch of
he palm tree as he had been directed, and went forth as if
transported on the wings of a great hope
e
Ud
7 f r S£Veral dayS thr0U h a vast de
His^
nnr
f
^
T
° exhausted and he gwas on the point
^t.
u
His supply of water became
of perishing from thirst. While he was meditating upon* ni
3 f^T? the distance a palm tree toward which he
directed his steps. Beneath it he found a well of pure and delicious water, but to his great surprise could discover no bucket
or rope by which it could be reached. Therefore he unwound hi
urban and took his belt from his waist and tying both together
iuench HftTirs^ "* ** T " *" "" "** «* ft ~*
While he was so engaged he saw reflected in the water at the
bottom of the well the faces of two men secreted amid the
branches of the palm tree that overshadowed it. He instantly suspected that these men were lying in wait for him
After satisfying his thirst he took from his bag some antidote for benj which he secretly placed in his nostrils. Then he
lighted a phosphoric stick and by that means burned a quantity of
that powerful drug benj, so that the smoke rose in a dense cloud
CS
hidden
°f
th£
^
WhCre the tWO men were
After waiting until the benj should take effect, Quicksilver
nsThn 1 /^e a « f°Und tHf tW° men ly'mZ amon& the inches
as though dead He pitilessly cast them to the earth and then
descended, and bound them hand and foot. This done, he administered the antidote for the drug whereupon they sneezed and
recovered their senses. Finding themselves helpless, they beg&
ged for mercy and said:
*
^.-,;W««*
�OCTOBER, 1930
2p
"Quicksilver, hasten not to visit punishment upon us, for we
are only emissaries of Salah-Eddin who has sent us to intercept
Y
Tw t*TY and preVent yoUr return to Cair°; bu< the mantle
or Allah s .Protection seems to cover you."
Thereupon Quicksilver tightened their bonds and left them
alone and helpless by the well in the desert while he proceeded
on his way He continued his journey until he approached the
Enchanted City. It was then in the dusk of the evening, and
considering that this was not an opportune moment to enter the
city he sat down, saying to himself:
"I will repair to the mountains nearby and remain there until
morning; then I will go into the city, for it is now dark and undoubtedly danger lurks in the way."
At that moment Quicksilver heard a great tumult and cries
rising in the distance in the direction of the city; so he left the
path and made for a cave that was not far distant. There he remained until night had fallen and everything was dark Then
his restless spirit urged him forth towards the Enchanted City
but on his way he perceived a light burning dimly in a cave near
the road and he turned aside to discover the reason for a light in
that desert place. As he drew near and reached the mouth of the
cavern he saw a company of blacks surrounding a beautiful damsel of fair complexion, whose face resembled the moon at its full
She was lamenting, beating her breast and shedding tears like
pearls and when Quicksilver perceived her he was greatly
amazed, and said to himself:
"No doubt this beautiful maiden is of noble birth and has
been kidnaped from the house of her father and brought to this
secluded place by these black slaves who undoubtedly intend evil
against her. I must save her' from their hands and return her
safely to her home."
Thereupon he took from his traveling bag a phosphoric stick
which he covered with benj and when it was aflame threw it into
the cave.
After waiting a little while, he entered and found all the
blacks lying on the ground as though dead. He proceeded directly
to where,the maiden was-and administered to her an antidote
which revived her-and she opened her eyes in wonderment saying"Where am I ?. . For the sake of Allah!"
To which Quicksilver responded:' "6 beautiful damsel, I
pray you tell me how you came to be in the hands of these
blacks."
�30
THE SYRIAN WORLD
On hearing these words the white maiden answered:
"Know, O young man, that I am the daughter of the King
of the Enchanted City, who is the ruler of all this land.
"Now there was in our city a most precious treasure—the
work of a great sorcerer. This magician discovered that this
treasure would one day be taken by force by some stranger from
the land of Egypt. Therefore he hid it away on an island distant from our city, and he cast a spell of magic over that island
also. Then he caused to be made a great statue of brass which he
placed at the entrance of the Enchanted City so that if a stranger
from Egypt should approach it would raise a great outcry at
which the people would rush forth to defend themselves against
the invader.
"It was not until this very day that this statue, which had
been silent for ages, raised its voice, and thereupon the inhabitants of the Enchanted City, remembering the ancient tradition,
rushed forth, led by my father the King, and all the occupants
of the palace.
"There was no one left in the palace but myself. While I
was thus alone these blacks made their appearance. They bound
me and carried me to this isolated spot, saying to me:
" 'We have waited long for this favorable occasion. You, and
you alone are what we are seeking.' "
"No sooner had I heard these words," continued the Princess,
"than I despaired of my fate. There seemed no hope of deliverance from the hands of these savages. O bravest of the brave,
accept my sincere, undying gratitude, for rescuing me. When
my father learns of this he will enrich you with money and
jewels and high honors in recompense for your noble act."
But instead of accepting these golden prospects Quicksilver's thoughts centered themselves on the strange coincidence
which had brought about his encounter with the daughter of the
very king whose country he was seeking to enter.
Straightway Quicksilver and the Princess turned their steps
in the direction of the Enchanted City.
Now it happened that this Princess was the most beautiful
woman of the age. The fame of her loveliness, wisdom and accomplishments had traveled far and wide and was the subject of
conversation in the courts of kings. She was sought in marriage
by the greatest men of the time, but her father loved her so much
that he would never consent to be separated from her.
�OCTOBER, 1930
J;
Now it also happened that the news of her great and surpassng beauty had reached the ears of the King of the Blacfaand
the Soudanese the ruler of a great empire, and his heart and
mind were filled with the thoughts of the loveliness of the Princess of the Enchanted City. So he sent an embassy to ask the
Princess s hand in marriage, but the King, her father, refused.
This enraged the King of the Blacks, and he called for the
most noted of his champions and the most cunning of his spies
and related to them everything from beginning to end. He commanded them to disguise themselves and to go to the Enchanted
Uty and there to contrive some stratagem for obtaining possession of the daughter of the White King and bringing her to him.
It they were successful he promised them whatsoever they might
It was not long thereafter before this company of spies and
warriors set out on their journey, in the guise of merchants. They
reached the Enchanted City and entered it, finding lodgment in
some of the khans and awaiting an opportune moment for the
accomplishment of their master's desires.
"This unexpectedly came about in the manner which I shall
relate to you," said the tale-teller, "at the end of our next day's
march, should Allah vouchsafe us his protection from the genii
that are abroad by day and night upon this great desert."
(To be continued)
Hunger
By
MISCHA NAIMY
Into my heart a seed was cast
And it took root and sprouted fast.
It spread so far and reached so high,
Until it filled the earth and sky.
And now its boughs are weighted low
With fairer fruit than angels know;
Yet I whose heart sap feeds the root,
Though famished, dare not taste the fruit.
�i !
32
THE SYRIAN WORLD
The Tragic Love of a Caliph
A SHORT STORY
Adapted from the Arabic
(Continued from the September issue)
For a time Saada permitted Yazid to relax while surrounding
him with the most ingenious display of the tenderest solicitude.
She was preparing him for the climax which she had most cunningly planned. At times she would appear in the role of critic
and admonisher and at others she would assume the role of loving comforter. Under her subtle influence it was not long before
\ azid lost what little he had of will power and became a ready
tool in her hand.
Having worked Yazid to such a submissive and receptive
mood, Saada was now ready to spring on him her great surprise.
She had laid her plans most skillfully and was now about to proceed with their execution.
"What can now trouble the mind of my lord and master?"
she began by way of preparation. "Has my beloved Yazid not
accomplished his most sanguine ambition? Is he not now the
successor of the Prophet and the Prince of All the Faithful?
What more exalted situation can a mortal desire? Oh! that it
were in my power to read my master's thoughts that I might devote every moment of my life towards their fulfillment!"
"Beloved Saada," wearily replied Yazid, "I have truly come
to the fulfillment of my ambitions, but the caliphate to me is
worth but little in comparison to your sweet company."
Yazid was making an attempt to be chivalrous. He' loved
Saada of a sort, and this she realized only full well. She filled
a place in his official life, but not the place that the genuine love
of a woman fills in a man's heart.
"But why the apparent despondency of my beloved lord and
master," Saada continued. "Here you have attended today the
official function at which the homage of the world is laid at your
feet. And if this were not to gratify your desires, behold me
now at your side ready and willing to lay down my very life for
the consummation of your utmost personal happiness. But will
not my master confide implicitly in me? What desire is there
mmnnHmMmni
I,
�OCTOBER, 1930
<
33
weighing on his heart that I could relieve? My lord thirsts for
a drink, does he not?" and before he could answer she clapped
for her slaves, who came in bringing wine, and fruit, and all
manner of the most delectable relishes. Yazid drank and ate, but
all the wine that Saada forced on him could not shake him out
of his melancholy mood. Saada, however, was not alarmed, not
even depressed. Rather, she was wont to smile in satisfaction
at the auspicious working of her plans.
Now Saada was ready to shoot the last arrow out of her
• quiver of artifices. She drew near to Yazid and caressed him
softly.
"I^know that my lord is concealing something from his loyal
slave," she said, "something that even the most coveted power
in Islam could not make him forget. There surely is some personal concern weighing over your heart. You must tell me, Yazid, for Allah is all compassionate and merciful, and his ways
of rewarding his faithful servants are mysterious and strange,
and perhaps he has chosen me as the vehicle for rewarding you
and bringing joy to your heart. Now you must admit, Yazid,
that your happiness is not complete. All the pomp of the caliphate
was insufficient to fill the void that you feel in your bosom. Tell
me, Yazid, do you not still lack something?"
She looked into his eyes as if to read the innermost reactions
of his soul, but he still clung to his secret, simply replying- "No
sweet Saada, I lack nothing."
"Yes you do,'" she insisted in an assertive tone, "and while
I might have detected the truth, I wanted vou to voluntarily impart it to me. You still feel the lack of something, or someone,
a beloved person, a comforter. Do you not, of a truth?"
Now that Saada had progressed in the disclosure of her
knowledge of his mind from the "something" to the "someone,"
Yazid realized that she knew more than she had already divulged. For was it not the absence of this "someone" that made him
lose all the joy and satisfaction of succeeding to the caliphate?
Was it not originally his ambition to seek the caliphate with all
the power attending upon it, only to be in a position to regain
possession of the greater prize which he had lost when he was
forced to sell the incomparable slave-girl Hubaba? Now he had
gained the lesser prize but was still lacking the greater and more
precious one. The memory of Hubaba was forever the spectre
that stalked his path and haunted his every move, and now that
Saada had so subtly hinted at his continued loss, his grief and
�34
THE SYRIAN WORLD
anguish were mercilessly crushing him. Nor did he entertain the
hope of ever finding her. He had already made secret inquiries
and was told that she was sold first to a master in Iraq, and then
to another in far-off Marrakesh; whence she seemed to have completely vanished and all traces of her lost. Oh! that he could
confide his woe to a sympathetic soul that the burden of his misery might partly be lightened by being borne with another! Why
should Saada now open his wounds and remind him of the emptiness of wordly pomp and power when the man in him nursed a
dead heart consumed to ashes by a desperate and departed loveI azid was so enfolded in his despondent thoughts that he became
oblivious of the presence of Saada. The only world to him was
the enchanted world which Hubaba alone could create by her
presence. He could not help but heave a sigh. Oh, that she were
only there to complete his happiness!
At the thought of Hubaba a faint smile played over Yazid's
countenance and Saada was not slow to understand. She had been
actually thinking with him and divining his every notion. She
followed the success which she had already gained.
"My master has not yet answered my question," she breathed
softly to interrupt his reverie. "My master would do well to
open his soul to me."
"Saada," almost cried Yazid in an attitude of surrender "I
do lack something, and that very badly. Lack it to the point of
placing not the least value upon my whole realm in comparison
to it And that something is not a thing, it is a person. Forgive
me for baring my heart to you, but my heart is at the breaking
po:nt from anguish. If the truth will not hurt you, I will tell "
But Saada showed by her every action that she was fully sympathetic and understanding. She was the one urging him to con"My lord should realize my sincere solicitude for his happiness. Nothing that will effect his pleasure can hurt me" she
sweetly whispered.
'
"Then I shall tell you," said Yazid. "I shall not be fully
happy until I recover possession of Hubaba."
At this Yazid almost broke down, but the all-thoughtful and
comforting Saada was quick to the rescue. He startled when she
asked him.
'|And would you recognize her if you were to sec her now?"
"Is she here?" adced Yazid, in a tone of both supplication
and surprise. "I beg of thee, Saada, beloved, hold me not in
�OCTOBER, 1930
35
cruel suspense any longer."
For answer Saada made a hurried exit from the chamber and
returned leading Hubaba by the hand. The slave-girl, fresh
from the bath and resplendent in costly dress and sparkling
jewels, was more beautiful than ever. Yazid, in the exuberance
of his joy, cast aside all reserve in his welcome of her. For once
he felt his pleasure complete and forthwith proceeded to add to
it some more for good measure. The whole royal household
were summoned to the grand hall of festivities to celebrate the
return of Hubaba. And the caliph's hilarity could not fail of being contagious. Singers, musicians, jesters and dancers gave of
their best, and there was no restriction on the consumption of
wine.
Fate was kind to Yazid for some time. For over two months
his only concern was to indulge in the orgies of pleasure which
the return of Hubaba inspired. By her song Hubaba could make
him weep with contrition, or dance of sheer delight. He was
wont at times to fill a special basin in one of the inner courts with
wine and plunge into it fully dressed. On other occasions he
would carry a cushion on his head and parade about the room,
crying, "Fish! fresh fish! Who will buy fish of the fisherman!"
in imitation of the hawkers of the street. The playful spirit of
Yazid could not be suppressed.
Now the people of Damascus began to grumble at the caliph's
continued neglect of the affairs of state and some of his advisers
made bold to bring the matter to his attention.
"Your predecessor, Omar, was a man of noted piety and
justice," they pleaded, "and your continued inattention to the
affairs of state is bound to cause discontent, which might lead to
more serious consequences. Appear then to the people this coming Friday and lead them in prayer, as behooves the successor of
the Prophet and the Prince of the Faithful."
Yazid was impressed with the cogency of the argument and
promised to repent. For two days thereafter he sat in judgment
and devoted his entire time and attention to public matters, not
even once visiting the harem quarters. Hubaba became alarmed.
Friday marked the third day of Yazid's repentence, and, true
to his word, he was proceeding to the great mosque to lead the
faithful in prayers. But Hubaba had planned otherwise, and her
influence on Yazid was never known to fail. She bribed one of
his personal attendants to hide her in a convenient place along the
corridor where Yazid was to pass on his way to the mosque, and
�36
THE SYRIAN WORLD
when he drew near she pleaded with him to resume his former
attentions to her. And Yazid could not resist. He forthwith ordered his chief of guards to lead in prayer in his stead while he
straightway followed Hubaba into their regular haunts of pleasure.
The relapse of Yazid into his former irresponsible state was
cause for great concern "to his advisers, and the very vizier who
had caused the temporary repentence again came to press the argument. Yazid proved attentive but not amenable. He would
give his consent only conditionally and proposed a bargain.
"Under pretense of being blind," he suggested, "you will
accompany me into the harem to listen to Hubaba's singing and
attend other forms of entertainment. If, after personal observation, you insist on my giving up my pleasures I shall repent irrevocably."
Saying which, Yazid led the vizier by the hand into the precincts of the harem. Immediately the slave-girls gathered about
the stranger and threatened to beat him, some even throwing
their slippers at him. They were appeased only by the intercession of Yazid and hisassurance that the man was blind. For otherwise no stranger could lay eyes on the harem of the caliph and
be suffered to live. Yazid then commanded Hubaba to sing and
the other slave-girls and entertainers to indulge freely.
"What is your verdict now?" whispered the caliph into the
ear of the vizier.
. "Truly this is not of the earth," stammered the transported
vizier. "This is of the ecstasy of Al-Jannat. By Allah, keep it up.
H ou are absolved of any blame."
And^ Yazid did keep it up, pursuing his pleasures with a vengeance, if such were possible. The affairs of state were carried
on by the very strong impetus which characterized the early rise
of Islam. Debauchery was in the palace but not in the victorious
armies fighting under the banners of the Arabian Prophet.
One day Yazid was so transported with joy that he said to
Hubaba:
"Beloved, I will fly without wings if you so command me."
But his beloved was considerate. She could not permit his embarking on such a hazardous feat!
"I know that your joy is of such buoyancy that you can fly
without wings," she remonstrated. "But who is there to guide
the destinies of the empire after you? There is but one Yazid."
"I will proclaim you my successor and appoint Abdullah
�OCTOBER, 1930
climax "
hC COntiniled hy W
37
^
()f aln
T'»g the pleasantry to a
"I dismiss the regent," she hastened to say in a show of authonty.
/P^u Y°u dismif the man J aPPoillt-?" he retorted in anger,
and forthwith retired to his own apartment
Yazid, however, could not bear Hubaba's absence for more
than a day, although he could not with dignity take the initiative
towards a reconciliation. He called to him Hubaba's favorite
<3hat may y0Ur mistress be doing now?" he inquired
She is occupied in play, O Prince of the Faithful," the servant replied.
"Go and engage her in a game of chess," commanded the
caliph, and at a given time pick up the pawns and run hither in
my direction."
The servant did as ordered, and when Hubaba was chasing
the offending servant she ran into Yazid's arms!
Yasid resolved there should be no further scenes to mar the
even flow of his happiness. He would plan his days in a manner
that each would surpass the other in the perfect consummation of
pJeasure. He would disprove the common contention that happiness could never be complete to any man for a full daV He
would have of that not only one day but many days. Accordingly
} azid proceeded to carry out his plans. He ordered barred all
intruders whatever the nature of their business and retired with
Hubaba to a rose bower in a secluded corner of the royal gardens
Slaves came in long trains carrying wine and fruits and viands and
all other forms of appetizing delicacies. Hubaba sang and plaved
and sported with the caliph in her happiest mood of buoyant
hilarity And 1 azid went into ecstasies of delight. So far his
com lete
false!
P
- The common adage was branded as
Yazid's high spirits made him extremely playful Not a
device of merriment could he think of than should be tried Hubaba s resourcefulness was responsible for many ingenious games.
While in this mood Yazid began pelting Hubaba with luscious
pomegranate seeds which she roguishly caught in her mouth The
play proceeded merrily until a seed became wedged in Hubaba's
throat. She coughed and writhed in a desperate effort to dislodge
*" j £ ,TS fra,ntlC and called for assistance like one become
mad. Hubaba could not be saved and she soon ceased her strug-
�38
THE SYRIAN WORLD
gle and dropped her head like a withered rose. Fate was mightier than the caliph! She was also cruel in her revenge!
For days Yazid would not permit the burial of Hubaba's body.
He could not bring himself to realize that she was dead. He
abstained from all food and drink until he became a mere shadow.
His great grief was pitiful to behold and whatever he had left
of strength cracked under its weight. It was suspected that he
was intent upon hastening his end so as the sooner to join his beloved in Al-Jannat. He followed her into the beyond forty days
after her tragic end.
Yazid was the only caliph of Islam known to have died a
martyr to love.
On his death bed he was heard to whisper: "Fool is he who
would stay the hand of Fate. Complete happiness can never be
the lot of mortal for a whole day, not even for a part thereof.
The hand of Allah is above all others!"
Saada's grief over the death of Yazid was sincere, but between her tears a faint smile would play over her countenance
when she thought of her nursling son and the future of Islam.
On Giving and Taking
By G. K. GlBRAN
You owe more than gold to him who serves you. Give him
of your heart or serve him.
I would walk with all those who walk. I would not stand
still and watch the procession passing by.
How mean am I when life gives me gold and I give you
silver, and yet I deem myself generous.
How heedless you are when you would have me fly with
your wings and you cannot even give me a feather.
They spread before us their richest of gold and silver, of
ivory and ebony, and we spread before them our hearts and our
spirits:
And yet they deem themselves the hosts and us the guests.
�OCTOBER, 1930
39
EDITORIAL COMMENT
THE SYRIAN WORLD, Inc.
yHE announcement of the
incorporation of THE SYRIAN
WORLD, published elsewhere in
this issue, is self-explanatory.
The purpose, aside from raising
funds for improvement and expansion, is to pass the publication into actual public ownership in substantiation of the
claim that it is a public Syrian
institution. The result will be
a gradual building up of an
organization that will be trained
to carry on the work and make
it an enduring monument to the
Syrians of America.
In furtherance of this plan,
the incorporators have decided
to issue the preferred stock at
a moderate par value so as to
insure for it the widest possible
distribution. It is felt that there
should be stockholders in THE
SYRIAN
WORLD
corporation
wherever there are Syrians, because, aside from its investment
value, ownership of stock is
proof positive of racial pride
and civic interest.
Purchase of stock in THE
SYRIAN
WORLD
corporation
should also prove of strong appeal to patriotic societies whose
avowed purpose is the promotion of Syrian public welfare.
It can readily be realized that
while their sphere of activities
might of necessity be restricted
to their local communities, they
can through their sponsoring
of THE SYRIAN WORLD, extend
their interest to the national
held and thereby render a
double service.
THE SYRIAN WORLD has been
carried on for over four years
as an individual enterprise,
and although its resources have
been limited, it has succeeded
in proving that its scope of public service is beyond limit. It
has furthermore established itself as an indispensable institution which we should be impelled by a consciousness of
racial pride not only to support
and continue but also to increase its facilities as an instrument of public service to our
Syrian-American generation as
well as an indispensable national organ and a disseminator of
our culture and a champion of
our racial interests in the language of the land.
We earnestly ask organizations and individuals to give
serious thought to the proposition of investing in THE SYRIAN
WORLD corporation on the consideration that it is an investment in the most vital public
enterprise
yet
undertaken
among the Syrians in America.
�MM
'
(!
40
It is high time we develop a
sense of cooperation and a proper appreciation of the benefits
of collective action in matters
of public interest.
RELATIVE OBLIGATIONS
J"HE two leading Syrian papers of "America, Al-Hoda
and Meraat-Ul-Gharb, have
taken up seriously of late the
discussion of the relations of
the Syrians in America to their
motherland. Both seem to be of
accord that the duty of the Syrians in America is towards their
own immediate interests first.
Such a statement, on the face
of it, would appear superfluous
*n view of the self-evident
truth that no other course
would be logical. But the fact
remains that there is abundant
reason for thinking otherwise,
giving rise to the timely complaint of the two papers.
The Syrians of America,
judging by the comment of the
Syrian-American publications,
are being unduly exploited for
all manner of schemes and
propositions and enterprises in
the mother country that have no
direct bearing on their immediate interest or welfare. This
evil, according to the argument
advanced, could be mittgated if
the Syrians of America would
show as much interest in vital
public matters that immediately
concern them as they do in remote and somewhat irrelevant
THE SYRIAN WORLD
schemes foisted on them from
abroad. But the fact of the situation is they do not, hence the
aggravation.
Although no specific instances
are cited, which fact may be attributed to a magnanimous impulse, enough is said in general
terms to give a clear idea of the
object in view. The prevailing
note is an expression of indignation and surprise that foreign
enterprises attract much more
support than do those of home.
A newspaper publisher of no
standing comes to America and
collects in subscriptions in the
course of a few months more
than a publisher of a home
newspaper could hope to accumulate in years, if he is at all
successful in reaching the figures of the foreigner. This circumstance seems to be particularly aggravating to our SyrianAmerican publishers because of
their feeling that America is
their own particular field, and
whatever income is to be derived from it should go by right
to them. For, they argue, are
they not fighting the battles of
the Syrians in America and catering to their immediate
needs? Why then should someone from abroad compete with
them in their own field and
carry away what should be law*
fully theirs?
Furthermore,
Arabic-Language newspapers in general
are complaining of decreased
�OCTOBER, 1930
41
demands from ab ad, I^d
^—- P^^ing in the
tion. Schools, hospital, dvk
improvements church L~!_
repairs
and various public and private
chanties have taken a toll of
the Syrian-Americans' funds
seemingly at the expense of
their own public enterprises,
and aJJ for no reason other than
the Syrians' tharitable disposifirm
in/) sentimental
„
a.!
.1 w^T
.*
tion and
^ £TS
°f the *«bic
d
• «
»tmct commun ty
,„ Amenca our paramount interest should be in our own
vital public matters. We owe it
to ourselves and to posterity to
develop a civic spirit alive to
our public requirements. From
purely humanitarian and sential considerations we may
mental
considerations we may
is
^tsna&sr to sr^V «*
for thingsTK^kS688 rftam
T int£reSt in the affair"
Ur h metown or
It may be recalled tti th i
K ° 1 °
homeland,
S
n
C ndition that
subject w^onL treated in THI
V^ ° ^ °
SYRIAN WORLD by A Halim
T "*"?* d°CS n0t adversely
writing under the ruti^The f
°\
^ public welSage of Washington Strelt'' QZ ? ^"S" °U1" dUty t0
firSt In
Such a discussion wa bound io th
I ^f
find ourselve
find its way finallvTnto n„Kl
'
s in hearty
agreement with
print in the A abic Dress I
the stand taken
i 7fe Mission^fThFs^i^W^
5
rpuu
.
y AMEEN RIHANI
c
THE new Syrian generation can not read Arabic, and its
moth" Tnded^1°»1-lud- little or nothing about th
motner land. Here then ,s the mission of THE SYRIAN
WORLD. Its editor was the first to realize the necessity of
ana understand, the knowledge that is lacking in their edu
that 8 es hm more
-E££ZlSr
l makes them
tit-co,^
k , / that
ana sell respect, the knowledge
better citi e"
zens productive and creative in every walk of fife£
knowledge,, in a word, that will save them as Syrians' and
ennoble them the more as Americans. THE SVRLTK WOR D
IS indispensable to the new Syrian generation
D
�42
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Political Developments in Syria
SITUATION IN DAMASCUS
REMAINS UNCHANGED
These must be exceedingly trying
times for the Syrian Nationalists
who are eager to find a solution of
their present political difficulties and
find
their way
blocked
by
the vacillating policy of the French
High Commissioner and the equally
changing attitude of the French Foreign Office. The latest solution proposed by M. Ponsot proved utterly
unacceptable, and although the
League of Nations upheld the French
in their execution of the mandate,
High Commissioner Ponsot is said
to be tarrying in Paris for the purpose of devising another scheme designed to placate the Nationalists by
providing an acceptable settlement
of the country's difficulties. As usual,
however, the nature of this new solution remains a sealed secret and
only when the taciturn Ponsot
choses his time and place to divulge
it will it become known.
The latest reports from Beirut
would set the date of M. Ponsot's
return to Syria about October first.
He is said to have attended the
meeting of the Mandates Commission of the League of Nations at
Geneva where he defended his policy
in dividing the country into several
administrative units and then returned to Paris to take up with the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs the
question of devising a new plan for
the mandated territory. Some Syrian
papers guardedly publish the rumor
that such an arrangement has been
reached and that already orders have
been issued to officials in Syria to
prepare the necessary machinery for
putting the new plan in operation.
The rumor went so far as to infer
that immediately upon the return of
the High Commissioner popular
elections will be held on an acceptable basis yet to be defined.
What would seem to bear out this
contention is that President Tajeddin
of Syria undertook a tour of the
principal populous centers of the
country proceeding as far north as
Aleppo. The Nationalists attempted
to place every impediment in his way
and it is claimed that the apathy
with which he was met was counteracted only by the appearance of paid
demonstrators. Some opposition papers even made so bold as to accuse
Tajeddin and his administration of
using treasury funds for hiring the
men who staged the pseudo public .
demonstration.
Further accusations represent the
Tajeddin government as resorting to
unfair and unconstitutional means to
suppress the lawful activities of his
opponents. Al-Ahrar, a liberal paper
of Beirut whose editor is Minister
of Public Instruction in the Lebanese
government, was proscribed from
entry to Damascus by President
Tajeddin, and when the French authorities set aside this decree Sheikh
Tajeddin confiscated issues of the
paper offered for sale.
The Nationalists, on the other
hand, seem to be still marking time.
Their principal grievance would seem
to be directed against the continuation in power of the government of
Sheikh Tajeddin, which fact, they
claim, bars all possibility of understanding with the French. The Nationalists are also said to be planning a general convention to define
�OCTOBER, 1930
their stand and prepare for whatever action might be necessitated
upon the return of the High Commissioner.
FRANCE, ITALY AND
THE SYRIAN MANDATE
43
England which has had its hands
full in carrying out its own mandates
and seeks to divert public attention
at home from its own failure by
creating complications for others.
Otherwise^ argues the French paper,
how are we to account for the publication of the latest rumors concerning France's intention to relinquish its Syrian mandate simultaneously in London and in Beirut? Besides the publisher of Al-Nada, the
Syrian paper which first gave publicity to the rumors, is a Druze, a
people whom the English have befriended and protected to counterbalance the influence of the French
with the Maronites. But, concludes
the French paper, this latest manoeuvre has failed to bring to England
the relief it expected in easing its
own critical position in its mandated
territories.
Although repeated denials have
been issued by all parties concerned,
the rumors bearing on Italy's intrigues to secure the mandate over
Syria and Lebanon through the support of the Maronites still persist.
The indirect denial by the Maronite
Patriarch issued through the Catholic paper Al-Bachir was followed by
a signed statement of the Patriarch
categorically branding all rumors of
political designs of some European
powers through him or any of his
bishops as false. As a further gestEconomic conditions in Lebanon
ure of amity and understanding between the Patriarch and the Papal remain acute. The shortage of crops
Nuncio in Lebanon, the latter made resulting from the locust invasion
an extended visit to North Lebanon and the general depression in the
and spent several days as a guest of prices of all native products, printhe Patriarch. Some papers would cipally silk, together with the deattribute the origin of these rumors pendence of the country on importato the reckless enterprise of a new- tions^ have all combined to aggracomer in the newspaper field who vate the situation. Added to this is
sought this sensational means of the poorness of the summer season
launching on his career as a means which this year attracted only about
six thousand to the country. It is the
of attracting attention.
In spite of these denials, the in- opinion of many observers, openly
cident seems to have been taken expressed, that had it not been for
seriously by a number of French pa- emigrant remittances Lebanon would
pers who would accuse Mussolini of be reduced to a condition bordering
sustained political ambitions
in
on famine.
Syria. Nor do they absolve England
of blame in secretly fomenting
An extra session of the Repretrouble in the country to harass the sentative Assembly has been called
French. Le Journal of Paris, comfor September 15, and already it is
menting on the situation, asserts
that France is determined not to rumored preparations are under way
relinquish its Syrian mandate, and to bring about the downfall of the
that the recurring rumors to the cabinet. How else could politicians
contrary are chiefly the work of give vent to their pent-up energies?
�44
MOSLEMS AND CHRISTIANS
QUARREL IN PALESTINE
Press dispatches from Palestine
have stressed lately certain differences arising between Christians and
Moslems which led to murders and
reprisals. While these incidents
tending to disrupt the unity of the
Palestine Arabs may be considered
important as news material, there
are graver happenings now taking
place in the country on which dispatches maintain a mysterious silence. Some reporters or news agencies must have a nose for news only
in certain directions.
What may be rightly termed the
most important recent development
in Palestine is the effort of the British police to evict the Arab tenants
of Wadi El Hawareth from their
homes and lands. The case of these
lands has been hanging for several
years but has now come to a head
through the determination of the
government to use forcible methods
of eviction. Early in September an
armed force sent to this valley had
an encounter with the settlers and
is said to have used force without
sufficient provocation. The principal
cause of complaint is that the British police wounded several Arab
women so severely as to necessitate
hospital treatment, and in arresting
them manhandled and manacled them.
The Arab press was indignant at
what it termed undue cruelty on the
part of the police in their treatment of the Arab women defending
their hearths and an Arab paper
was suppressed for its criticism. This
case 'has in it all the tragic elements
of the land problem in Palestine,
where the tenant farmers find themselves subject to eviction through the
purchase by Jewish interests of their
land from absentee landlords, while
they, the tenants, apparently have
THE SYRIAN WORLD
no recourse to redress. The Shaw
Commisson of Inquiry realized the
importance of the Wadi El Hawareth situation and reviewed it fully
in its report. We copy from the
English edition of Falastin (Jaffa)
the text of the Commission's report
on this case in view of its intrinsic
importance and its possible bearing
on future events. It follows:
"The second case to which we will
refer is the recent purchase of the
land known as Wadi el-Hawareth.
We do so because the sale of this
land was made the subject of many
protests addressed to us during our
stay in Palestine and because this
transaction serves to illustrate the
extremely difficult position in which
the Government of Palestine are
liable to be placed. The lands in question which belonged to Arabs were
mortgaged in 1882 to a French subject. Between 1882 and 1923 there
were two transfers of the mortgage
without the consent of the mortgager. After legislation in the course of
which the validity of the mortgage
was disputed judgment was given in
favor of the heirs of the mortgager
and an order for sale was duly made.
"The area offered for sale was
30,826 dunoms and the Jewish National Fund purchased the property
for £41,000. The land was registered
in its name on the 27th of May,
1929. The persons occupying the
lands which have been sold number
about 1,200 and own between two
and three thousand head of stock,
about a third of the land is used for
grazing purposes; among the crops
grown on the remaining areas are
melons and the tithes paid in the
"Among the persons now occupying the land are actual cultivators
who received in August, 1928, notice
to quit expiring on the last October,
year 1928 indicate that the crop was
worth at least £7,000.
�OCTOBER, 1930
1929. On the 30th of November, 1929,
an order of eviction was made
against a large proportion of the occupiers. At the time when we left
Palestine, we understood that the
police had not executed the order of
eviction and that the reason for
their failure to do so was that they
did not know of any locality to
which they could move the present
occupants and their flocks. We were
informed that this action on the
part of the police might at any time
result in proceedings for contempt
at the instance of the purchasers
who are not disposed to abandon any
of the right which they possessed
under the orders of the Courts or to
postpone the enforcement of those
rights. The purchasers have, however, offered to put approximately
5,000 dunoms of land in the Beisan
area at the condition that they are
paid one fifth of the produce of that
land. We were informed that this
land is irrigable but the present occupants of the Wadi Hawareth land
know nothing of irrigation and that
furthermore the Beisan lands contain
no grazing area. When we left Palestine no State or other land had
been discovered to which the persons
to be evicted could be transferred.
^ "It is noteworthy that both the
Sursock land and the Wadi-elHawareth lands were the property
of absentee landlords and in their
absence were being cultivated by
persons who paid as rent a percentage of the produce yielded by their
holdings. The sale of lands over the
heads of occupant tenants and the
consequent dispossession of those
tenants with or without compensation is not peculiar to Palestine but
the position there is complicated by
two factors which can seldom obtain
elsewhere. In the first place the dispossessed tenant in Palestine is unlikely to be able to find alternative
land to Which he can remove. Secondly, in some cases, the cultivators
who were or may be dispossessed
have a strong moral claim to be allowed to continue in occupation of
their present holding. Under the
Turkish regime, especially in the
latter half of the eighteenth century,
persons of the peasant classes in
some parts of the Ottoman Empire,
including the territory now known
as Palestine found that by admitting
the over-lordship of the Sultan or of
some member of the Turkish aristocracy, they could obtain protection
against extortion and other material
benefits which counter-balanced the
tribute demanded by their over-lord
as a return for his protection. Accordingly many peasant cultivators
at that time either willingly entered
into an arrangement of this character or finding that it was imposed
upon them, submitted to it. By these
means persons of importance and
position in the Ottoman Empire acquired the legal title to large tracts
of land which for generations and in
some cases for centuries had been in
the undisturbed and undisputed occupation of peasants who, though by
the new arrangement they surrendered their prescriptive rights over
the land which they had cultivated
had undoubtedly a strong moral
claim to be allowed to continue in
occupation of those lands."
In commenting on this report, Falastin lays stress on the findings of
the Commission that the occupant
tenants have a strong moral claim in
view of the peculiar conditions obtaining in Palestine which can be
found nowhere else and therefore
constitute a unique problem. It justifies the resistance of the Arabs on
these grounds. The paper further
sees in the incident a cause for increased estrangement between Arabs
and Jews. The action of the police it
�46
THE SYRIAN WORLD
brands as "very untactful and most ORIGIN OF RELIGIOUS
STRIFE IN PALESTINE
brutal... The feelings of the Arab
world (in the matter) are best left
The incident leading to the presunwritten. The incident will not ent condition of religious strife bemake them any kinder to the Jews tween Christians and Moslems in
Palestine had its origin in a controor grateful to the British."
Another cause of apprehension in versy over the ownership of a cemethe Palestine situation is the tension tery in Haifa.
Al-Bachir, the Jesuit organ of
created between Christians and Moslems as a result of the murder of a Beirut, reports that during the war
Christian editor in Haifa over the a cemetery belonging to the Greek
ownership of a cemetery. A Moslem Catholics was used by the Moslems
in Jaffa is said to have been mur- as a burial ground. Because of this
dered in reprisal, giving rise to fear fact the custodian of the Moslem
that the movement will spread to religious foundations sought to apother sections of the country. Joseph propriate the cemetery and exclude
M. Ley special correspondent of the Christians from any right to it.
the New York Times in Jerusalem, The difference was finally settled by
reports that the Grand Mufti, relig- the agreement of both factions to
ious head of the Moslems, has de- use it jointly.
Within the cemetery enclosure
cided to go in person to Haifa "to
meet some Christian religious digni- there had been at one time a group
taries with the purpose of attempt- of huts in which lived some Christing to find a way of opposing Mgr. ians of the poorer class. These huts
Hajjar, Catholic Bishop of Haifa, were burned not long ago by willful
who insists on going on with the persons whose identity remained untrial against Rashid Haj Ibrahim, known. The Greek Catholic bishop,
the Grand Mufti's representative in Mgr. Gregory Hajjar*, having decided
Haifa, who is sti'l incarcerated in to rebuild the huts sent a gang of
the Acre Fortress prison on a charge workmen to undertake the work and
of murdering the Christian Arab placed in charge one of his trustees,
newspaper editor" who is of Mgr. Jamil Bahry, editor of the Arabic
publication Az-Zuhoor. No sooner
Hajjar's denomination.
The Times' correspondent further the workmen started work than they
reports that the Christian Arab pa- were set upon by a group of Moslems
per Falastin charges the Zionists of who attacked with knives, sticks
"paying large sums of money to and stones. In the fighting three
both Christians and Moslems for the Christians were wounded, including
express purpose of bringing about the editor whose wounds proved
enmity and quarrels between them." fatal.
The incident being the outcome of
The same correspondent also rereligious
differences, the feeling of
ports that a large number of Chvistthe
Christians
became extremely
ian Arabs, who since the British occupation of Palestine have taken to tense and the murdered editor was
wearing hats, are now again donning given a public funeral in which all
the fez for self-protection and in or- traditions among the Christians
der to escape the notice of Moslem were broken, being attended not only
fanatics. Many Christians in Jaffa by the representatives of the Cathohave also applied to the government lic churches but also by those of the
Orthodox and the Protestants.
for permits to carry firearms.
�OCTOBER, 1930 .
47
About Syria and Syrian:
SYRAMAR GOLF CLUB
HOLDS TOURNAMENT
other golf veteran and close friend of
the champion. Mr. Ferris has to win
the championship laurels still anothThe Syramar Golf Club of New er time to gain permanent possesYork held its fourth annual tourna- sion of the coveted. Syramar trophy
ment at the Wolf Ho'low Golf course
consisting of a solid silver platter.
at Delaware Water Gap on Saturday . The CIub> however,
was not sparand Sunday, September 6 and 7
ing m its distribution of prizes. Both
Members and their friends turned
the champion and the runner-up reout in large numbers, and the en- ceived valuable mementoes, as well
thusiasm for the game was as pro- as the winners of the qualifying
nounced as the delight of the large
matches. The Club's policy is to fos
gathering over the opportunitv ter love of this healthy and digniwhich brought so many friends to- hed game among the Syrians and
gether under ideal conditions. From
its efforts are meeting with gratifyevery point of view the tournament
ing results. Already the sport is findproved a complete success.
ing increasing favor among our
Saturday and Sunday morning people as proven by the steadily
were devoted to qualifying matches growmg membership of the club.
and the championship contest was
As an integral part of the tournaPlayed between George A. Ferris and ment a brilliant social function was
George Aboarab. It was a hard- held at the club following the Sunfought game which was decided only day game. President Henry Haddad
at the 20th hole. After having taken proved himself a resourceful and enthe lead early in the game Mr Fer- tertaining chairman. Mr. George A
ns found himse'f in the uncomfort- Ferris dean of Syrian lawyers in
able station of two down and two New York and one of the founders
to go on the 17th tee. But his cham- of the organization, was assigned
pionship mettle began to te'l and by the duty of distributing the prizes
winning the two remaining holes he following the unbroken tradition
succeeded in squaring the match. ot the club ever since its foundation.
The 19th was halved with fives and Salloum A. Mokarzel, editor of the
only on the 20th was the issue deSyrian World and the only honorary
cided when Mr. Ferris emerged vic- member of Syramar, was also a
tor by 4 to 5.
speaker.
'The Syramar Golf Club is one of
One of the surprising features of
the contest was the form disriaypd the few Syrian organizations in
by Mr. Aboarab, a youth who has which the growth of enthusiasm
taken up golf only within the last seems to keep pace with the advance
two years, but has devoted much in years. Its membership is increasing steadily and every year witnesses
time to practice.
improvement in its tournaments and
Mr. FernVs victory marks his
attending
functions.
The name
third of the Syramar annual chamstands
for
Syrian-American
and thpionship contests, the fourth having
fallen to the lot of Mr. Mallouf, an- abbreviation and contraption are
designed for euphony.
�SYRAMAR GOLF CLUB OF NEW YORK
Co
R
o
p
_
,—..
�OCTOBER, 1930
49
Henry Haddad (left) presenting Syramar championship trophy to Geo
A. Ferris (center). George Aboara b, the runner-up (right) looks on
cheerfully.
ARAB INFLUENCE IN
ARGENTINE POLITICS
Aside from the general interest
they should have in the Argentine
revolt as a major world event, the
Syrians should have an especial interest in the historical background
of Argentine politics culminating in
the late developments because of
their immediate associations with
Arab influence. The revelations of
the true causes leading to the deposition of President Irigoyen are
of a startling nature, especially
when viewed in the light of the long
struggle going on for decades among
the different classes of the population. The causes for this long-drawn
struggle are laid at the door of certain inherited traits and customs of
one section of the population which
was invaluable at one time for the
protection of the country but has
now apparently outlived its usefulness.
Had a Syrian or Arab writer laid
claim at any time to the Arabs
exercising such great influence in the
political and social order of a new
and progressive country in the New
World such as the Argentine Republic, his claim would have been branded as preposterous. Immediately the
accusation would be made that we
would want to claim everything for
the Arabs, the Phoenicians, and other
Eastern peoples. Present tendencies
are to break away as much as possible from old influences and above
all, to claim all credit of human
progress for the so-called Nordic influence instead of the Eastern.
Especially is this true in the case of
America where the cosmopolitan nature of the population brings the
controversy over the relative racial
virtues to an acute point.
�mm
50
In the present case the Arabs are
net advancing any claim for influence. They are accused of having it.
Press dispatches from the capital of
Argentina early last month gave
lengthy descriptions of conditions
leading to the revolt, ascribed to
Arab influence. That this influence
did not prevail till the end is not
the question as much as its having
existed and lasted for so long a time
i:i the history of Argentina, and havi: g been so strong as to be the cause
for the safety of the country while
it lasted.
A staff correspondent of the New
lork Times writing from Buenos
Aires under date of September 7
fives the following account of the
causes leading to the downfall of
1 resident Irigoyen:
'The downfall of Dr. Irigoyen
d-finitely marks a new era in Argentine his.ory in an even more romantic sense, for it means the passirg frcm history of the o d caudil os
(petty chieftains), who were a prodvet of gaucho civilization o.i the
pEmpas. Argentina owes its very existence to these gauchos who were
v .1 j nomad horsemen, whose fathers
Landed down to them the Moorish
blcod they brought from Spain in the
d:ys of the conquest and whose
mo hers were South American Indians.
"The gauchos retained many characteristics of their Arabian ancestors who had overrun Spain and lh:y
formed a barrier between the tiny
outposts of civilization and the wild
Indians of Pampas, who until the
late 80s resisted Argentina's efforts
to establish herself as a nation. The
gauchos were arrogant individualists, receiving and asking no 'help
from the town authorities.
"The gaucho who was the best
horseman, the quickest with his knife
and the most arrogant in his dea!-
THE SYRIAN WORLD
ings with his fellow-men became recognized as a caudillo (petty chieftain), under whose leadership the
gauchos formed when danger threatened them. These caudillos led the
numerous civil wars which for so
many years retarded Argentine
rrogress until another gaucho caudil o, Juan Manuel de Rosas set
himse f up as dictator and ruthlessly
wiped out all other caudillos who opposed him, thus paving the way for
organized government in Argentina.
"Dr. Irigoyen is the last of the
caudillos. Although he is a town
man rather than a gaucho, he is one
of the most characteristic caudillos
in Argentina's history. His leadership has always been arrogant and
personal. The Radical party has never had a platform. It was organized
around Dr. Irigoyen as its personal
leader and his word was the party's
law."
SYRIAN HISTORIAN
OF SOUTHERN LEADERS
A young Syrian who is attracting
much attention in the South as a historian and scholar is Mr. John E.
Hobeika of Dillon S. C. His efforts
are appreciated not alone because he
was born a foreigner, but because
they show genuine merits which
have elicited the highest praise from
noted Southern scholars. "His tribute to the Confederate Soldier," according to an editorial in the Charlotte Observer, "was regarded as
worthy of being printed in pamph'et form and is given introduction
by Dr. Oliver Orr who feels that
God has called forth this student,
writer, historian and Christian gentleman." The paper itself adds its
tribute by terming the work of Mr.
Hobeika 'one of the finest pieces of
literature ever contributed to the
�OCTOBER, 1930
.
51
history of the South."
ed with the Egyptian National AnWe gather from the wealth of them, followed by selections from
material about this young Syrian Puccini given by Miss Margaret
historian published in many South- Romaine of the Metropolitan Opera
ern papers that he has had a re- Company. Prince Muhiuddin played
markable scholastic career. Having the 'cello, and Miss Ruth St. Denis
come to the United States with his gave an exhibition of the Directoire
parents at the age of 10 in 1912 and Waltz assisted by Mr. Ted Shawn.
settled in Dillon, S. C. he entered the Mr. Rafa"elo Diaz, also of the Metropublic schools and joined the class of politan Company, gave several
Miss Laura Heath whose love of the selections. The reception was brought
days and the "gentlemen of the old to a close with the playing of the
school" was contagious to young American and Egyptian National
Hobeika and prompted him to spec- Anthems.
ialize in the study of Southern hisThe exceptional quality of the protory. He developed a great admira- gramme as well as the distinguished
tion for General Lee and has visited attendance, over two hundred guests
every place in the country connected drawn from the exclusive circles of
with the Confederate commander. the city, lent the occasion an air of
He has collected a library of Gen. dignity and refinement.
Lee which is said to be unequalled
in America, and he has drawn on
this wealth of material, some of
which has hitherto been little known, MOSLEMS IN AMERICA
to write a biography of the General
ISSUE A PUBLICATION
Which will be published by a New
York firm this fall. He also has under preparation biographies of many Also Establish a Mosque and a Misother Southern leaders.
sionary Center in Chicago.
RECEPTION IN HONOR
OF KING OF EGYPT
His Excellency Anis A. Raphael,
Royal consul of Egypt in New York,
gave a reception at the Hotel Ambassador on October 9th in honor of
the anniversary of the accession of
His Majesty King Fuad I of Egypt.
The reception hall was elaborately
decorated for the occasion, and a
portrait of the King surmounted by
a multicolored electric crown was
displayed between the American and
Egyptian flags. The staff of the
Egyptian Consulate all donning the
tarboush, assisted at receiving the
guests.
The musical programme was open-
....
- ...
The disciples of Islam are aggressively conducting missionary efforts
in America, but with what success
it is not yet possible to tell. The
Moslem Sunrise, a 24-page quarterly
in English published in Chicago and
edited by Sufi M. R. Bengalee gives
an account of the various missionary
activities conducted by the Moslems
in the city and vicinity. The missionaries belong to the Ahmadiyya
sect founded by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of India who died in
1908. He is styled by his disciples
the "Promised Messiah and Mahdi
and the expected Messenger of all
nations."
These Moslem missionary activities are commented upon by many
Chicago newspapers, the Daily News
�—fc
52
publishing the following interesting
account:
"The first mosque devoted to the
religion of Islam opened its services
in the Auditorium Building on Wabash Avenue. * * * Dr. Bengalee is
the Chicago missionary preacher of
what is declared to be a new form
of the Islamic faith, which goes
back to the original form of the
religion as preached by the Prophet
Muhammad. Among the interesting
theories set up by Dr. Bengalee is
that Christ did not die on the cross,
but lived to a venerable age in northern India and the Ahmadiyya movement, as its missionary terms it,
holds that Christ is another of the
great prophets, but not divine."
Another Chicago paper quotes the
leader of this new Moslem movement
as "stressing particularly the nonviolent feature of the Islamic faith,
contrasting it with our Western
Christianity which, though essentially non-violent employs force in
its nationalism."
The Moslem Sunrise is sold for
25c a copy, but the publisher makes
an ardent appeal for "generous contributions.... that the light and
lustre of Islam may be shed through
this magazine throughout the length
and breadth of this country particularly and all over the world."
SYRIAN AVIATRIX MAY
VISIT NEW YORK
Al-Hoda of New York, reports on
the authority of Mr. Ed. Jallad,
President of the newly formed PanArabian Pictures, Ltd., now visiting
in the city that Mrs. Afifa Maloof of
Zahle, a resident of Rodondo, Cali
fornia, has won her pilot's licens;
and may soon attempt a non-sto{
transcontinental flight to New York
She has ordered a new plane for the
purpose.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
MODERN AGRICULTURE
INVADES NEAR EAST
Sons of Wealthy Landowners Learn
to Operate Farm Machinery.
Efficiency and culture are coming
to count for more than birth among
the wealthy noble families of the interior of Western Asia where feudalism has existed for many centuries,
according to President Bayard Dodge
of the American University of Beirut.
In the sixty-fourth annual report
for this American University in
Syria, President Dodge states that
"heretofore the sons of great landlords have inherited power and, regardless of education, they have exploited their peasants by forceful
measures.
"Today the new governments are
taxing landed proprietors so heavily,
that they cannot maintain their positions, unless they have had the advantages of modern education. Efficiency and culture are coming to
count for more than birth.
"Accordingly, many noble families are sending their sons to the
University and there is a rare opportunity to train the young aristocrats to appreciate democratic adjustments.
"Instead of idling away his time
and exploiting his many villages one
graduate is studying agriculture and
striving to improve the conditions of
his peasantry. Another spent a whole
summer in overalls learning to manage farm machinery so as to be able
to build up his family estates.
"University men who honor work
and feel a responsibility for their
tenants, form a great contrast to the
untrained sons of a decadent aristocracy who are losing ground before the advance of a, new order of
things.
�OCTOBER, 1930
oun
53
n who iack mod
idZ
tr
*
ideas seek low paid positions in government offices and business houses
and lack initiative to make any conland
t0 thC deVel
°Pment of their
"Many graduates of the American
University are building Up depart
sirs se]iT A «~-
. ooiies and Popularizing wMt(lm
novations. Several have fould for
eisn markets so as to reviwaffa
"The University is endeavoring to
teach men how to undertake new en- ulnf e/roTing-Last *«" two g a
rad
ter-prises and to apply scientific
n
t0
ev°era i former
/o 2" students
^startpH
^
processes to industrial work. One an u several
graduate has mastered the fruit pre- selhng automobile insurance int^
One alumnus has developed a flour
serving business in Dublin and is
ȣ* m4ustry tor the sale and eXstarting a new industry 0f his own.
Several young men have been
specializing in chemistry so as to be
--er resort oAheLal^:
able to aid their fathers with soap
manufacture and leather tanning
Students are choosing maior
Numerous graduates have studied courses which will fit them for partT
engineering and are successful in
construction work.
tion of their communities. Among
"Before the Armistice business
the junior and senior classes leTave
decided to major in biology and aZ
a ried
a Very
way
T he merchant
°l " used to *«
way. The
sit in»1
a
culture, 12 in chemistryfe in econo
shop which was small because he "»cs 44 are taking advanced work
kept most of his goods in a nearby m Commerce and 24 mechanics and
and
engineering."
warehouse. He bargained over prices
S rt
f
Way
se
d
off*tT
^ ° ° customers,
' kept
coffee
to prominent
the simplest sort of books and male
no effort to advertise. Corporals
were unknown and successful partnerships comparatively rare. Technical experts usually came from
FREE ENGLISH CLASSES
AT BROOKLYN Y. W. C. A.
abroad and progressive methods o"
commerce and industry were seldom
street, offers an opportunity to girls
and
Wom
f gyrian ^l ^ &*
The International Institute of the
entage to learn English, to meet
"Today a change is taking place
others of their own nationality and
Shops are becoming modernized
with show windows and well arrangubs
^ " SOdal Hfe' -eluding
dubs
parties
and other recreation
ed counters. Advertising is popular
The English classes will meet
and good book-keepers are in de"
every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:30
mand. Local capital is being invested
P. M. There will a]So be Wednesday
to form new banks, cloth mills cement factories, mechanical flour comern00;>,ClaSS f°r th°Se Wh0 c«
come m the evening. It will meet at
mills, soap works, potteries tourist two o'clock.
companies and agencies of other
The homelike rooms of the Instisorts. There is a definite attempt to tute
are aiwavs avai,able for go
pool native resources so as to compete with Western industry along gatherings of every sort. Call Miss
Bah,a Hajjar, Main 4163, for further
modern lines.
information.
�BRM
54
LEBANESE DECORATIONS
CONFERRED ON EMIGRANTS
Controversy Over Award Arises
Before Official Notification.
Lebanese papers of Beirut made an
advance announcement of the intention of the Lebanese government to
confer decorations of merit on prominent Lebanese emigrants abroad on
the occasion of Lebanon's Independence Day which falls on Saptember
1. President Charles Dabbas is said
to have offered the suggestion and
instructed the Premier to prepare a
list of prominent Lebanese abroad
who deserve to be so honored. Press
reports indicate that the list will be
very broad, comprising scores of
Lebanese all over the world in all
walks of life.
The tentative list, according to the
Beirut papers, includes Mr. N. A.
Mokarzel, editor of Al-Hoda, and
Elia D. Mady editor of As-Sameer,
both of New York. The award to Mr.
Mady, however, was made on the
ground that he was the editor-inchief of Meraat-Ul-Gharb of New
York and son-in-law of its publisher,
Mr. N. M. Diab.
In its characteristically fearless
manner, Al-Hoda was the first to
take up the discussion of the propriety of the awards. Mr. Mokarzel
reminded the Syrian-American public of his consistent policy of refusing all decorations and other honors
from foreign governments, a policy
he announced when he refused the
decoration of the French Legion
d'honneur several years ago. His
criticism of the Lebanese government, therefore, should not be misconstrued as prompted by any personal motives because of his disap-
THE SYRIAN WORLD
proval of conferring the honor on
other individuals.
Taking up the choice of Mr. Mady,
the editor of Al-Hoda points out
that he (Mady) was never loyal to
the cause of Lebanon, but rather
gave aid and comfort to its enemies
and sided with them in all political
controversies arising on Lebanese
questions. Under the circumstances
Al Hoda questioned the wisdom and
tact of the Lebanese government in
making promiscuous awards of its
decorations, granting that early reports on the subject were true.
Meraat-Ul-Gharb was not slow in
engaging in the controversy in defense of its own prestige, Mr. Diab
the editor, declaring that never in
the history of his pub'.ication had
anyone but he been its editor-inchief. He was not seeking the decoration for himself, he asserted, but
no other should be the recipient of
it under false pretense.
This drew the fire of Mr. Mady
who, in a long article published
simultaneously in several papers,
centered his attack on Meraat-UlGharb, the publication of his fatherin-law, and reminded the public of the
fact that he had won his literary
laurels before he joined the staff of
any paper. That he should be given
credit for the excellence of his
work, although published anonymously, is through no fault of his own,
he declared. He would not commit
himself as to whether or not he
would accept the decoration.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese government still seems to be having the list
of those whom it wants to honor
under advisement, no official announcement having yet been made on
the subject. It would seem from present indications that its promiscuous
distribution of decorations seemingly
without regard to signal services is
defeating its purpose.
�-
OCTOBER, 1930
MOSUL OIL AFFECTS
FUTURE OF SYRIA
Controversy Between France and
England Over Terminus of Pipe
Line Said to Have Been Settled.
The long-drawn controversy between France and England over the
Ua: sportation of Mosul oil has been
tentatively settled, according to information which Al-Ahrar, of Beirut, claims to be authentic.
The stumbling block in the way
of a settlement had been the insi3trnee of England on making Haifa,
the newly developed port of Palestine which is under British mandate,
the terminus of the Mosul Oil pipe
line, while France maintained that
the natural terminus would be the
port of Tripoli, in the territory
within its own mandate. The British
plan is said not only to extend the
line for hundreds of miles, involving
enormous extra expenses, but to
rlace it in territory continually exposed to attacks by bedouins. These
two features are eliminated if the
French plan were carried out.
England having consistently been
unwilling to swerve from its stand,
the new arrangement said to have
been arrived at is to create a central distributing station at Abu Kama! situated about midway between
L osul and the coast outside the boundaries of the mandated territories.
1 rom this point on, two separate
pipe lines would be constructed, one
carrying the French portion of the
oil and terminating at Tripoli and
the other ending at Haifa. *
Another element entering into the
Mosul oil situation is reported by a
special cable dispatch to the New
York Times from Paris under date
of Sept. 29 to have developed recently The dispatch is illuminating and
55
deals with this new aspect of the
controversy in detail. It follows:
The approaching weeks are expected to witness a denouement in
one of the most important international oil controversies which has dsve'oped since the close of the WorlJ
War. The stakes are tfea rich and as
yet unexploited oil fields of Iraq,
and the contestants are the present
ho'ders of an exclusive concession—
the principal oil groups of Great
Britain, the United States anJ Fra.ice, the Royal Butch of Holland a.id
the Gulbenkian Armenian group- and an entirely new international
oil group in which the guiding genius is understood to be Benko Mussolini.
The issue involves the question of
whether the present concessionaires,
by their undertaking with King Feisal of Iraq did not agree to a somewhat stringent time clause committing them to proceed with the exploitation of their fields before November 1, 1930 under penalty of
losing their concessions to new and
more active groups.
The so-called allied concession
holders maintain that no such limitation was placed upon their contracts
and that the present world oil crisis,
due to overproduction, is ample reason for proceeding slowly with a
program of development of the
fields, the chief item of which is the
construction of a pipe line from Iraq
to a Mediterranean port at a cost
estimated at $800 000,000.
King Feisal, who is eager to obtain the largely increased State revenues which active exploitation of the
fields wTould insure, recently visited
European capitals with a view to
bringing the issue to a conclusive
stage.
From the Italians, it is believed,
he received promises of financial as
well as political support for his new
�_J
56
State, provided he agreed to turn
the Iraqui concession over to the
new group known as the British
Oil Development Company, but in
which Italian capital and influence
are said to be dominant.
SYRIAN VICTIMS OF
DOMINICAN DISASTER
The hurricane which struck the
city of Santo Domingo September 3
took a toll of four Syrian lives and
caused serious injuries to about
thirty others, according to a special
communication to Al-Hoda from the
stricken city.
The victims are: Thomassa, wife
of Khalil Saadie of Ehden and her
twenty-five-year old son;
Maria
Zaiter, 45, of Ghazir; Carmehista
Dibs 13, of Ghazir.
The more seriously injured are
George Dibs, Emilia Zaiter and Enhel Zaiter.
The Syrians' loss in property and
merchandise was heavy, and their
lot was no better than the thousands
of others who were left destitute by
the terrible disaster.
Al-Hoda opened a subscription for
the relief of Santo Dominican sufferers and has so far raised considerable funds which it has turned over
to the Dominican Consulate in New
York which acknowledged their receipt with profuse thanks for this
display of generosity on the part of
the Syrians.
SYRIAN GIRL WINS FIRST
PLACE IN AUDITION
(Special correspondence)
Shreveport, La., Sept. 27.—Miss
Olga Maroun of this city, a Syrian
girl who is studying voice for an
opera career, won first place in the
?HE SYRIAN WORLD
girls' class in the District of Louisiana Atwater Kent Radio Audition
held Sept. 19 and 20 in Shreveport
and broadcast over Station KTBS.
She will represent the fourth district of Louisiana at New Orleans
where she will compete for State
honors. She competed against girls
from six parishes, and received high
praise from the local papers.
The parents of Miss Maroun are
Mr. and Mrs. Najeeb Joseph Maroun
of Amcheet, Mt. Lebanon, Syria.
PUBLIC MORALS IN
NORTHERN LEBANON
When two couples living together
without the benefit of clergy in Ehden, Northern Lebanon, refused to
mend their ways or leave the town,
a visiting bishop publicly denounced
them from the pulpit during the
Sunday services and served on them
final notice to leave.
This did not take place in the Middle Ages, but during.the latter part
of August of the year of our Lord
Nineteen-Thirty. And an enterprising reporter of a Lebanese paper did
not hesitate to give it full publicity.
It was explained that the two
couples involved were not natives of
the town, but came to it as summer
residents. Nevertheless, the high
sense of morality of the North Lebanese would not tolerate any such
conduct, and the public warning of
the bishop met with general and
whole-hearted approval.
Nor did the explanation of the two
couples satisfy or appease the natives. The offenders attempted to
prove that the wives of the men
and the husbands of the women had
migrated to America and (had not
been heard from over a long period.
It was natural for them, therefore,
to enter into this union for mutual
I!
�OCTOBER, 1930
comfort and support. But instead of
living: together as common-law husbands and wives they were married
by a clergyman whose church placed
no bans on such unions.
This is held out as proof positive
that the evils of moral laxity characteristic of the times has not yet infiltrated into the sequestered parts
of North Lebanon.
57
tial contributor to the educational
development of all the surrounding
country. Her progress has been the
result of admirable policies followed
in its direction and she has merited
the large patronage she receives today and the prominent position held
in the cultural work of- this part of
the country. Each day has seen her
service become of more essential
value and today she is indispensable
to the community."
SYRIAN MUSIC TEACHER
PRAISED FOR ABILITY
Miss Louise Yazbeck, whose distinctive musical attainments were
recognized by the city of Shreveport,
La. when the authorities appointed
her director of Musical Week in the
city, as previously announced in The
Syrian World, has been making rapid
progress in her musical career. She
has lately opened a new studio in
the fashionable suburb of Broadmoore, while retaining her original
studio in the heart of the city.
A musical critic, giving an appraisal of Miss Yazbeck's musical
ability, wrote the following glowing
account in one of the local papers:
"As the purpose of this review is
to give the outside world an adequate
idea of our social, industrial, artistic
and educational progress we deem it
quite appropriate to call the attention of the public to the efficiency
and great work that is being carried
on by Miss Louise Yazbeck.
"Miss Yazbeck understands both
the art of music as well as the art
of teaching. She puts all her energy
and soul into the music and is able
to impart to her pupils both the technique and the spirit of each selection.
She takes an interest in each pupil
and gives them individual attention
and has them specialize in music
that is adapted for their talents.
"Miss Louise Yazbeck is an essen-
LEBANON UNSURPASSED
FOR NATURAL BEAUTY
Writing in the Princeton Herald
the Reverend Sylvester Woodbridge
Beach, D. D., describes the wondrous
scenery of Lebanon as follows:
"I am not exaggerating my own impressions when I say that, so far as
my travels have afforded opportunity
to enjoy the scenery in Switzerland,
the Italian Alps, Sicily's Taormina
and the Amalfi of Capri and Sorrento, Spain and the familiar bits of
scenic grandeur in Western and Central Europe, the Carpathians and
Balkans of the east and south-east;
and the majestic mountains and unparalleled geologic wonders of America—I have never found any spot on
earth where the scenery is more won derful and enchantingly picturesque
than in the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon regions of Syria. Their beauty
and glory are indescribable. My
friends on the rear cushions (of the
automobile) kept up an interminable
line of talk, interlarding it with
frequent ejaculations and exclamations as "Oh, my! Isn't that great?
It takes tne cake!" But I sat speechless, drinking in the soul and beauty
of what thereafter would be a part
of my life an element and influenca
that could never lose its magic charm
and power, wherever I might be."
�mm
MM
BOOKS BY SYRIAN AUTHORS
To recommend to Syrians the acquisition of books
in English by Syrian authors would seem superfluous,
especially when the books are such as to cause every
Syrian to feel proud of the fact that their authors are of
his countrymen. All the books listed below have been
exceptionally well received by American critics, some of
them gaining national and even international distinction.
Not alone as a matter of racial pride, but also as a valuable addition to every modern library and as an indispensable medium of wider culture all Syrian homes should
have all or most of these books.
All prices quoted include postage. •
Books by Ameen Riliani
Maker of Modern Arabia
The Path of Vision
A Chant of Mystics and Other Poems
$6.00
1.25
1.25
Books by Kahlil Gibran
Sand and Foam
Prophet—Reg
The Madman
The Forerunner
Jesus, The Son of Man
2.25
2.75
2.00
2.75
3.75
Books by Dr P. K. Hitti
As-Suyuti's Who's Who in the 15th Century (Arabic)
Pap^r Cover
Usamah, an Arab-Syrian Gentleman and
Warrior of the Crusades
Syrians in America
Syria and the Syrians (Arabic)
History of Syrian Commerce in the United
States (Arabic; Illustrated)
By S. A. MOKARZEL.
Immortality (By DR. I. G. KHEIRALLA)
m
i.
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.
i
i
illi-1...
i
,t»
3.50
3.00
4.75
1.25
1.1U
3.25
1.25
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Newspapers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Salloum Mokarzel, a Lebanese American intellectual, founded<em> The Syrian World</em> in 1926. Salloum Mokarzel was the younger brother of Naoum Mokarzel, the publisher of the Arabic-language newspaper <em>Al-Hoda. </em>Together, the Mokarzel brothers ran Al-Hoda Publishing, and in 1909, they published <em>The Syrian Business Directory.</em> </p>
<p>Mokarzel created <em>The Syrian World</em> in order to document and celebrate the culture and history of "Syria." At the time, Syria referred to the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. The publication was primarily aimed towards second-generation children of immigrants, but Mokarzel hoped that it would also appeal to the general American public.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><em>The Syrian World</em> was published between 1926 and 1932 as a journal. In 1932, the format was changed from an academic journal style to a newspaper style, which continued until the periodical's end in 1935. After the death of his brother Naoum, Salloum took over the publication of <em>Al-Hoda.</em></p>
<p>The articles in <em>The Syrian World</em> cover a variety of topics spanning from the practical to the theoretical. Practical subjects include international and domestic travel, historical and contemporary Arabic and Arab-American art and literature, and the mental and physical health and hygiene of immigrants. More theoretical, philosophical, and ideological subjects include ideologies of race, the changing role of women, the formation of Syrian and Lebanese-American societies, and the political and psychological relationships between immigrants and their countries of origin.</p>
<p>All issues of <em>The Syrian World</em> are available, along with full indexes for the first four volumes. For volumes five and six, there are tables of contents at the start of the issues.</p>
Subject
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Arabs--United States
Arabic periodicals
Newspapers
Arab American Newspapers
Creator
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Salloum A. Mokarzel
Source
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New York Public Library
Publisher
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Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926-1935
Relation
A related resource
<em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mokarzel Family Papers</a>
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11299/175685" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annotated Index to the Syrian World, 1926-1932</a> at the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center Archives
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Al-Hoda Newspapers</em></a>
Language
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English
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Processed by Claire A. Kempa, 2015-2017. Collection Guide written by Claire A. Kempa, 2017.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 August.
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The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings.
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NS 0002
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This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
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Identifier
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TSW1930_10reducedWM
Title
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The Syrian World Volume 05, Issue 02
Date
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1930 October
Description
An account of the resource
Volume 5 Issue 02 of The Syrian World published October 1930. The issue begins with another piece by Rev. W. A. Mansur in which he discusses the important material and moral accomplishments of his ethnic peers in order to showcase their overall greatness. He gives an appraisal of six Syrian-American leaders in different fields in order to showcase their important achievements and imbue other Syrian-Americans with pride. Next, the editor continues to discuss traveling through the mysterious valley of Wadi'l-Karn, and briefly discussing his time in preparation to Damascus. Also about Damascus is a poem by Thomas Asa. "Ali Zaibaq" returns in this issue and the "Tragic Love of a Caliph" is also continued, before a poem by G.K. Gibran titled "On Giving and Taking." The issue concludes with a discussion led by Ameen Rihani on the mission of The Syrian World before the usual installation of the political developments in Syria this month, specifically dealing with the situation in Damascus, The Syrian Mandate, and Moslem and Christian tensions in Palestine.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals
Arabs--United States--Periodicals
Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals
Language
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English
Creator
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Salloum A. Mokarzel
Syrian-American Press
Source
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New York Public Library
Publisher
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Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Coverage
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104 Greenwich St., New York, NY
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Text/pdf
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Text
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The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
1930s
Ameen Rihani
Immigration
Kahlil Gibran
New York
Palestine
Poetry-English
Religion
Reverend W.A. Mansur
Syria
Thomas Asa
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/268884f8e2483685f490e52716a327c6.pdf
aae17d0a92b2a3465358e87c25fd7081
PDF Text
Text
M&
VOL. IV. No. 8.
APRIL, 1931.
XTTF
w,
SYRIAN WORLD
A
MONTHLY MAGAZINE IN ENGLISH DEALING
WITH SYRIAN AFFAIRS AND ARABIC LITERATURE
m
m
GIBRAN MEMORIAL SECTION
m
THIRTY-TWO PAGES OF EULOGIES IN POETRY AND PROSE BY
AMERICAN AND SYRIAN ADMIRERS
CHIVALRY IN ARABIA AND ISLAM
DR. PHILIP K. HITTI
1
H
THE CASE OF THE SYRIAN WORLD
sssr
A FRANK DISCUSSION
in
A JOURNEY THROUGH JEBEL DRUZE
SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL
ALI ZAIBAQ (QUICKSILVER)
THE COPY 50c
(A SERIAL)
1
��THE
SYRIAN WORLD
Tublished monthly except July and August
by
THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS
104 Greenwich St., New York, N. Y.
By subscription $5.00 a year.
Single Copies 50c.
Entered as second class matter June 25, 1926, at the post office at New York,
N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879.
VOL.
V.
No. 8.
APRIL, 1931
CONTENTS
PAGE
Chivalry in Arabia and Islam
DR. PHILIP
5
K.
HITTI
To Each His Profession
10
The Case of
11
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Reflections on Co-operation
Sayings of Alt
16
A Journey Through Jebel Druze
SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL
49
The Night and I (Poem)
59
DR. SALIM
..-
Y.
ALKAZIN
Alt Zaibaq (Serial)
60
Political Developments in Syria
64
About Syria and Syrians
66
-'
�QIBRAN MEMORIAL SECTION
PAGE
The Last Days of Gibran
Gibran's Funeral in Boston
,
-
BARBARA-YOUNG
>19
23
-
Americans Pay Tribute to Spirit of Gibran
A Reclamation
:
27
28
DR. CHARLES FLEISCHER
Gibran Lives
29
CLAUDE BRAGDON
He Brought Beauty and Truth
31
SYUD HOSSAIN
He Traveled with the Sun
33
A. MOKARZEL
The Voice of the Heights of Lebanon ....
SALLOUM
•• 35
REV. ROBERT NORWOOD
The Prophet Never Dies
••
M. RIHBANY
A Great Syrian of the Ages ....: :
REV. W. A. MANSUR
A Seer Departed
••
Valedictory
•••••••• "36"
REV. ABRAHAM
36
37
38
BARBARA YOUNG
Conqueror of the Sting
39
LEONORA SPEYER
Starry Son of Lebanon
40
EsTELLE DUCLO
The Mystic Pact
41
MISCHA NAIMY
To One Who Has Passed
42
MARY MOORE
Gibran*s Message to Young Americans of Syrian Origin 44
A Pledge
45
CECIL J. BADWAY
To One of Blessed Memory
46
THOMAS ASA
Truth Seeker
47
EDNA
K.
SALOOMEY
Poet of Our Land
PHILIP
47
C.
SABBAGHA
He Touched the Stars
LABEEBEE
48
A. J.
HANNA
f
�!
IN THIS ISSUE
For Those Who Would Know the High Lights of the
Material in This Number.
JHE death of Kahlil Gibran
is an epochal event in the
history of the Syrians in America. We mourn him in the proportion that we felt proud in his
achievements. The name of
Gibran will ever be one of our
racial assets, and where we
would possibly fail in fittingly
eulogizing his memory, his host
of American admirers will willingly take up the grateful task
of proclaiming his greatness.
THE SYRIAN WORLD feels itself especially privileged to be
able to devote the greater part
of this issue as a memorial to
Gibran. We are particularly
grateful to the many American
friends and admirers of our departed son who have cooperated
with us in making possible the
presentation of the imposing
array of eulogies and tributes
to his memory. Our sense of
spiritual kinship and closeness
is much keener now that they
and we are more strongly fused
by the spirit of Gibran.
£)R. Philip K. Hitti contributes to this issue the result
of some of the typical research
.
work for which he is noted.
There is always weight to Dr.
Hitti's logic and the ease with
which he arrays his facts denotes the breadth and depth of
his knowledge. His present article deals with the origin of
chivalry, and he easily traces it
to the plains of Syria when Crusader and Moslem met sometimes in combat and at other
times in peace. To those who
would gain valuable historical
knowledge written in an easy
and entertaining form Dr. Hitti's article should prove of
especial appeal.
Y^E would have much preferred to omit the presentation of the case of THE SYRIAN
WORLD from this issue.
But
since we committed ourselves by
a signed statement in the preceding issue to lay before the
public the facts in our present
situation, and because only two
issues remain for bringing to a
close our fifth year, we felt
constrained to live up to our
promise so as to insure reasonable time for our readers to
ponder the facts and express a
.
�mature opinion. We would request earnest and careful consideration of the facts on the
part of everyone of our readers as well as of those interested in the stabilization and
progress of the publication.
THE editor's present travel
article concludes the account
of his journey through Jebel
Druze. It may be judged long,
but we hope it will prove entertaining reading. An account is
given of a visit to the native
governor, a Pasha in his own
right, but one who has had conferred upon him the added title
of emir (prince) by none other
than the republican government
of France. Then if you would
know what occasioned the greatest surprise to an old native out
of all the wonders of America
you will be grievously disappointed that it is far by miles
from what you would imagine.
Our usually critical assistants
told us frankly that the present
article is the most entertaining
of the series. We trust the readers will also find it so.
READERS will observe that
although 32 pages, or half
the normal number of pages
in each issue, are dedicated to
the memory of Gibran, this
issue does not lack of other material. This is due to the fact
that we have added an extra
section to this issue, bringing
the total to eighty pages, and
making possible the maintenance of the regular departments
while providing space for other
material of a general nature.
Thus a complete instalment
of our serial Ali Zaibaq appears
as usual. And those who have "THOSE interested in the
been following the doings of
evaluation of the political
this inc. [ arable product of the situation in Syria will find a
Oriental imagination will find comprehensive survey of the
satisfaction in realizing that at latest developments.
What
last he has subdued his arch- might prove the beginning of
enemy and gained his revenge. a national policy of passive reThe circumstances of this epi- sistence similar to Gandhi's
sode are phenomenal, a beauti- movement in India has develful princess of the tribe of the oped in Beirut and quickly
jinn playing in it a leading spread to other sections of
part. But can we expect the tri- Syria. * * * The news departals of the hero to have come to ment in this issue contains much
an end? This is a question that information on happenings
will find a surprising answer in among Syrians in America and
the succeeding chapters.
abroad.
�I
THE
SYRIAN WORLD
VOL. V.
APRIL, 1931.
No. 8.
Chivalry in Arabia and Islam
"By
PROFESSOR PHILIP
K.
HITTI
of Princeton University
THHE flower of chivalry, which, nurtured by Islam, reached its
fullest bloom in Saladin and his contemporary Usamah, had
its roots in ancient heathen Arabia. Particularly among the Eedouins of north Arabia do we notice those prime elements which
enter into the composition of a chivalric knighthood. To the denizens of the desert fighting was a chronic mental mood, ghazu
(razzia) a national sport, camel raiding the only manly occupation and blood-feud the most important institutions. One Christian tribe, banu-'Udhrah, was proverbial for their respect for
womanhood and platonic love.
With the advent of the horse, in the first centuries of our era,
from Western Asia where it was introduced earlier by fU" Hittites, chivalry in its primitive form, as a body of horsemen equipped for battle, was developed. The horse soon became a war animal. It prolonged the legs of the warrior and afforded him more
mobility than the camel did. A whole literature in Arabic was
inspired by the horse.
Gradually the farts (horse rider) appropriated other functions to himself. In desertland where forage was scarce and the
horse an animal of luxury, the fans became the equivalent of
sayyid (chief). With the necessary traits of leadership he usually
combined a gift for poetry. In his poetical capacity he aroused
the martial enthusiasm of his tribesmen, extolled their virtues,
recited their ancestors' achievements, emphasized the weaknesses
of the enemy, and in general acted as the "press agent" for his
party. Thus the Bedouins came to consider the most enviable
�6
THE SYRIAN WORLD
title shd'ir faris (a poet-knight), and to regard the three factors
constituting the superiority of a tribe horsemanship (representing
military strength), poetry (an index of intelligence), and generosity (a sign of wealth).
The ay yam al-Arab, those combats which the tribes fought
amongst themselves in the pre-Muhammad era, afford us an insight into the spirit which animated those early warriors of the
peninsula. We see them here and there riding forth in quest of
adventure, rushing to the rescue of captive maidens, offering succor to the helpless and typifying those qualities most highly
prized by Arabians. Those virtues, summed up in the word muru'ah (manliness), included courage as measured by the number
of adversaries killed, loyalty as evidenced by devotion to the interests of the tribe, and generosity as manifested by the readiness
to slay camels for the guests.
The pages of al-AgMni, al-lqd al-Farid, and the numerous
diwdns are replete with cases illustrating the virtues of chivalry:
bravery in battle, fortitude in misfortune, defiance of the strong
and defence of the weak, as well as its vices: persistence in revenge, intolerance of others, and illicit sex relations. Al-Shanfara, Zayd al-Khayl (Zayd of the Horses), <Adi ibn-Hatim,
'Amr ibn-Ma'dikarib the champion of Yaman, Muhalhil ibn-Rabi'ah and 'Antarah ibn-Shaddad may be cited as types of preIslamic heroes. Al-Shanfara was taken captive while young, and
on his release took an oath to kill a hundred from among his captors. After making his ninety-ninth killing—so the story goes—
he was himself overpowered and slain. A member of the enemy
tribe, however, happened to stumble one day on al-Shanfara's
skull, as it lay bleaching on the ground, and received a wound
in his foot which resulted in his death—thus completing the required number.
But the name of 'Antarah has lived in Arabic literature as
the paragon of chivalric conduct. This Bedouin Achilles, who
flourished in the last decade of the sixth century, was the son of
a black slave woman and could not therefore be regarded as a
legitimate member of the family unless so acknowledged by his
father. On one occasion, while his father's tribe was hotly engaged in battle, the lad refused to take part saying, "A slave
knows not how to fight, milking camels is his job." Thereupon
the father shouted, "Charge! thou art free." 'Antarah's romance
(sirah), which took its present form during the Crusades, is still
�zAPRIL, 1931
1.
relished by large audiences in the cafes of Cairo, Beirut and
Baghdad.
Islam fell heir to these pagan Arabian rudiments of chivalry
and added its own contribution. In Islam the consecration of war
to the service of religion—two seemingly incongruous ideas—
and their fusion into a homogeneous whole were carried to a
more successful extent than in any other major religion. Of all
systems of belief, Muhammadanism is the only one which holds
"holy war" (jihad) among its cardinal tenets and promises him
who dies on its battlefield a passport to heaven.
Himself an orphan who had felt the pinch of poverty, Muhammad in his social legislation favored the fatherless and motherless, the poor, the slaves, the wayfarers, and this constitutes
the most humane part of his code (Koran 4:2, 3, 40; 16:73; 24:
33, etc.). To the two fundamental principles of chivalry—war
and religion—the third, gallantry, was now added. Nevertheless,
Arab chivalry even in its Islamic development remained a spirit,
a way of life, and never became, as in the Occident, an organized
institution. In the Moslem army of conquest the distinctive qualities of the chivalric knights, which at their best were valor,
honor, piety, and love, and at their worst ferocity, perfidy, fanaticism and lust, were all represented.
The early Moslems, following the heathen Arabians, considered him who could compose in prose and verse, ride, swim and
shoot arrows an educated cultured man. Such a person was called
kamil (the perfect one).
In Arabic literature the first poets to specialize in love and
in singing the praises of the fair sex were all post-Islamic. Such
was 'Umr ibn-abi-Rab!'ah (d. ca. 720) the Ovid of Mecca. An
Unmayyad poet sang:
"Our (i. e., man's) lot is to kill or be killed, or be taken captive.
Woman's part is gracefully to manage her train."
Those first Crusaders who came into the Holy Land cherishing a vague idea that the Saracens were idolaters who worshiped a certain "Baphomet" whose wicked body neither heaven
nor earth would accept and therefore lay suspended between the
two, were soon disillusioned. The early contacts showed the
mailed gentlemen of Europe that he had met his match in Asia,
and that neither in magnanimity nor in military prowess was a
Cceur de Lion superior to a Saladin.
Usamah (1095-1188) has inadvertently left us in his me-
�8
"THE SYRIAN WORLD
moirs the clearest picture of an Islamic knight—the knight being
the author himself. In all his dealings with friend and foe this
.Syrian gentleman astounds us with his highly developed sense of
chivalry and fairness. As he sights at a distance eight Frankish
knights and his comrade suggests resort to a ruse, Usamah insists
on meeting the enemy face to face. An aged slave who had
brought him up as a child, he addresses as "mother" and devotes
an apartment in his home to her exclusive use. The European
and Armenian hostages released from his castle, Shayzar, and
waylaid by Moslems, he is willing to rescue at all cost, whereas
Baldwin authorizes an attack at Acre (<Akka) on the ship bringing Usamah's family from Egypt, notwithstanding the safeconduct which the king himself had issued.
But Saladin (Salah-al-Din) was the real paragon of Islamic
knighthood who exemplified all the virtues and graces of Arab
chivalry. When the crusading army entered Jerusalem (1099)
it inaugurated the "kingdom of God" by slaughtering some two
°^duCnnstK"» and Jews. When Saladin retook the city
UI87), he accepted ransom for men, women and children and
released several thousands of them who could not pay. Those
same women and children refugees found the gates of Tyre
closed by Conrad in their face and the Italian sailors in Alexandria unwilling to take them on board without due payment.
Reginald of Chatillon, who in violation of treaty terms had attacked a caravan near his stronghold Crac (Karak), fell after the
battle of Hattin (1187) into the hands of Saladin. The latter
had sworn to take with his own hand the life of the truce-breaker.
1 he prisoner was offered a cup of refreshments; but Saladin was
quick to explain that since it was not ordered by him, the drink
did not constitute an amnesty, the Arab custom being that of considering any one safe after partaking of the hospitality of another.
Saladin's nephew, al-Malik al-Kamil, was knighted with full
ceremony on Palm Sunday (May 29), 1192, in Acre by Richard,
who was friendly with the youth's father.
European chivalry never denied that it developed out of an
early mass of usages, mainly Gallic, into an organic shape on the
plains of Syria. There in the first part of the twelfth century,
the earliest formal orders of knighthood—the Hospitalers and
the Templars—were established. As early as the eighth century
the Umayyad Caliph al-Walid (705-15) had houses built for
the lepers and the insane. The Order of St. Lazarus which was
�m -
zAPRIL, 1931
9
founded for assisting the lepers, and many Lazar houses which
grew later in the West, followed the Eastern precedent.
In Spain, Cordova with its frequent jousts and tournaments
was the hearth of Arab chivalry. To the Moslem courts of alNasir (912-61) and his son al-Hakam (961-76), where the punctilious code of honor and the knightly polish were assiduously
cultivated, flocked Christian knights under guaranty of safe-conduct to break lance with the Moorish cavaliers. In Granada, ibnHudhayl wrote (1400) The Ornament of Chevaliers and Banner
of Gallants. When the queen of Alfonso VII was besieged
(1139) in Azeca and reproached the Moslem horsemen for attacking a castle defended by a female, the only condition laid,
according to the story, was to have the lady show herself from
the window, upon which the siege was immediately raised. The
Cid (short for sayyid), the national hero of Spain whose name
Spanish ballads have surrounded with a saintly aureole, fought
first with and later against the Moors. The orders of monastic
knights organized in the twelfth century in Spain and Portugal
had for object the recovering of the peninsula from the Crescent
for the Cross.
In French the first full portrait of a knight is depicted by the
oldest French epic, the Chanson de Roland. Roland was a commander in Charlemagne's expedition against the Moslems in
Spain. In Germany the golden age of chivalry was attained under
Frederick Barbarossa who perished in the waters of a Cilician
river before reaching Palestine, only to become the legendary
ideal of Teutonic knighthood. The conventions and poetical technique of the German minnesingers bear the stamp of the French
troubadours, who in turn show the influence of the Oriental bards.
The Mameluke dynasty of Egypt (1250-1517) which dealt
the final blow to the Crusaders, was represented in the field of
chivalry by Baybars (1260-77) whose daring exploits and acts
of generosity, like those of 'Antarah, are still recited throughout
the Arabic-speaking world. The fdris, who figures in The Arabian
Nights, embodies the Mameluke ideals of a hero rather than the
'Abbasids', as ordinarily supposed.
The beginnings of European heraldry, a direct product and
characteristic token of chivalry, may be traced also to the Arab
world. The Crusaders brought back with them in the twelfth
century the germs of heraldic bearings. Saladin probably had the
eagle for crest, ibn-Tulun (868-77) the lion, and Bar-
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
quq (1382-98) the falcon. Baybars's lion can still be seen carved
on the bridge he built across the Jordan. Most of the Mamelukes
bore names of animals, the corresponding images of which they
blazoned on their shields. On a Zangid coin struck in Sinjar
(1190) we see the double-headed eagle, a bird of Sumerian origin
and later adopted in Europe and the U. S. A. The Eastern
origin of heraldic terms may be illustrated by such words as
"azure" (Arabic), "gules" (probably Persian). Among presentday Moslems the crescent and star, the lion and the sun represent the sole remnant of heraldry.
A number of the new orders of ornamental chivalry, Masonic
lodges, and shrines in Europe and America bear in their ritual
and technical vocabulary clear Islamic and Arabic influence.
To Each His Profession
Arab chroniclers relate that Al-Walid, the Umayyad Caliph,
was possessed with such phenomenal physical strength that he
used to have his feet shackled with an iron chain, and while thus
handicapped, spring with one bound on the back of a horse, without recourse to the use of his hands, and break the chain.
One day he boasted of his strength and asked his viziers if
they knew of anyone who could best him in wrestling. "Yes,"
they replied, "a certain modest professional wrestler of Khorassan."
The Caliph ordered the wrestler brought to Damascus. He
warned him against showing any courtesy or favor under pain
of death, while he spared no effort in an attempt to conquer his
rival.
The professional wrestler soon had the Caliph at his mercy,
and lifting him at arm's length in the air, carried him to his
throne and thus addressed him:
"Here, sire, you are in your place. In wrestling you are out
of your class. And please never meddle in anything that you
can avoid."
�J
zJPRIL, 1931
11
The Case of The Syrian World
Should the Magazine be Continued? If So, How?
yHE SYRIAN WORLD is now at the cross-roads of its existence. Its fate is in the hands of the public. We are laying
our case before our readers frankly and without reservation and
shall await their verdict.
As explained in our statement in the preceding issue, we have
not lost hope or confidence, and it is not our intention to discontinue the publication if such a step can possibly be avoided. We
have, on the contrary, decided to invite this symposium in the
hope of having the public hold council with us on ways and means
of continuing and perpetuating the enterprise. The questions we
promised in the last issue to lay before our readers are now submitted for their consideration.
HOW THE MAGAZINE BEGAN
Five years ago THE SYRIAN WORLD was launched as a medium of service to the Syrian-American generation in the hope
of bringing to them, in the only language they can understand,
an appreciation of their racial heritage that they may strive to
keep alive the best of their native traditions and culture. It was
a pioneering experiment, and we depended for its success on public support. It was, furthermore, and continues to this day, a personal enterprise for which no subsidy or support was forthcoming
from any source, whether public or private. We built our hope
of making it self-supporting on our racial consciousness. But the
enterprise never proved self-supporting. The accumulating deficit was met each year from other private sources of the publisher,
until the publication now finds itself facing the crisis of its existence unless some means is devised for its continuation. The
publisher has reached the limit of his resources.
Through its whole career the publication was carried on as a
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12
THE SYRIAN WORLD
labor of love, not alone on the part of the publisher and editor,
but also on the part of the many contributors and collaborators
who have unstintingly given of their time and ability practically
without remuneration. Our contributors, as the files of THE
SYRIAN WORLD will indicate, comprise practically our best talent,
some of whom are internationally known authors whose works
command high prices, but who were willing to be associated with
the magazine, and contribute to it gratuitously, in order to promote its educational mission, and rear of it a literary monument
to our kind in America. No words of ours could adequately convey our thanks and gratitude to this fine body of men and women
patriots, but if ever an appraisal of disinterested public service
for the Syrian cause is to be made in the future, the pages of
THE SYRIAN WORLD will provide a roster of their names.
But in spite of the imposing list of our contributors, the circulation of the magazine never reached the proportion where it
could cover its mere physical production. And not only is this
our situation at present, but it is rather aggravated by existing
economic conditions. Hence the painful necessity of taking council with the public. The publication will have to be discontinued
unless sufficient public interest is aroused to stimulate wider interest. The metropolitan field is adequately covered. We can
safely state that in New York and vicinity the magazine is farreaching in its influence. But our aim is to make it a national organ—a mouthpiece of our people throughout America and the
English-speaking countries, that its message might be general instead of local. The burden must fall on the whole community
instead of on a small portion of it. This would bring it to the
point where it would be truly representative and effective.
In view of this situation, we ask our readers and the general
public to give consideration to the following questions and proposals which we are submitting for their frankest discussion. Two
issues of the magazine are yet to appear before the close of its
fifth year, and we would appreciate early replies, so that if any
important decision is reached it will be carried out with the beginning of next volume.
1 — IS THE MAGAZINE NEEDED
The fundamental question under the circumstances is whether
the magazine is considered needed sufficiently to be continued.
When first launched it was in the nature of an experiment. No
J
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'tAPRILy 1931
13
one is responsible for that first move except the publisher and
those whom he consulted and gave their approval and encouragement. Now that five years have been spent in giving the experiment a trial the public should be in a position to decide whether
the experiment has justified itself morally and should be continued and supported financially. The needed support can come
only through an increase in national circulation and in this every
individual can become a partner in the enterprise and help spread
the publication to the end that it will become self-supporting. Our
readers will recall that we have made an attempt to incorporate
the magazine in order to raise sufficient working capital. This,
in the last analysis, would place the burden or responsibility on
the shoulders of a few with no guarantee of safety and success
if public support is not forthcoming. Now what is the public prepared to do in the matter? If the answer to this question be that
the magazine is needed and should be continued, to what extent
is the public willing to help?
2 — SHOULD THE NAME BE RETAINED?
The name "THE SYRIAN WORLD" was adopted because
of its inclusiveness and decided advantage as a racial asset. A
publication directly identified with us lends prestige to us as a
group in America, and as such it will of necessity remain a group
organ devoid of the potentiality of general appeal. Now we face
the question: Is the name of sufficient value to us as a means of
distinct identification, or should it be discarded for a non-committal name which would hold broader possibilities of general appeal?
Those favoring a change of name may submit substitutes.
3 — IS THE CONTENT MATTER SUITABLE?
Considering the purpose of the magazine, it has been the uniform policy of the editor to keep its content matter within the
range prescribed by its original purpose, namely, to provide the
Syrian-American generation and those interested in Syrian affairs with that material that is unavailable in other English mediums. It was never designed to invade the field of the daily
newspaper or the general American periodical with which it manifestly cannot begin to compete. But in those very things in which,
from our own special point of view, other publications were lacking, THE SYRIAN WORLD attempted to supply the deficiency. In
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
the special field of Syrian interest, the magazine was made to
cover the widest range, from history, literature, and Arab lore,
to general news about Syrian activities in Syria and throughout
the world. It was also generous in fiction of a nature compatible
with its purpose. It gave a comprehensive monthly resume of
political developments in Syria without prejudice or bias.
Since THE SYRIAN WORLD has been consistent in maintaining
this policy during the five years of its publication, what, in the
opinion of our readers, can be its shortcomings whether in commission or omission?
4 —SHOULD THE SIZE BE CHANGED?
There was no particular reason for adopting the present size
of the magazine except its convenience for immediate handling
and its adaptability to binding for future reference. The magazine was not intended as of passing interest and for temporary
amusement; it was meant to be a medium of permanent value,
encyclopaedic in its information, and fit for preservation in every
Syrian home as a source of useful information for future generations. We have the alternative of doubling the size of the page,
which would permit of more display, but necessitating a reduction in the number of pages from sixty-four to thirty-two. In
the latter case it would be the size of the Literary Digest. Which
would readers prefer?
*
*
*
*
Once these questions are answered, we could have a true
indication of the readers' preferences. The most important question is whether or not the magazine is considered needed as a
racial organ in America. Those answering in the affirmative
might be in a position to offer helpful suggestions as to the means
of continuing and promoting it. If THE SYRIAN WORLD, or whatever other name is decided for it, is viewed as an influence in
our life, an asset to our racial prestige, an organ of our culture,
then the responsibility of preserving and promoting it should be
a matter of public concern. We are assuming that there are sufficient public-spirited Syrians in America who will give the matter
•serious consideration and share with the publisher the responsibility which so far he has been carrying alone. And now that we
have laid the case of THE SYRIAN WORLD before the public, we
shall await the verdict before the end of our fifth year, which
falls with the June issue.
if
�IAPRIL,
1931
15
Reflections on Co-operation
2fy A
READER
QO-OPERATION is a word that people are prone to use too
freely. No matter what the objective may be, at some time
or other, the advocate of that objective will call upon his listeners or readers to "co-operate". In the case of listeners, the audience usually claps enthusiastically. And thereby "co-operates".
In the case of readers, from several of them there is the usual
expression of sympathy and approval. And thereby they "cooperate".
Co-operation, I believe, means more than that. Webster has
this to say: "To act or operate jointly with another or others;
concurrent effort or labor." It seems to me that Webster did not
intend to include hand-clappers and letter-writers, unless you reduce the definition to a literal absurdity. There wouldn't seem to
be much "effort" or "labor" or "action" to hand-clapping and
letter-writing.
I believe in calling a spade a spade. A King, Queen, Jack,
Ten and Nine of a suit couldn't be called a Royal Flush even
though it is close. I know from bitter experience that the Ace
is a necessary card.
Hand-clapping, of course, is good moral support. No one, I
think, would deny that. It serves to instill a confidence. It encourages the convictions of whatever beliefs promulgators of an
objective may have. But I don't believe that all the moral-support in the world could really be called co-operation.
It seems to me we ought to stop fooling ourselves. We ought
either to really co-operate or be willing to admit that we have
only been hand-clapping all the time.
i
Which all reminds me. I read the editor's statement in the
March issue to the effect that the publication is in financial
straits. He explained that unless positive support were forthcoming there would be little likelihood of its continued existence.
To me, this seems a shame. That THE SYRIAN WORLD, which is
the only medium in English serving to elevate the Syrian race
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16
THE SYRIAN WORLD
in the United States, should cease to be published, because of the
failure of Syrians to support it, would indelibly stain our fair
name.
It seems to me that I would do my level best to keep alive
anyone or anything that told the world how good I was. Very
few people in this old world of ours are constructively critical.
I suppose most of us have become so accustomed to hearing destructive criticisms that when a real constructive leader happens
in our midst, we don't know what to do.
I'll tell you what I think we ought to do. We ought to subscribe to the publication. We ought to induce those among us
who are not subscribers to subscribe. We ought to preach the
cause of THE SYRIAN WORLD at any opportunity.
I think we ought to remember that this publication does not
really belong to the Editor or to the Publisher. It belongs to us.
It belongs to all the Syrians. It belongs to all the Syrian-Americans. It belongs to all those of Syrian extraction who speak English. It seems to me that we owe our support to anything that
belongs to us.
Let us have more action and less hand-clapping.
Sayings of Ali
Your best friends are those who direct you to the path of
goodness.
*
*
*
A light heart is better than a light purse.
*
*
*
A man's character is judged by his actions j his knowledge
by his speech.
*
*
*
Persistence in the suppression of anger is an infallible guarantee of peace of mind.
*
*
*
Conceit is a stigma on knowledge.
*
*
*
The miserly rich is poorer than the generous poor.
*
*
*
A slap by the beloved carries a double sting.
1
i
�JLPRIL, 1931
17
Jto 4ffl?mnrtam
GIBRAN KAHLIL GIBRAN
Becharri, Mt. Lebanon, 1883—New York, 1931
i
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
Gibran Kahlil Gibran
Gibran Kahlil Gibran was known to the literary world, except
in his mother Arabic language, simply as Kahlil Gibran. In giving him his first name, a common Syrian practice was followed
designed to perpetuate the name of the founder of the family.
The Gibran family is well-known in Becharri, Gibran's birthplace. He was connected on his mother's side with the equally
well-known local family of Rahme.
The etymology of the two family names assumes especial significance viewed in conjunction with the character of Gibran. Gibran is from the Arabic verb Gabar, meaning to mend. It is applied figuratively to those who bring relief in distress. Rahme
is charity. The combination appears singularly prophetic.
Gibran was born in Becharri, Mt. Lebanon, in 1883. At the
age of twelve he came to the United States, but after two years
returned to Syria for his education, attending the Al-Hikmat College at Beirut, where he took up Arabic and French.
In 1903 he returned to America. After five years, most of
which he spent in Boston, he went abroad to study painting in
Paris. In 1912 he moved to New York and made his permanent
home there.
The English works of Gibran are "The Madman," published
in 1918, "The Forerunner," in 1920, "The Prophet," in 1923,
"Jesus the Son of Man," in 1928, and "The Earth Gods," in
1931. He had under preparation another work which was to appear under the title "The Garden of the Prophet." The Prophet
was his most successful work, of which his publishers state more
than seventy thousand copies were sold. It was translated into
more than twenty languages.
Almost all of Gibran's published works in Arabic antedate
his English works. In Arabic Gibran was the creator of a style
of writing that was altogether his own and came to be exclusively
identified with him. His influence spread through all the Arabicspeaking world.
Gibran was one prophet who was honored during his lifetime
by his own countrymen. In January, 1929, the Syrian community
of New York held a banquet at one of the leading hotels to celebrate the twenty-fifth literary anniversary of Gibran, commemorating the publication of his first Arabic book.
�Ti i
<APRIL, 1931
19
The Last Days of Gibran
SUDDEN and tragic was the end of our beloved poet, Gibran
Kahlil Gibran. Death came to him at ten minutes before eleven
o clock on the night of Friday, April 10, 1931, at St. Vincent's
Hospital in New York, where he had been removed from his
studio on the morning of the same day. At about two in the afternoon he lapsed into a state of coma from which he never emerged
His sister Mariana, who had come from Boston, and a few intimate friends, were at his bedside. Practically until the very last
day before his removal to the hospital Gibran had shown the indomitable will which characterized his mastery of the spirit over
the flesh throughout life. Even until Thursday he was working
on some unfinished manuscripts and drawings. His studio on
VVest lenth Street showed, if anything, even increased signs of
that orderly activity which marked his work.
, i?n Jhursday morning Mrs, Anna Johansen, the caretaker
at. Lhe Studio Building, carried Gibran his simple breakfast as
was her custom, and his weakness gave her a sense of alarm She
called on the phone to Mrs. Leonobel Jacobs, a friend of many
years, and a one time resident of the same building. Mrs. Jacobs
responded at once and brought with her a physician of note a
specialist, and he ordered the removal of the patient to the hospital. It was, however, considered that Gibran's own request to
wait until Friday morning might safely be regarded. In the early
afternoon of Thursday, Barbara Young, his close friend and conhdante m his English work, came to the Studio and was at once
deeply anxious about his condition. She remained with him and
he talked of his current work, the high interest in still unfinished
drawings, and future books. About eight-thirty Mrs. Jacobs returned with the physician, and again the assurance was given that
he could safely wait until morning before going to St. Vincent's
Hospital. His wish to do so being so very positive.
During Thursday evening, until after midnight', when he fell
into an uneasy sleep, he talked with Miss Young of his beloved
country of his mother, and of his sister Mariana. Still the unfinished drawings were foremost in his mind, and he said "These
hands must still do some work upon them, before thev can go
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
Just before the removal to the hospital, Gibran was very conscious of the anxiety in Miss Young's face, and he said, almost at
the moment the doctors entered the room, "Don't be troubled.
All is well."
He was carried into St. Vincent's at ten-thirty in the forenoon,
and a consultation was immediately called. Mariana was summoned and she hastened by the first train from Boston, accompanied by Gibran's cousins, Mrs. Rose Diab and Assaf George, arriving only after her brother had become unable to recognize her.
In mid-afternoon a second consultation was hurriedly called,
and at dusk still another eminent physician was brought to the
bedside. But to no avail. His long struggle had consumed his
last ounce of strength which suddenly broke down beyond hope
of mending by any human assistance.
At 5 o'clock Miss Young telephoned to the office of THE
SYRIAN WORLD to advise the editor of Gibran's condition. She
felt it her duty, she said, considering the gravity of the situation,
to make the fact known to Gibran's people.
The news came as a terrible shock. Only a few days before
the editor had been speaking to the famous poet and the latter's
voice seemed to be charged with a distinct tone of cheerfulness
and hope. His "The Earth Gods" had just appeared and he was
working on still another book scheduled to appear in the fall, he
announced.
Such feelings of grave apprehension and anxiety as came to
the editor at that moment are experienced only when a man of
public responsibility faces the danger of a national calamity, and
as such to him would be viewed the loss of Gibran. Hastily communicating the news to Mischa Naimy, the editor sped to the
hospital, only to find Gibran already in a comatose state. By his
side were Barbara Young, Mrs. William Brown Maloney, Miss
Adele Watson and Mrs. Leonobel Jacobs, all known American
writers and artists, whose apprehension and grief showed plainly
on their faces, seemingly unable to admit the possibility of Gibran coming to such an untimely death. Gibran is to them what he
is to every Lebanese and Syrian, a brother whose passing meant
a deep personal loss. They were all with him to the end.
Chor-Bishop Francis Wakim, pastor of St. Joseph's Maronite
church in New York, had been summoned by the hospital management but found the patient already unconscious.
The tense anxiety of the four American ladies was fast grow-
1
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< APRIL, 1931
21
trig. Could it be possible that, the light will never again shine in
Gibran's eyes, his voice never again speak to those who held him
so dearly? We spoke to him in his own language, hoping he
might react to memories of his youth, but it was apparent that
the only language Gibran could now understand was that of the
calling angels.
The moment of the great passing was quiet and without pain
or struggle. At his bedside were Barbara Young and Mischa
Naimy, and in an adjoining room, Mrs. Jacobs and Mrs. Melonev
and Miss Watson waited with Mariana and the two cousins, hoping until the final breath was drawn for some miracle which
would restore the vigor and power of this friend and brother.
The metropolitan press the following day published long accounts of Gibran's life, and the news of his death was carried by
Associated Press dispatches to the world.
The scene at Gibran's studio on the following day was heartrending. The pitiful lamentations of Mariana aroused memories
which continually brought tears to the eyes of the many sympathizers who grouped about her. And there were Gibran's books
and drawings, and wood-carvings, and the many altars he had set
about the room, and the tapestries of religious designs he had
hung along the walls, all reminiscent of his work of hand and
pen and brush, and symbolic of the depth of his spiritual feelings and convictions. Papers were piled high on his desk, and
scattered over the tables. Some one picked up the cover of a
cigarette box, and Gibran had written on it in Arabic one of his
typical epigrams: "Weariness might well be the height of ambition
"My brother always enjoined me from throwing away empty
cigarette boxes or paper slips. He used to write on anything that
was handy," explained Mariana between sobs.
Saturday and Sunday the body, banked with wreaths of orchids and lilies, lay at the Universal Funeral Parlors in Lexington Avenue, where hundreds filed by in reverence and grief in a
continual stream. Many of the mourners were personal friends,
but many others were admirers who had never met in person this
gifted son of the East, but came to love and revere him by his
works. They were from all nationalities, because Gibran's fame
was not confined to the people of one language or race. Some of
his books had been translated into as many as twenty languages.
MMtiNlMN
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•—-.
?HE SYRIAN WORLD
But all who came represented the finest artistic and literary element in American life.
The names of many of these who came to render their silent
tribute are known both here and abroad. Among these were Mrs.
Corinne Roosevelt Robinson who rose from her own sick bed to
stand beside the bier of this inestimable friend; Leonora Speyer,
Rose O'Neill, Margaret Sanger, Alice Raphael, Natalie Sedgwick
Colby; and through Rose O'Neill came messages of devotion and
sorrow from Witter Bynner, Daniel Long, and Orrick Johns,
fellow poets and friends of long and happy years.
The body was taken to Boston for interment in the family
plot where Gibran's mother rests. Accompanying the bereaved
sister were a number of devoted American friends and members
of Ar-Rabitah, the Arabic literary circle which Gibran had founded and of which he had been president.
During the past winter Gibran had taken a keen pleasure in
translating several of the simple beautiful poems from his Arabic
into English. The last poem, which he dictated to Barbara
Young but a very short time, a fortnight perhaps, before his passing, is this:
Whence, Bride of my dreams?
Go hence slowly, Bride of my deeper Dream;
For I am now weary afoot,
And I cannot follow.
Nay, go fast, faster,
Bride of my dreams,
For the valleys and the higher hills
That I feared but yesterday,
Now I would cross and climb.
Go fast, faster. I follow.
The spirit is ready and I would now run.
Fly, Bride of my dreams,
For there are wings springing upon my shoulders.
The flame that I feared of burning
Now I would embrace;
And now I would bathe only at the high tide of
the sea.
�\APR1L, 1931
23
It was at the autumn of my years
That I beheld you in the mist,
Bride of my dreams.
Now it is spring.
Run fast. Fly high.
I follow.
We shall pass into the twilight,
Perchance to wake to the dawn of another world.
But love shall stay,
And his finger-marks shall not be erased.
The blessed forge burns,
The sparks rise, and each spark is a sun.
Better it is for us and wiser
To seek a shadowed nook and sleep in our earth
divinity,
And let love, human and frail, command the
coming day.
These words close the last published book of Gibran Kahlil
Gibran.
Gibran s Funeral in Boston
'By BARBARA YOUNG
was love, human and frail, love stricken with a grief entirely
ITbeyond
expression, that met the body of Gibran as it was taken
from the train at South Station at five in the afternoon of Monday, April 13. The platforms and waiting-rooms were overflowing with hundreds of weeping people who had come to receive
this body of the Syrian poet who was their beloved, "habibi."
This was the word on every tongue. Gibran's close personal
friend and the priest of the Church of Our Lady of the Cedars,
Chor-Bishop Stephen El-Douaihy, in his robes, met Mariana
Gibran and her cousins, and the American and Syrian friends who
had accompanied them from New York. A group of notable
Boston men led by Elias F. Shamon, Gibran's friend and legal
counsellor, placed upon the casket the beautiful Lebanese flag,
and it was borne to the home of the Syrian Ladies' Aid Society
�„1: '"r
"
24
THE SYRIAN WORLD
on West Newton street, where, lying in silent state, Gibran received the hundreds of sorrowing hearts that came to look upon
his quiet face, and express with rivers of tears, and with the tenderest and most blessed words, their overwhelming grief.
The writer was moved, beyond any words to tell, by the interminable lines of weeping beings from every walk in life that
passed through the long room, softly lighted, banked with the
loveliest of flowers, tapers burning at the head and foot of the
simple casket, and a guard of honor, young men from the Becharre Society, standing always, day and night, beside their sleeping countryman.
On Tuesday, when the long procession wound through the
city streets, making its way to the Church of Our Lady of the Cedars on Tyler Street, it was accompanied by hundreds of loving
people. And as the cortege passed by many dropped upon their
knees upon the curb to pray; and the scores of traffic officers of
Boston stood at salute as the flag-draped casket went by.
It was impossible for the many hundreds of friends to find
places inside the little church, and they waited in silence on the
sidewalk during the service conducted by the Rt. Reverend Stephen El-Douaihy, with moving and impressive chant and recitative which is a part of the Maronite funeral service. In the
little organ loft a beautiful single voice was suddenly lifted in
a pean of sad beauty. It was the voice of a young Syrian girl,
Nagiebie Mourad, whose singing had enchanted Gibran many
times, and in whose gift he had a faith and confidence.
Beside the candles stood a young altar-boy who had been a
protege of Gibran, and whose dark eyes ran over with tears which
he tried in vain to control.
•
The organizations represented at the services included the
Syrian Ladies' Aid Society, Syrian Educational Society, St. George
Society of Antioch, Damascus Church Society, Massachusetts Syrian Association of American Citizens, Mount Lebanon Club of
Boston and Lebanon League of Progress of New York.
At the tomb wherein the mortal garment had been laid,
awaiting a possible removal to the country of the cedars, the
throngs of now utterly silent friends listened to the words of
love and sorrow and farewell voiced by the Monsignor and by
the countrymen of Gibran who had come from New York to pay
the last possible tribute to his visible presence.
Never have I beheld expressions of greater tenderness nor
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?APRlLy1931
of deeper grief. "Much have I loved the world, and the world
has loved me," Gibran has written in his unfinished "Garden of
the Prophet." He knew in his great heart that this was indeed so.
And this profound and deathless love through which he gave
himself in ceaseless measure to the world shall be ever his honor
and his reward.
These words, again from his "Earth Gods," might well be
his epitaph:
"My god-heart within my human ribs
Shouts to my god-heart in mid-air.
The human pit that wearied me calls to divinity.
The beauty that we have sought from the beginning
Calls unto divinity.
I heed and I have measured the call,
And now I yield.
Beauty is a path that leads to self self-slain.
Beat your strings.
I will to walk the path.
It stretches ever to another dawn."
The Creative Hand, by Gibran
�mm
26
THE SYRIAN WORLD
.2
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-*-s
03
£
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3
-
�tAPRIL, 1931
27
Americans Pay Tribute to Spirit
of Gibran
Impressive Services Held at the Roerich Museum by
Representative American Intellectuals.
"THOUGH Gibran be dead, his memory will ever live; his influence on the spiritual life of America will gain momentum
with the passing of years; his creations of pen and brush will constitute one of the finest contributions of his race to the youngAmerican nation. Such was the general theme of the many eulogies, in poetry and prose, contributed to the memorial services to
the "Spirit of Gibran," held in the East Hall of the Roerich
Museum, 103rd Street and Riverside Drive in New York on the
afternoon of Wednesday, April 29.
The occasion was marked by the simplicity, dignity, and uplifting influence characteristic of the Spirit of Gibran, which it
was meant to symbolize. The thought of rendering this public
tribute to our departed poet was in the minds of all his many
friends and admirers since he died, but was first given expression
by Dr. Charles Fleischer, well-known author and lecturer, who
was most generous in time and energy in organizing the meeting.
The two-hundred or more in attendance were representative
of the city's best intellectual element. There were authors and
lecturers, artists, educators and men and women of various professions. A number of Syrians were also present, but not in the
proportion to properly indicate Gibran's place in the esteem of
his own people, since it had been announced in the Syrian press
that a special memorial meeting, to be conducted in Arabic, was
to be held in Brooklyn, Sunday evening, May 24.
Throughout the meeting, the chairman, Dr. Fleischer, punctuated the eulogies with the reading of selected passages from
Gibran's works. He opened with the fitting quotation, "Mayhap
a funeral among men is a wedding-feast among the angels."
Prince Hohiudin, scion of the Arab Hashemite family of the
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
Prophet, played "Du bist die Ruh" on the 'cello to the piano ac
compamment of Mr. Reitner. The opening remarks of the hair
zttune to the spirituaJ nature f the
ssjr?
i together with other poems
° and°«'
on! ?i;
Fletcher's remarks,
eulogies
de
Wed on this occasion, are published elsewhere in this ifsu )
that Mrs Cirman 2* mafyTJtCiegramS °f re^ret and announced
that Mrs. Connne Roosevelt Robinson, sister of the late president
Roosevelt and a devoted friend and admirer of cSTadat
SSS iirpZr' ^ * ^ ** ^ ** ^ «
Miss Estelle Duclo and Mr. Mischa Naimy delivered their
poems, while the chairman read the poem
of Miss Barbara Youn^
composed especialiy for the occasionP ^ y^^^^SS
eihan Synan com
to musi'c «\rf? 1
'
P°s^-P-"-t, had put
C Linscott to Fnl?h >P°emS' Wh,ch was
S W Mr. Hubert
e. Linscott to Fuleihan's piano accompaniment. Mr Claude
oralnsn' "
"^ "* ^ ^
A
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Moka
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The ceremonies were closed with Prince Mohiudin nkvine
P
some touching Oriental music on the oud
' 8
« Thl manaSers.ofrthe Roerich Museum expressed their deen
P
sympathy and spmt of cooperation by donating the hall
A RECLAMATION
Opening Remarks of the Chairman,
DR. FLEISCHER
"The Cosmos sends a creative challenge to her Earth Chil
dren: to escape oblivion-as best we can. Each accordmg to h s
power-in his brief allowance of earthly life-achieves escape
Zgttrf t°b/r°n (WmS
a
%0 - ^ adds hiS
through work, to the mounting worth of the world.
For, "what is excellent—is permanent "
One so harmoniously attuned to the music of the spheres-
pe^^rh^uT^I brUShJ
Wkh th md d
/
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speech with truth, beauty, wisdom, understanding: like our
friend Kahlil Gibran-uttered himself, as poet, arfist prophet
in spntual terms,-well, his passing from our ^igh and ken s
really only a reclamation by the Eternal Spirit of the Cosmos
_
�vfPRIL, 1931
29
Therefore, we mourn not; because we can easily take, as the
keynote for our "Tribute to the Spirit of Kaklil Gibran" his
own words from "Sand and Foam":
"Mayhap a funeral among men is a wedding-feast among
the angles."
GIBRAN LIVES
'By
CLAUDE BRAGDON
The elegiac note is not the proper one for this occasion, as
Doctor Fleischer has well said. When a prophet dies—and no
one is more deserving than Gibran of that title—it is a surcease
from labor and a release from "the narrow prison of the breast."
It was a release also in this case from physical suffering so protracted and intense that no matter how keen our personal loss
we should rejoice today that this Bird of God is free at last.
As prophet, poet, painter, seer, Gibran is well known to you
all; therefore upon these aspects, in the short time at my disposal, I shall not dwell, but attempt rather to tell you something
about him as a man and as a friend. For he was my friend from
far back—I even think in other lives. Our first coming together
was "like kinsmen met a-night," and those thereafter, however
infrequent, were as though we had just parted and would never
part again.
I can testify to the truth of what his fellow-countryman has
just told you: that though dwelling far from home and writing
in an alien language his great love for his birthplace and his
birthright remained unimpaired. Lebanon was to him a sacred
land, a nursery of saints and prophets; and he always insisted
that it was their light which he sent forth rather than anything personal to himself. In this he was doubtless right: his
power came from some great reservoir of spiritual life else it
could not have been so universal and so potent, but the majesty
and beauty of the language with which he clothed it were all
his own.
Robert Edmund Jones once said to me, "Claude, we do not
use the word 'noble' often enough." This is true, but indeed why
should we? —there are so few things and people now-a-days to
which the adjective can be applied. But Gibran was one of these
�_
30
mmmm
THE SYRIAN WORLD
people—a noble man, of noble birth, noble rearing, noble presence, character and endowment. If this seems to bear with it any
implication of the aloof and forbidding I hasten to correct the
impression by adding that he was also a man of great charm—
what the Irish would call a "darlin' " man, in the sense of being
very human and lovable. For he loved the world and he loved
people; he was a devoted friend, and was as a father to many
orphans: his benefactions alone would make an amazing story,
but he took pains to see that this story should not be known. To
sum up, Gibran was like that other Great One, Zarathustra, who,
asked if by carrying his fire to the valleys he did not fear the
incendiary's doom, made this answer' "I love men!"
In any company of his intimates he was the center of a
charmed attention—not because he wanted to be, but others, with
the chance of listening to him, did not care to talk. On these occasions he was fond of telling pointed and amusing stories drawn
from the Persian poets and the folk-lore of his people, and he
did this with an impromptu art commensurate with, but different
from, his deeply considered and highly polished written verse.
The last time but one on which I saw him, he told me that
he was working on a trilogy of which "The Prophet" was to constitute only the first part, "The Garden of the Prophet" and
"The Death of the Prophet" being the second and third. The
theme of the first (as we know) is the relation of man to his fellow-men, the theme of the second was to be man's relation to Nature, and of the third, his relation to God. How much of this he
had finished at the time of his death I have no idea, but there are
fragments which in due time will be added to that heritage already
bequeathed and scattered with so loving and so liberal a hand. I
shall not add the conventional tag, "now stilled in death" because
it would express only a falsehood: history proves that great prophets and great poets are never so alive in the consciousness of
men as after they have put off the body. Gibran lives, increasingly and eternally.
�tAPRIL, 1931
31
HE BROUGHT BEAUTY AND TRUTH
2?y
i »
i
-,;
SYUD HOSSAIN
THE passing of Kahlil Gibran removes a significant and vital
personality from the international scene. It was a many-sided
personality, touched with genius and characterized by rare charm
and distinction. He was at once a poet, a painter, a thinker, and
a scholar. His achievements in each one of these aspects represented an authentic individuality and a serene and high purpose.
Originality, idealism, and a fastidious craftsmanship characterized his work as poet and painter. As a thinker he had begun
with the precious natural endowment of a mind of great range
and depth, which came to be informed and equipped with the
fruits of a varied culture and a profound scholarship.
It is not my purpose on this occasion to essay an exhaustive
appraisal of the life and achievements of Kahlil Gibran, but
rather to offer a homage of affection to the memory of a friend
and of admiration to a creative artist, prematurely torn from us,
but whose influence and inspiration will continue to be operative
on the minds and hearts of innumerable men and women for a
long time to come.
It was my privilege to have known Gibran at fairly close
range, both as a friend and as an artist. As one recalls his vivid
and vital personality, the unforgettable memory is one of its
compelling charm. He bore his great learning lightly, and almost to the last his jo'te de vivre and a keen sense of humor were
a dominant part of his personality. Even the great physical pain,
which he so stoically endured during the closing years of his
life, was not able to daunt his god-given capacity for laughter
and his genius for companionship.
According to a classical observation, the difference between
ordinary mortals and an authentic poet is that while we all have
our moods and moments of ecstasy, the poet alone can hold his
ecstasy long enough to make it immortal. Gibran lived in perpetual ecstasy, which in this context connotes an intense sensitiveness both to the laughter and the tears of things. He, truly, and
in authentic poetic tradition, learnt in suffering much that he
taught in song.
MBNHHNNNN
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
In the poet's soul, indeed, ecstasy and agony must co-exist,
and it is the poet's alchemy that extracts from their inter-mingling the substance of enduring Beauty.
While everyone knows of the distinguished achievements of
Kahlil Gibran as a poet and a painter, perhaps the quality of his
mature and mellow scholarship is not so well or widely known.
This scholarship was a basic element of his rich and cosmopolitan
culture. While he derived from one of the most ancient and authentic of the founts of Christian tradition, he also shared with
the world of Islam the heritage of the classic Arabic language
and literature.
This community of inheritance had enabled him to acquire a
\ ast knowledge of, and deep insight into, the history and psychology of the Islamic peoples. He had an intimate and extensive
knowledge of their philosophy and their poetry. He said to me
more than once that he ranked the Caliph Ali as among the very
greatest figures of history—greater, in his opinion, even than
Mohammed—and that he hoped one day to put together a collec;ion of the Sayings of Ali, which he thought were among the
profoundest and wisest of human utterances.
He knew many of the Sayings of Ali by heart and, as a
master of Arabic himself, could no doubt appreciate them in the
fullness of their classic force and beauty. I know enough about
Ali—the beau ideal of Islamic chivalry—to share Gibran's enthusiasm and admiration for that incomparable Caliph. Had
Gibran lived to bring out his projected compilation, I do not
doubt but that it would have taken its place as a memorable contribution to the lilerature, not alone of the Arabic-speaking peop'es but of the world. A selection of the Sayings of Ali by Kahlil Gibran would have had a savor and a unity all its own!
Gibran thus united in himself two of the historic traditions
of the East—his racial roots were in the sacred soil of Lebanon
and his cultural roots in the language and lore of the larger
entity of all "Jazirat-ul-Arab".
To a cultural personality already so deeply rooted and so
richly blended, he super-added the acquisitions of a modern
Western training. He not only perfected his artistic technique
under the liberating and inspiring influence of la belle France, but
with characteristic intellectual zest he utilized those precious
early years in Paris to contact with the ideals and achievements
of the European tradition in Art. He knew most of the treasures
I
�— '«
' ''
—
—
^"
—
33
zJPRIL, 1931
of the Louvre in his own field, for instance, with a thoroughness
and intimacy that could have been equaled by only a few others
among his contemporaries.
Gibran thus presented a most rare combination of qualities
and assets, which made him an outstanding and irreplaceable personality. Not the least of his characteristics was that reverent
pride in his art which permitted of no compromise where standards were concerned, and which made him sustain his own role
as an artist with invulnerable dignity. In the midst of rampant
vulgarity and a raucous commercialism he unflinchingly eschewed
alike the tricks and the trophies of the market place.
No one who knew Gibran but will miss him keenly, and even
poignantly. One can only balance the sense of personal loss by
the reflection that if he has passed on in the prime of life it has
also been in the fullness of manifold achievement. And, above
all, perhaps the supreme consolation for his friends will be in
the realization that he was instrumental in bringing, by his life
and his works, a great deal of Beauty and a great deal of Truth
into thousands of other lives. No artist could have done more or
could have wished for more. "May his soul rest in peace!"
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{
HE TRAVELED WITH THE SUN
"By
I
SALLOUM
A.
MOKARZEL
(")NE cannot fail but be moved by the touching tributes now
given in memory of our beloved poet Gibran. Seeing that this
assembly is composed mostly of Americans, men and women admirers of the work of pen and brush of one of our kinsmen, and
that the call to it had first been sounded by non-Syrians, one
readily concedes that Gibran belongs to the larger humanity, that his spirit is universal and transcends racial
and national demarcations. In that he is yours as well as
ours. But being originally of us, he is our messenger to you, the
man who embodies and typifies the richness of that spiritual
heritage which is of the East.
If we may be permitted the pardonable pride of claiming Gibran, it is but to reassert a truth with which he had been continually
identified and which he never made an attempt to conceal. He,
�Tftkl
34
THE SYRIAN WORLD
rather, felt proud in proclaiming it, to the extent that he became
known as the Poet of the Cedars, and that in his literary masterpiece "Jesus the Son of Man" he paid his tribute to the character
of Jesus under the significant title: "A Man from Lebanon Nineteen Centuries Afterwards." Gibran's name was inalienably associated with that of his national extraction, and his life and work
and even his tragic death were as if cast by fate with the source
of his early inspiration. He was born under the shadow of the
Cedars of Lebanon, at Becherri, the highest point of habitation
in the upper reaches of the mountain close to the grove which has
defied the centuries, and still stands as a living relic of a glorious
civilization. Gibran dreamed of going to live some day in the
scenes of his early childhood and youth. News of his intention
had reached his countrymen, and when I was with them only a
short time since, they were most solicitous for his return. They
idolized him; they were proud of his genius; but in order to
insure his well-being and guarantee that solitude which he so
much sought, they had arranged to install him in the very monastery whose location he admired even in his tender age. It was
an old landmark, situated on a ledge of the mountain almost
half-way between his native town and the Cedars. The location
is ideal for Gibran's purpose. From it he could at once command
a view of the lofty cedars to soar to the heights of inspiration,
and of the majestic Wadi Qadisha, or sacred valley, which symbolized the depth of his reasoning and understanding.
But fate has willed otherwise. Born in the East^ he followed
the sun in its prescribed course and set in the West. To the
West he owed much of his technical knowledge and skill which
he aptly used to express his native ability. His medium of expression in his more mature years was principally the English language.
Fate also so willed that even to the end he should be associated with the memory of his beloved homeland. The last rites
over his mortal remains were held in the church of Our Lady of
the Cedars in Boston, chanted in the Syriac language which he
learned as a youth and retained as a man, and by a priest of his
own section of the mother country.
It is in the spirit of his origin and associations that we claim
him. To us he symbolizes a spiritual heritage which, in his own
words, "we can proudly lay as a gift of gratitude upon the lap
of America." His message to the Syrian-American generation
�*APRIL, 1931
35
which he was moved, rather inspired, to write in promotion of
an ideal, breaths the spirit of law-obedience, productive and constructive toil, and the necessity of giving as well as of taking.
His own exalted example was that of giving out of the fullness
of his heart. I shall, with your indulgence, read you his short,
yet prophetic message, which he wrote especially for THE SYRIAN WORLD. (Gibran's message appears elsewhere in this issue.)
True to the spirit of Gibran, we shall give as we take. We
shall contribute to our fullest ability. And now, speaking as a
Syrian from Lebanon, the country of Gibran's birth, and voicing
the sentiment of my people, I may say, "People of America, we
have contributed to you—Gibran."
THE VOICE OF THE HEIGHTS OF LEBANON
"By
REV. ROBERT NORWOOD
We lament and mourn the going of Kahlil Gibran. In an
age of clack and clatter, of noisy superficialness and arrogant imposters, we need prophets and poets like the one who was a little
while in our midst and who has gone forward into the nearer
intimacy of life with God. I doubt if any preacher of this age,
however popular in his vogue, knew God and Christ with the
intimacy and the understanding of Kahlil Gibran. His voice was
the voice of the heights of Lebanon, and his spirit had something
of that grace and winsomeness revealed in One whom Paul described as grace — "The grace of the Lord Jesus."
It is a question, when a great man or a great woman passes,
what a nation accepts as its standard of greatness. Still we estimate the warrior, or the man who is able to control the destinies
of the world because of his skill in bargaining. But surely, as
time goes on, humanity stands with bowed head before the
prophet. America, you are bereft today of one of your greatest
souls, and the universe has been made more beautiful by a memory — the memory of Kahlil Gibran,
�I
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36
THE SYRIAN WORLD
THE PROPHET NEVER DIES
By REV. ABRAHAM M. RIHBANY
Mr. Gibran's death has left vacant an honored place in the
circle of true seekers and exponents of truth, goodness and beauty.
His soul was attuned to the higher and finer harmonies. He
served his generation, in a feverishly restless age, as a steadying
spiritual force. Sweetness and light, power and beauty, flowed
from his brush and pen. The great host of his spiritual beneficiaries will rise with your assembly and call his memory Blessed.
To us Syrians his achievements will ever remain a source of
inspiration and encouragement to seek the heights his brilliant
mind touched. He still lives and will continue to live with us
in his precious works. "The prophet never dies."
A GREAT SYRIAN OF THE AGES
By
REV.
W. A.
MANSUR
The death of the great G. K. Gibran brought great sorrow
to my heart, and tears to my eyes, and the realization of a great
loss. I wrote of Gibran as one of the great Syrian-Americans of
our times. I now write of him as one of the great Syrians of the
Ages. Gibran is forever the glorious heritage of our Lebanese
race, and Syrians of Greater Syria.
It is great men who make a people great, who enrich the
people's heritage, who lead in the vanguard of the race's progress. Gibran enriched our race by his high character, by his noble
achievements, and by his benevolent aspirations. We are a greater
people, we are a richer race, we are a better generation because
Gibran lived, wrought, and achieved.
Gibran lives, although he died, lives in the ennobling inspirations he left us, in the lofty song he bequeathed to us, in the
heavenly truths he gave to us. Gibran ever remains the poet
of our hearts, the singer of our soul, and the inspirer of our
song. He ever lives in our hearts, in our minds, and in our
dreams. Gibran, one of the fairest flowers of Lebanese soil, Gibran one of the illustrious sons of Lebanese heritage, Gibran one
of the greatest of the Lebanese race, will be enshrined forever in
the heart of the Lebanese and Syrian race. Let us catch the inspiration that we may dedicate ourselves to high character, noble
achievement^ unselfish service, and human welfare,
L
�—
IfPRIL, 1931
37
A SEER DEPARTED
An Editorial of
THE SUN,
Nezo York, April 15, 1931
The death of Kahlil Gibran is a great loss to the Syrians of
New York, numerous enough to form a distinct colony. He is
mourned, moreover, by the Arabic-speaking peoples of the world,
who had pride in him as their chief poet and artist, and by many
Occidental admirers who were familiar with such of his books
in English as "The Madman," "The Forerunner," "The Prophet," "Sand and Foam," "Jesus the Son of Man" and "The
Earth Gods."
In Greenwich Village Gibran's studio was a favorite meetingplace for artists j he will be missed not only as an artist-poet but
as a personality. When at work he wore the robes of his native
land, but when he went on the street he dressed in the clothing
to which New York is accustomed. A keen eye, noting the exquisitely sensitive hands, would have known them as those of
an artist.
Because of his position as the representative poet of a race,
Kahlil Gibran's fame was much wider than many of his American acquaintances imagined. He was a mystic, regarding the exterior world of tables and chairs as a mere veil or appearance.
It was natural that he should have written "The Prophet," for
he was born in Lebanon, known as the birthplace of prophets.
He wrote always as one inspired. "I did not write 'The Prophet'j
'The Prophet' wrote me," he said once to an admirer. He struck
out parables and aphorisms which had appeal for all men irrespective of race; his works have been translated into twelve languages. His early writings in Arabic were the first to depart
from traditional forms and to introduce verse and free prose.
Seldom have twin talents been so evenly united in an individual.
Fortunately before Kahlil Gibran died his pen and pencil had
largely "gleaned his teeming brain."
�28
THE SYRIAN WORLD
VALEDICTORY
'By
BARBARA YOUNG
We say, "The poet sleeps. Let mighty cedars
Guard now the place, and fortify this hill
Against the passing of his lofty name."
We say, "Let roots enfold his gracious dust—
He who has known their darkness and their pain,
And all the secret anguish of the soil,
And the green ways of myrtle and of grass;
He who has heard the pulse of God and man
Beat in the beating rain and falling snow."
We say, "The poet sleeps." He does not sleep.
He is gone out to walk upon the sky,
To run upon the wind. His stringless lyre
Is tuned to spaceless song, his brush of light
Finds now the colors of that other prism
Whereunto all his radiant being yearned.
Call it not dying to espouse the mist.
Call it not death to pass into the sun.
Nay, even now his unencumbered wing
Encounters Beauty in her dwelling-place.
For he has uttered an immortal word
Of life and Love and Death, and flung their face
In clear resplendant majesty and glory
Upon the ivory page. Now he goes forth
To speak in measures with the morning star,
To paint the ether with the suns and moons,
And ride the tempest where he finds his home.
�"
""5*"*"^*^TffW
K
tAPRlL, 1931
39
CONQUEROR OF THE STING
By
LEONORA SPEYER
Does the hill lie down at last:
And the sea sleep on its shore?
You, so generous of words—
Generous no more! —
Is the storm stilled on a leaf,
And the wind bound in a sheaf?
Be still and know that I am God.
(Psalms)
Only the dead are still enough. . .
And you, whom pain loved so,
You, lying there, know well,
Kahlil. . .
Pale poet's mouth
Sealed with the immaculate Hush,
Hand that has dropped the brush,
You of the eagle's wing. . .
Listening, you know,
Triumphant over Victory,
And conqueror of the Sting!
L
�40
THE SYRIAN WORLD
STARRY SON OF LEBANON
??y ESTELLE DuCLO
Can it be that he has gone,
Starry son of Lebanon?
Pen and Brush,—wings for his will,
Yet were warm when he grew still.
To the end, he gave and gave,—
Soul compassionate and brave!
"To the end,"—what have I said?—
Grieving hearts, be comforted,
He but halted on the way
To his spirit's freer day;—
Poet-prophet, pausing here,
As he moved from sphere to sphere.
Song and Silence knew his name,
Both for him were living flame,
Quickening all mystic power,
Bringing Beauty to full flower.
Love and Wisdom, Grief and Joy,
Gold of Life, and Life's Alloy,
Gave their meaning to his care,
To illumine and to share.
From his hands and from his lips,
Came a new apocalypse.
Strange! I seem to see him—now,
Eyes a-light, light on his browHear the voice, our hearts has stirred,
Chanting almost, word on word:
/ am here, beyond all death,
One with God's immortal breath,
One with Love's infinity,—
/ in you, and you in me.
Hail to you, Kahlil Gibran,
Starry son of Lebanon!
J
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J>
*APRIL, 1931
41
THE MYSTIC PACT
(TO GIBRAN)
"By
MISCHA NAIMY
I chanced upon my Brother's tryst with Death.
Fast were they locked in each other's embrace,
My Brother saying, "Mother of my breath,
Bid it be still, bid it dissolve in space.
It chokes my nostrils with the heavy smells
Of still-born hopes and putrid days and nights,
And breathless would I dwell upon the heights
And in the depths where breathless Beauty dwells.
"Reach deep, sweet Lover, deep into my breast;
Perchance you'll find a fragment of a heart.
'Tis all I have to offer you; the rest
Is mine no longer: Here and there a part
I laid on canvas, melted into song,
Planted in fields unwedded to the plow,
Forged into tongues for all the mute who long
With tongues their silent longings to endow.
"Now cleanse me, Lover, of the salt and froth
Of earth to sail with you the shoreless sea."
And Death responded to my Brother's plea,
And with the kiss of silence sealed the troth.
As I, a witness to the mystic rites,
Stood dazed, enveloped in a thousand nights,
There spoke a voice exceeding soft and kind:
"What is ahead is already behind."
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�42
THE SYRIAN WORLD
TO ONE WHO HAS PASSED
'By
MARY MOORE
FIRST THOUGHT
I saw Death stretch forth his hand
And take my well-beloved
Beyond my reach:
And leave to earth but a garment.
SECOND THOUGHT
Yet, I can hear the silent lips
Telling a deeper longing;
And I can see the eyes of love
Demanding their answer.
THIRD THOUGHT
You have not perished.
For if you were as sod,
I could not call to
Unanswerable clay,
As I call to you now.
u
FOURTH THOUGHT
And I know that before
I, too, shall cross Life's bridge,
I shall feel your heart enfold me,
Even as your arms enfolded me
Yesterdav.
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Famous Grove of the Cedars of Lebanon, in Whose Shadow Gibran Wras Reared
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�,-JTfS
44
THE SYRIAN WORLD
GIBRAN'S MESSAGE
TO YOUNG AMERICANS OF SYRIAN ORIGIN
2?y G. K. GIBRAN
Reprinted from the First Issue of The Syrian World, July, 1926
(Written Especially for The Syrian World)
j
I believe in you, and I believe in your destiny.
I believe that you are contributors to this new civilization.
I believe that you have inherited from your forefathers an
ancient dream, a song, a prophecy, which you can proudly lay
as a gift of gratitude upon the lap of America.
I believe you can say to the founders of this-great nation,
"Here I am, a youth, a young tree whose roots were plucked
from the hills of Lebanon, yet I am deeply rooted here, and I
would be fruitful."
And I believe that you can say to Abraham Lincoln, the
blessed, "Jesus of Nazareth touched your lips when you spoke,
and guided your hand when you wrote j and I shall uphold a!ll
that you have said and all that you have written."
I believe that you can say to Emerson and Whitman arid.
James, "In my veins runs the blood of the poets and wise men
of old, and it is my desire to come to you and receive, but I shall
not come with empty hands."
I believe that even as your fathers came to this land to produce riches, you were born here to produce riches by intelligence,
by labor.
And I believe that it is in you to be good citizens.
And what is it to be a good citizen?
It is to acknowledge the other person's rights before asserting your own, but always to be conscious of your own:
It is to be free in thought and deed, but it is also to know
that your freedom is subject to the other person's freedom. .
It is to create the useful and the beautiful with your own
hands, and to admire what others have created in love and with
faith.
It is to produce wealth by labor and only by labor, and to
spend less than you have produced that your children Ttiay not
'r-
�I
ZfPRIL, 1931
45
be dependent on the state for support when you are no more.
It is to stand before the towers of New York, Washington,
Chicago and San Francisco saying in your heart, "I am the descendant of a people that builded Damascus, and Biblus, and Tyre
and Sidon, and Antioch, and now I am here to build with you,
and with a will."
It is to be proud of being an American, but it is also to be
proud that your fathers and mothers came from a land upon
which God laid His gracious hand and raised His messengers.
Young Americans of Syrian origin, I believe in you.
A PLEDGE
'By CECIL J. BADWAY
A Young Am-erican of Syrian Origin
I
In your going, Gibran Kahlil Gibran, you have come.
You have come as the guiding spirit in the fulfillment of our
dreams.
You have come to stay as the beacon of inspiration within
the deepest recesses of our hearts.
You have come to lead us to our destiny in which you believed.
We would be fruitful as young Americans of Syrian origin.
We would be productive by the honest sweat of our brows.
We would be defenders of our rights but remembering the
rights of others in our defence.
We would be courageous and fearless in our righteousness
yet tolerant and merciful to the weak.
You shall go before us, Gibran Kahlil Gibran, as the standard bearer of the Syrian-American awakening.
You shall lead us and generations to come.
We and the mighty and thunderous army of those who come
after shall follow your spirit along the corridors of time. Forward and onward, down through the ages until there shall have
been written the apocalypse of young Americans of Syrian origin.
In your going and in your coming, Gibran Kahlil Gibran,
you will not have gone or come in vain. We are ready.
�46
"THE SYRIAN WORLD
TO ONE OF BLESSED MEMORY
"By
THOMAS ASA
Dare we in this Hour lift our saddened voice!
Awake the Heavens from their ceaseless way,
Bemoan that Fate so soon had cast astray
That glorious Name, in whom we all rejoice!
Thou Eastern Star! dim thou thy holy light
True son of thine on earth no longer known ;
Thy once familiar beam no more shall sight,'
Where o'er Lebanon's lovely vales hath shown.
Though Death hath claimed him to its solemn state,
And, earth-bound, we bend our heads in sorrow,
No pow'r divine shall at the heavenly Gate
Grant him what, on earth, he could not borrow.
The splendors of his mind bequeathed to Man,
But where the friendly smile, the knowing heart?
The saintly presence more than perfect art
Hath shown him foremost of that God-like clan.
Ye unseen pow'rs that shape Man's destiny,
Why pluck the precious bud that soon shall bloom?
With lightning's thrust ye fell the stately tree,
And leave what better thou hast claim to doom.
Naught can return to Life the Dead we love,
Nor bring back to mind our lost desires;
We but add substance to Life's ebbing fires,
And striving without Hope to reach' above.
Sound thy last requiem, O tragic Earth!
For One, but now departed, shall ascend
To thy exalted heights of mortal worth,
Triumph and defeat,—life and death attend!
Now must we leave the mortal form to rest,
Within Earth's age-worn folds his final sleep
Though dead, the thought and deed of him shall keep
Before us the consecrated mem'ry blest.
W. Brownsville, Pa,
II
�D
tAPRIL, 1931
47
TRUTH SEEKER
By
EDNA
K.
SALOOMEY
Truth-seeker, who spoke from your heart to our's;
Whose very desires mirrored all mankind's}
Death has claimed for her pleasure your powers,
And greedily banished hope from our minds.
Your voice, that breathed life into words, is still.
Your heart, which bitter loneliness did grieve,
.No longer vibrates to friendship's touch. The will
To know, to live, to love, to weep; to weave
All earth's joys and sorrows into one brief life,
Has been dissipated by death. Hear now!
Our voices rise above the din of strife
To proclaim your wisdom. Peace is your's. Though
Your body mated with death, your soul's abode
Is with truth, and truth is the realm of God.
Bridgeport, Conn.
POET OF OUR LAND
By
PHILIP
C.
SABBAGHA
Sleep sweetly in your earthly grave,
Sleep poet of our noble land;
Through wind and tempest, banners brave,
Shall wave before our band.
In wreaths of laurel 'pon thy tomb,
The vict'ry of our cause is shown;
And someday, shining like the moon,
The cause in ev'ry home.
My tribute to my countryman,
A leader passed to his beyond;
In peace and to his countryman,
Of whom he was so fond.
Farewell! your brothers dry their tears
^ And sing their praise my fellow man
Thy name in hearts outlives the years,
Farewell my countryman,
Columbia, S. C.
�48
THE SYRIAN WORLD
HE TOUCHED THE STARS
"By
LABEEBEE
A. J.
HANNA
He dwelt in the garden of ethereal dreams
With the sea of Fate close at hand,
And he touched the stars with his pen of gold
To plant them on a desolate land.
And the stars into beautiful flowers grew,
That the souls of the hungry inspired,
Of celestial perfume and rarest hue—
From the heart of the dreamer transpired.
And he took his brush of silver and gold
And reached up to an azure sky
For paints that will be new when old,
For naught else would satisfy.
He dwelt in the garden of ethereal dreams,
Which the hand of the Giver gave,
And he touched the stars with his pen of gold,
And now lies resting in his grave.
And so from the garden of ethereal dreams
The Giver called him home again
The dreamer who dreamed, and in dreaming planned
His dreams to fact, and his life to gain.
Boston, Mass.
Facsimile of Gibran's Arabic Signature
AH drawings and decorations appearing in this section are of
the work of Gibran,
j
�.n-r.-^-v-rS)?- .
^PRIL, 1931
LD
49
A Journey Through Jebel Druze
2?y
SALLOUM
A.
MOKARZEL
IV
«
pAKHRY Bey Baroody had a surprise in store for us. He had
used his time in preparing a meal which was the best money
could buy in town. Not that all the people in town subsist on
such fare, for had we chosen to accept the hospitality of the emir
we would have partaken of a meal in the best Arab tradition. But
the meal now provided was the finest an epicure such as Baroody
Bey could choose from available material, and on such short
notice, served in a setting much in keeping with the nature of
the repast itself. We enjoyed the experience while it lasted, but
the after-effect proved not of very pleasant memory.
We met
Baroody Bey in the general store located on the
main street between the public square and the governor's residence. He apologetically explained that this was the only place
he could find where he could order a meal and pay for it. The
store was unique in every particular. The uneven mud floor indicated that no attempt had ever been made to level it since the
walls were raised. In one corner was a pile of grain with only a
wall of sacks to prevent it from spilling all over the floor; while
in the other corner, and in a similar manner, was a pile of fodder.
Along the rear ran a counter behind which rose a row of almost
empty shelves. At one end of the counter was suspended what
was left of a carcass covered with cheese-cloth, and all but inviting as an ingredient in the feast. A table and a few rush-bottom
chairs formed the furnishings of the restaurant.
Like good sports, we sat awaiting the result of the epicurian
ingenuity of our fastidious host whose palace in Damascus is
not infrequently the scene of some of the finest feasts staged in
that city of fabulous Oriental sumptuousness and splendor. He
inquired if the storekeeper had canned goods. Yes, he had sardines and tuna fish. Did he also have wine? Surely, because he
was a Christian and among his customers were men of the French
garrison. "Wine is the best germicide," ironically remarked our
host, and the corks began to pop. I would not object to the reader's inference that we drank more than we ate.
�50
THE SYRIAN WORLD
While still at our meal the official interpreter of the governor
a clean-cut young man in his early twenties, entered and greeted
us with the customary Druze affability. He politely but firmly
refused our insistent invitation to join us. He had already had
his meal he explained with a gesture of finality, and we could
but take him at his word.
Shortly after, the gang foreman, who had remained with us
throughout, discovered that he had important business elsewhere
* earing that we may not meet him again, and appreciating the
oTS he, ^ IT US ^^ US about> l Sok himlide
ostensibly to thank him, and made an effort to slip him a few
TeLf^
ferpreter had >» watching ^ more closely than
I expected, and no sooner did he perceive the gesture than he
thrust the foreman away from me. There was no mistaking the
P
hi tone when he attera ted to
S
n0n M will
n not accept reward for
P our -Plain
his S
action. SSf
We Druzes
favors
Flease don t wound us in our sense of hospitality. We still adhere
to the tradition that our guests are our hosts and as such theyy can
be under no obligation to us."
The foreman would not remain to await the result of the
argument which, I w 11 admit, I did not carry far in my realiza!
tion of the susceptibilities of the Druzes in this respect. But I
was tremendously impressed with the attitude of the interpreter
who apparently was not ignorant of modern customs yet clung
he Si °d th:^"1'10118 °fr,hiS ^j^ ,T° ^ -era/inquirie!
Mizvad Fl H V ^A I ?rUZeJ°f Salkhad' hIs name being
Frafch andfTv'
" ^ *? advanCed eduCation in Arabic *»d
^" had been Irving for some time as official interpreter
to the District Governor. He is of the school of thought that
advocates for his people the benefits of modern education*but no
at the expense of their native traditions and virtues.
We yet had to visit the emir of Shahba whom the French Dist0 See
l asked the
tZvrZTSVe
i?*
"^ t0 fail us
<*al
interpreter if he cared
to accompany
on 'this visit and the
excuse he advanced was a revelation. He said he still had to s
go
home for his lunch!
Nor did Baroody care to meet the local emir. His standing
excuse was that he should evade all situations possible ofZ
political interpretation inasmuch as his affiliation with the Syrian
Nationalist Party laid him open to suspicion by the French Be"
I
*
J- '
�1
^PRIL, 1931
51
sides, he had a most important business to attend to, that of taking his daily siesta.
This last remark, uttered in the most matter-of-fact manner
aroused my sense of humor despite the depressing effect of the
torrid heat and other contributing circumstances. I felt the need
of a little diversion, and started an argument. "You are shattering a beautiful vision I had formed of you," I remarked to
Baroody Bey. "Suppose you found the vagaries of politics carrying you of a day to an office of responsibility in the Syrian
State, would you then insist on your siesta with the duties of
government weighing heavily upon you?"
But my Nationalist friend felt in no mood to entertain such
pleasantry "In my present frame of mind," he said, "I would
be inclined to let the business of government wait. Allah would
not overtax his servants, nor should the State."
With that, he peremptorily dismissed the subject and departed with the storekeeper who was only too glad to provide
sleeping accommodations to such an exalted personage.
I
The tortuous road to the house of the emir took us past a
sunken Roman amphitheatre recently cleared by excavators revealing the tiers of stone benches and the numerous subterranean
passages in a fine state of preservation. The arena was not exceptionally large, a necessity dictated, perhaps, by the limited
space in a fortress city. But in spite of its limited size, it was
in no other respects lacking in evidences of Roman thoroughness
and decorative lavishness.
We continued along a winding passage between walls of
rough-hewn black basalt stone until we reached the outer gate
of the emir's residence. We entered a vast courtyard where some
horses and mules were tethered. Mounting a few steps built of
nnely cut stone, taken apparently from some ruins, we came to
an arcade of beautiful granite columns which offered a sharp
contrast to the rough-and-ready native building rising in the
rear. A native at the door took our message to the emir who
came out in person to greet us. To our surprise, he proved to
uau i',!ean figUre' dreSSed in a simPle robe of white linen,
which, falling to the ground, accentuated his height He ap
peared to be in his early thirties and had all the unaffected charm
of an unspoiled country child. His hair was so sparse as to give
him the appearance of being clean shaven. What is more he
�52
THE SYRIAN WORLD
was of a pronounced blond type, his ruddy complexion standing
out in sharp contrast to the dark-skinned, bushy-haired men who
clustered about him.
Emir Tallal Pasha El 'Amer would receive me in his official
reception hall, which was of recent construction and stood independent of the main building, but I expressed a preferenee for
the old quarters, and affecting the flowery manner of speech of
his people, profusely begged him to first finish the business at
which he had been engaged. It was with some reluctance that he
agreed, and I was made to precede him into the large, dark,
square room which formed the combination court room and plebeian reception quarters. A narrow mastaba ran the whole length
of the four walls, on which squatted or reclined a dozen or so
natives. To the rear was a small iron-grated window which alone
admitted light and air. Thither the emir conducted me and sought
to make me comfortable by spreading a mat for me on the otherwise bare mud and stone mastaba. I did not smoke because no
one else did, but there was ample means of entertainment otherwise in listening to the continuation of a trial wnich my arrival
had apparently interrupted.
Two peasants, it appeared, had come to the emir to settle a
dispute over a donkey. The purchaser had agreed to a price for
the animal which later he refused to pay in full. It was evident
that the emir was reluctant to use his judicial authority and more
anxious to effect an amicable settlement. It was also evident that
the obduracy of the litigants was caused more by the vital amount
involved than by personal ill-feeling. Taking all these matters
into consideration, the emir finally decreed a compromise sum of
eight Syrian pounds, or the equivalent of $6.50.
Having finished with his judicial business, the emir now refused to listen to my entreaties to hold an interview in the old
native reception room whose fascination began to enthrall me
the more I stared into its bareness and pondered the strange circumstances which made of it the throne room of a prince whose
mere word would rally an army and shape the destiny of a whole
people. What a reminiscence of the feudal age from which this
docile yet fierce people have not as yet emerged! And to think
that only a portion of this people, through sheer will and desperation, could wage war against a first-class military power for
two years and gain the upper hand in many an encounter!
But now that local affairs of state had come to an end, I
�—
"APRIL, 1931
53
could not hold out against the persistence of the emir to receive
me in the manner he thought more compatible with my dignity—
and his. Consequently the modern and more formal reception
room was opened, and only dignitaries and men of rank, so to
speak, followed. Once within, their natural reserve seemed to
become accentuated by the solemnity of the place and the occasion. It was the emir and I who monopolized the conversation.
Since the reception room plays such a part in the visit, I feel
constrained to devote some space to its description. Unlike the
old room, this one had the luxury of windows. Chairs of every
description, from the modest bamboo cane to the velvet upholstered settees in a variety of design and color, lined the walls
in perfect orderliness. In the front center stood an oblong plain
table, spread with an oil-cloth cover whose bold designs and bright
vari-hued colors were strongly reminiscent of the primitive home
furnishings of the rural districts of America. On the table were
a glass pitcher and a dozen or more glasses of different sizes,
colors and shapes. The condition of some of the furnishings
plainly indicated advanced age and liberal use.
The conversation with the emir developed many interesting
points. He is, for instance, an officer of the French Legion of
Honor, and while a Pasha in his own right, had the additional
title of Prince conferred upon him by the French in 1929. It
was an unusual procedure, I thought, for a republican government to be dispensing with princely titles and creating social
ranksj but then the French were dealing with a special situation
in a country where title and rank still counted for more than an
empty honor. And was not Tallal Pasha the chief of a clan which
for many generations has contended with the powerful Atrash
family for the ascendancy of prestige in Jebel Druze? And had
he not, furthermore, remained loyal to the French in the last
revolution of 1925-26? He himself not only admitted the fact
but even seemed proud of it, continually referring to the revolution during the whole course of the conversation as "that deplorable mistake," and coupling every mention of the French
authorities with glowing adjectives of praise. Nor could one
mistake his attitude for one of diplomatic flattery, for there was
evident a ring of sincerity in his speech when over and over
again he spoke of the French as "the benefactors of the country,
whose 'white deeds' are bound to become more fully appreciated
as they come to be more properly understood."
�54
THE SYRIAN WORLD
The Prince seemed especially proud of the role he played
during the revolution as champion and protector of the Christians. "They are our brothers," he declared, "and we owe them
protection as a duty. Not a Christian within my jurisdiction will
I allow to be molested or harmed."
The Prince found a ready and enthusiastic corroborator in
the person of Khalil Bey Haddad, declared to be the leader of
the Christian element in the district of Shahba, who, like the
rest of the company, had maintained respectful silence up to this
point, but now added the weight of his testimony to the statement of the emir. "Allah be my witness," he volunteered. "The
emir was most solicitous of our safety and welfare during those
times of strife, and it is to his protection that we and our families owe our lives."
Before taking leave of the emir I asked him if he would
consent to pose for a photograph. Certainly he would. And
would I want him to appear in formal dress? "Boy, bring my
jacket," he commanded, and an attendant hastened to bring from
the closet a frock coat on which sparkled the decoration of the
French Legion d'honneur, and which the emir slipped over his
native robe and was ready for the camera.
Naturally, the insistent invitation to remain for a few days,
or even for the evening, had to be declined with full appreciation of the courtesy and hospitality of the emir. I had to join
my companions for an early start to insure our arrival in Damascus before dusk, and I made my way back in haste to the combination general store and restaurant. To my surprise, I found
that the climate of Shahba had lulled my companion into a longer
siesta than usual.
Alone and forsaken, and feeling that the torrid heat of a
Jebel Druze sun and the insidious heat of the imported French
wine had formed a powerful coalition to make things utterly
disagreeable for me, I sought what I thought would be the hospitable coolness of our car, parked in the shade of a corner building. But it took me only an instant to discover that if I would
not smother, I should search for relief elsewhere. We had found
the automobile comparatively cool on other occasions, but it could
not be expected to be so accommodating while not moving. I sat
on the running-board. I took off my coat, then my collar, and
was sorely tempted to follow with the shirt, had not a sense of
shame seized me when I perceived the natives apparently cool
�ItPRIL, 1931
55
and contented with all their encumbrances of clothes and heavy
headdress.
But where to fly from the stifling heat? Something had to
be done lest the nausea, which I felt creeping on me, overpower
me. In desperation, I rose and walked to a store of inviting appearance across the square where I observed several men seated
in apparent ease. I would talk with them and divert my mind.
As usual, the proverbial Druze hospitality was evident here
as elsewhere. The storekeeper ordered the floor sprinkled afresh
and offered me a comfortable chair. He and his friends were
evidently surprised to discover that I spoke their language, and
further still, that I came from America. The storekeeper immediately placed me under cross-examination as to economic conditions and possibility of admission. Business in this land is stagnant, he explained, and only in America is there a chance for
making a fortune.
Immediately America was mentioned, an old man of about
seventy, squatting cross-legged atop the counter, began to display
marked interest and soon joined in the conversation with gusto.
But he was not interested in prospects of trade as much as in the
physical wonders of the country. What is America like? What
are its reputed wonders? What is there exceptional and distinctive about New York? Etc.
I tried to paint a word picture of New York and started with
what I thought would prove more impressive. We had buildings
more than eighty stories high, through which run elevators that
travel faster than the fleetest horse. We had bridges whose single
span was more than a mile long. We had railroads under ground,
on the ground, above ground, and even running in tunnels under
water. We had instances where six tracks ran one above the other.
We had single buildings containing more people than half the
population of all Jebel Druze!
But to my utter stupefaction, the old gentleman showed not
the least sign of surprise. He only betrayed a faint smile and
remarked indifferently that he had heard about all that before.
I was already dripping with perspiration owing both to the
oppressive heat and to my spirited oratorical effort, and my feeling at the attitude of the old man was bordering on exasperation.
I realized that I had utterly failed in arousing his interest and
was dejected under the sting of defeat. Almost panting, and
with a final desperate effort, I attempted to deflect the course of
�56
THE SYRIAN WORLD
the conversion to a more immediate topic. Glancing at the
cool and collected men about me, I had recourse to the great
American expedient in such desperate straits, and dropped
a reFF
mark about the weather.
fk» lh&A ^ manu n°W evi"Ced a little interest and asked about
the kind of weather we had in America-whether or not we had
such intense heat as now caused me to complain.
W e had, I replied, but only in short spells and never for a
protracted period.
"
The old man seemed mystified. What could cause a break in
he summer's heat, he thought, and after a little hesitation, asked
tne question.
'
"Rain," I replied.
I had inadvertently, it seems, exploded a bomb. The man
now appeared utterly dumbfounded. He remained for a time
oTcreT !> ^ JTi' ^ ^ ^^ in am^ment, his sense
of credulity shocked beyond the power of speech. But when he
finally recovered, it was with what appeared to be a mixture of
mcredulity and accusation. "Rain in summer! La Wallah! ImAllah be praised! I had at last succeeded in conquering the
old man's passiveness. The wonder in America that I had invoked so long in vain proved to be so simple. And what was it?
m
h,v I J
tZ men?°f °f k' and PerhaPs the satisfaction of
having triumphed, cooled me. It dawned on me only later that
for a man who had Jived almost four-score years in a country
where the seasons are sharply defined, where it never rains a
drop in summer, because summer here is synonymous with the
dry season such a startling revelation as the possibility of summer rain should be expected to cause a shocking surprise. But
the fact remained that I felt supremely contented.
I left to rejoin my companions, and found them already
waiting and anxious to leave. But what could mean the presence
of a stranger in the front seat by the driver? Were we in need
°lll T ' T TWaS * °nX a Precaution^y measure against possible danger? I inquired by glance but not by articulate words,
and my cousin hastened to explain. The extra fare was a native
of a neighboring town lying about ten kilometers on our way to
Damascus. He had offered to sell my cousin live partridges for
he price of ten Syrian piasters apiece (less than 8 cents) and the
temptation was irresistible. To consummate the deal, the native
�,
vfPRIL, 1931
—-
57
had offered to borrow a horse, precede us to his home town and
have our order, whatever it amounted to, two dozen or even one,
ready for delivery to us whenever we pass. The deal seemed
exceptionally worthwhile to him judging by his anxiety, and so
it seemed also to my cousin who invited him to accompany us
to make sure of his earnestness. He proved true to his word
and produced the goods.
Leaving Shahba around 3 o'clock in the afternoon, we took
the north-easterly road to Damascus in the hope of making better
time. We drove for one hour, two hours, past mountain and
plain, amidst a monotonously bare landscape, with not a sign of
a habitation. We had dropped the partridge dealer at his own
village and were now depending on our own reckoning. Then
came a time when we had to make a momentous decision. The
road forked into two branches with no signs to indicate the respective destinations. Naturally all three passengers were strangers to the country and the chauffeur proved equally ignorant.
It was finally decided to take the easterly rode.
The hours that followed proved the most anxious and hazardous of our journey. We soon found ourselves in an open
stretch of the desert, with no mark to guide us except our faith
in Allah's compassion and our vague sense of direction. But the
desert was not of soft sand. It was of the hard clay surface characteristic of the Syrian plain. A few skeletons of camels and other
animals encountered on the way bore an ominous portent. And
what aggravated our plight was the lack of water. We had not
anticipated so long a journey and failed to make provisions. Our
throats were parched and the shimmering reflections of the desert sun made us see fantastic visions.
A low hill finally loomed in the distance. The mere fact
that it was a hill and broke the monotonous evenness of the
landscape gave us a sense of relief and courage, and for no apparent reason we headed towards it. In our anxiety and fear,
the distance appeared to be exceptionally long, and although we
had not the slightest reason to believe that it could mean anything, we made it an object whose attainment became of paramount importance in our confused reasoning. We finally reached
it and our hearts filled with thanks to Allah, to whom all praise
is due.
But after having reached the hill, what! It was bare and
bleak and proved to be nothing better than the desert plain we
�58
THE SYRIAN WORLD
were so anxious to flee. Its smooth, barren slopes gave no indication of ever having been touched by the hand of man.
But now that we had reached it we must pass it. Our first
success goaded us on to seek more, and we began to turn the
northern flank, when fo and behold! the conical white dwellings
E S
^a" jg1
settlement greeted our astonished eyes. It
was with difficulty that we suppressed a cheer, but the happy
looks we exchanged told volumes.
As we drew nearer, the Bey rose in his seat and uttered an
exclamation of unrestrained joy. "By Allah and the Prophet
his village is the property of one of my friends. I recall now
that I visited with him here some time ago," he fairly shouted
And so it proved to be, for when we had stopped before the
owner s house and the servants came out to greet us, Fakhry Bev
recognized many among them and could recall their names
Without ceremony, he ordered water in all haste.
A big earthen bowl was filled from a basin and offered to us
fakhry Bey would not think of drinking first, and I, in order
not to let ceremony prolong the common agony, accepted the
tempting cup. I no sooner raised it to my lips than decided I was
not so thirsty—there was too much animation in the water. And
when Fakhry Bey took the cup and looked into it quizzically, he
spilled the precious contents on the ground and mercilessly berated the servants for their disrespect in offering us polluted water
^ut this is our common drinking water," meekly protested
F
one of the servants.
"Never mind the excuses," thundered the irate Bey. "Bring
us of the special water of your master, and tell him upon his
return that I so ordered."
Then it was that we drank of the pure water of Barada, carried especially from Damascus for the use of the master
K>wf lOUlud T aff,°rd 1° tarry lonS- The sun w*s ^st setting
behind the high peaks of Anti-Lebanon silhouetted against the
limpid sky behind the ghouta of Damascus stretching at their
feet. And although the road was rough and the landscape uninviting we were buoyed by the hope of soon reaching the terP adlSC
T
f
Thich S° aPPealed to the imagination of the Prophet Muhammad And when finally we entered the enchanted
domains of the ghouta, and sped smoothly along its level roads,
lined with stately poplars and disclosing a delightful vista of
heavily-laden orchards and verdant fields, intersected at short
d
a
n
tl
.1
e
f,
cl
o
�"1
*4PRIL, 1931
59
distances with murmuring brooks, we fast forgot the weariness
and anxiety of our desert journey and surrendered to the enchantment of this revelation of a terrestrial paradise. Nor could the
thick dust of the road we encountered on some stretches of the
.Damascus suburbs prove sufficient to dampen the ardor of our
elation and enthusiasm. We were safe. We were cool, and we
felt the assurance of being back in civilization. The beauty and
charm of Damascus linger more vividly in the memory by virtue
of the sharp contrast.
THE NIGHT AND I
"By
DR. SALIM
Y.
ALKAZIN
We know a certain happy tongue,
The night and I,
For when we fly the listless throng,
And each the other tells his tale,
And each the other sings his song,
Like comrades true, we never fail
Where it belongs the motive place,—
And so we live our lotted space,
The night and I.
We understand each other well,
The night and I!
Nor need we masquerade, nor tell
Our moods, nor shrink to speak our fear,
Nor fence discretely when we spell
The praise of things we hold most dear;
For 'tis our naked hearts that beat,
Whenever face to face we meet,
The night and I.
We list to catch the whispered sighs,
The night and I,
Of space, and in the placid skies,
Pursue the sparkling signs or halt
Enraptured by the mighty cries
And flashing signals in the volt
Of rage. And so, in sympathy,
We live, and feel in harmony
The night and I.
;
�60
THE SYRIAN WORLD
ALI ZAIBAQ
(Quicksilver)
"THE UNPARALLELED ADVENTURES OF THE
CHIEF OF POLICE OF THE CALIPH HAROUN
AL-RASHID, OF THE CITY OF BAGHDAD.
Translated from the Original Arabic by
SALLOUM
A.
MOKARZEL
and
CHAPTER
THADDEUS
S.
DAYTON
VIII.
REVENGE.
HTHE damsel, when morning came, assumed the dress and appearance of Quicksilver and lay at the entrance of the baths
as though strangled, so that whoever passed and saw her could
not doubt for an instant that she was Quicksilver.
Now some of the passersby who perceived this body lying
there were of the sympathizers of Quicksilver. These grieved
for him exceedingly. But there were others who were inclined
to favor Salah-Eddin, the Chief of the Secret Police, and these
hastened to inform him of the fate of Quicksilver. Salah-Eddin's
joy was unbounded and he ran with all speed to the baths where
lay the body of Quicksilver. So great was his hatred that he
began kicking the senseless corpse of his enemy, and addressing
it with insults:
"May God not have mercy on you, O you of evil birth!"
shrieked Salah-Eddin. "For in your lifetime you occasioned me
the utmost torment and suffering. Now it is my turn to have
revenge upon you and to quench my heart's hatred with your
mother's tears."
He flung the body on his shoulders and carried it thus to the
door of his own house where he attempted to throw it on the
ground. But to his great amazement and fright he could not rid
himself of his burden, for the body resisted his every effort and
presently its legs extended themselves until they stretched out
and became forty cubits long.
�I
\APRIL, 1931
61
By this time every muscle in Salah-Eddin's body was quivering with fear. At last, by summoning all his strength for a
superhuman effort, he managed to shake off his terrible load and
began running about and crying as though demented. His wife
appeared and viewed his plight, and let him into the house.
Presently he went forth again to look upon the body of Quicksilver, which, strangely enough, he found to be in its former
normal shape. Again he approached it and made an attempt to
carry it into his house, but no sooner did he lay hands upon it
than the mouth of the body stretched open to such a gigantic size
that it resembled the entrance to some vast and fearful cavern,
while the eyes grew larger and larger and increasingly terrible
until they became like those of a huge and hideous ghoul. And
it said:
"O you vilest and most wicked of men, it is my intention immediately to devour you."
So thoroughly frightened was Salah-Eddin that he begged
for mercy, but the genie's only answer was to seize him suddenly,
tie his body in a knot and fly off with him to the palace of the
King. In the palace gateway there was a great arch, and at its
highest point a ring of iron was fixed. To this the maiden tied
Salah-Eddin, leaving him there in that miserable plight. Thereupon she returned to Quicksilver, to whom she related all that
she had done.
"No doubt the King will perceive Salah-Eddin in this condition and the latter will tell him that it was I who put him there.
Now if the King summons me shall I ask for a ladder by which
to climb and take down Salah-Eddin?"
"No," answered the damsel, "I will accompany you unseen
and when you desire to release Salah-Eddin lift your hands and
I will raise you to the height unperceived by anyone so that you
may readily accomplish your task."
When morning came the King and his lords passed through
the great archway and Salah-Eddin, seeing them, cried out in a
pitiful voice: "() King, have mercy upon me and cover me with
the mantle of your protection."
Upon hearing this the King and his companions were exceedingly amazed and began gazing about to try to discover
whence came the voice; but they saw no one, when Salah-Eddin
cried out again:
"I am suspended here in this high place where I have suf-
�T
62
THE SYRIAN WORLD
fered tortures such as no one ever experienced before "
Hearing these words, they all looked upward and saw the
torm of a man hanging to the iron ring above the great arch The
King exclaimed and asked who it was, and Salah-Eddin cried
out once more in a voice of agony:
"O my master, it is your servant the Chief of the Secret
Police."
"And who was it that put you where you are?" asked the King
None other than Quicksilver," answered Salah-Eddin in
great pain.
Seeing it was useless to attempt his rescue, the King ordered
that Quicksilver be summoned immediately, and when he came
the King asked:
"Do you know where Salah-Eddin is?"
"Yes," answered Quicksilver, "it is he who is suspended above
the great archway."
"And where did you spend last night " asked the King
In the enchanted baths of Toulon," answered Quicksilver.
And I have punished Salah-Eddin thus because of his great
wickedness. It is also a visitation upon him of the wrath of God
lor his many misdeeds."
"For my sake," said the King, "release him from his plight "
Thereupon Quicksilver lifted his hands toward the sky and
the damsel, unperceived by anyone, bore him upward to the top
01 the arch, where he immediately disengaged Salah-Eddin and
carried him gently to the ground. Everyone who witnessed this
feat marvelled exceedingly at his super-human power, as no one
had deemed it possible to extricate Salah-Eddin from the great
&
height where he hung.
When Salah-Eddin once more stood upon the ground, he
threw himself at the feet of the King and appealed frantically
for protection against the superhuman power of Quicksilver.
Whereupon Quicksilver inquired of him if there were any other
tasks that he wished him to perform so that no doubt would remain as to his fitness to become the chief of the Zohrs
"For the sake of Allah," replied Salah-Eddin in a terrified
voice, there is nothing more that I wish except to be spared further persecution from you."
Thereupon all proceeded to the royal palace where theKing
formally invested Quicksilver with his robe of office as the ruler
of the Zohrs, and the criers were ordered to go about the streets
�—
11,1
I
1.1,
.
.
.Ill
zAPRIL, 1931
63
of the city announcing his succession to the exalted position. The
inhabitants of the city received the news with much applause and
the officers of the Zohrs gave submission joyfully to Quicksilver.
Thereafter the city of Cairo remained in perfect order and tranquillity for the space of a year.
"But Quicksilver's troubles are not over," said the tale teller.
"They have only just begun. What has already happened is as
nothing—as snow upon the desert sand—to the dangers he must
encounter. Tomorrow you shall hear of the new seas of danger
into which he plunged."
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE
DR. PHILIP K. HITTI—Syrian educator, and Orientalist, Professor
at Princeton University.
BARBARA YOUNG,
LEONORA SPEYER,
ESTELLE DUCLO,
MARY MOORE—American poetesses and authors.
CLAUDE BRAGDON—American author and publicist.
SYUD HOSSAIN—Moslem Indian lecturer, editor The New Orient.
DR. CHARLES FLEISCHER—American author and lecturer, former
editor The New York American.
REV. ROBERT NORWOOD—American minister of St. Bartholomew's Church, New York.
REV. ABRAHAM M. RIHBANI—Syrian minister of the Church of the
Disciples in Boston. Author "The Syrian Christ," etc.
REV. W. A. MANSUR—Syrian minister of First Methodist Episcopal church, Winside, Neb.
MISCHA NAIMY—Syrian poet and critic.
CECIL J. BADWAY—American of Syrian descent.
vard Law School.
Graduate Har-
THOMAS ASA, EDNA K. SALOOMEY, PHILIP C. SABBAGHA,
LABEEBEE A. J. HANNA—Americans of Syrian descent.
DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN—Syrian dentist of Brooklyn.
Harvard.
Graduate of
�64
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Political Developments in Syria
SYRIAN ELECTIONS
AGAIN DEFERRED
The political problem in Syria
seems to be making little progress
towards a solution. So often has it
been surmised that the popular elections would take place at a certain
date that any further promise along
that line is now apt to be considered
like the cry of "the wolf" in the
fable. By all reasonable expectations, based on earlier predictions,
the elections should have been held
long ago, but they now seem to be
as distant as ever. The Syrian press;
has fallen into the mood of discussing them only in the most casual
manner. There is, on the other hand,
a shifting of interest towards an altogether different development—that
of scrapping the draft constitution
laid down by the Constituent Assembly and establishing in Syria a monarchical instead of a republican
form of government. An international
element has also entered into the
situation which serves to further
complicate matters.
While lacking official confirmation,
the rumor persists that France has
entered into an agreement with former King Ali of Arabia, son of former King Hussein and brother of
King Feisal of Iraq, to establish him
on the Syrian throne which it is
claimed the French have planned to
create in Syria so as to frustrate
the designs of the Nationalists. What
would seem to lend weight to this
supposition is the recent visit of the
British High Commissioner in Iraq
to Damascus and his lengthy consultation with the French High Commissioner in Syria. Of course, there
are those who contend that France
would never commit herself to the
policy of having to consult with
England on a question of internal
administration of her mandated territory—that the purpose behind the
conference was in relation to the
Mosul petroleum question, or some
other question of common interest
between the two powers. Nevertheless, there are those who maintain
that Ali is the brother of Feisal, and
that the two powers have to contend
with an Eastern question much
larger than one confined to any one
country, and that it is to their mutual interest to agree on a policy
that will render the position of
both more secure in the East.
A significant development is that
High Commissioner Ponsot, in opening his new official residence in Damascus, held a formal reception to
which he invited, among other prominent Syrian leaders, many outstanding Nationalist personalities. Ponsot, as usual, would not touch on
the subject of politics, but it was
remarked that he had brilliantly
succeeded in promoting a spirit of
amity and understanding.
On the whole, the Syrian situation
may be said to have made no tangible
progress during the last month.
Some are inclined to believe that
the new French policy is to wear
down the patience of the Syrians into
a condition of submission.
LEBANON IN TURMOIL,
PEOPLE BOYCOTT UTILITIES
The apparently insipient uprising
of the students of Beirut against insufficient reductions in the price of
admission to places of amusement
has given rise to a movement of a
�JtPRIL, 1931
much more serious nature which has
involved the whole population of the
city. The immediate result was that
the people awakened to the effectiveness of the boycott and applied the
weapon with telling effect on foreigncontrolled public utilities.
Due to the persistent refusal of
the water and electric company to
reduce its high rates in the face of
a proposal of much lower averages
which a native company offered to
give for the same services, the people
of Beirut, driven to desperation by
what they termed the profiteering
practices of foreigners, rose en
masse to protest and demand redress. They declared a boycott
against the traction company, and
for days the street cars sped along
their tracks with only armed guards:
as passengers. The native taxicab
drivers did a thriving business, reducing their rates to even lower than
those charged by the company for
equal distances. And when the government attempted to restrict the
operations of the taxicabs the people
were further enraged and indulged in
public demonstrations against which
police were helpless. Many casualties
occurred in the clashes. Three newspapers publishing what the government termed seditious and inflammatory utterances were suppressed.
The determination of the people manifested itself so strongly that almost every home in the city was
in comparative darkness, only candles and gasoline lamps being used
for lighting purposes.
The contagion spread to Damascus
where also a prominent local naDer
was suppressed for similar reasons
as those of the Beirut journals.
In Tripoli, a demonstration was
staged to protest the maltreatment
by the Italians of the Moslem natives of Tripolitania in Northern
Africa. Several casualties resulted
65
when the police attempted to prevent the demonstrators from marching on the Italian consulate.
Already a good deal of campaigning is being done for the coming
Presidential elections which fall in
Lebanon in 1932. The regular Presidential term is three years, and so
far President Charles Dabbas has
been elected for two successive
terms. Little credence is being
placed in the possibility of his reelection for a third term, and the
two most prominent candidates mentioned are Emil Eddy and Bishara
Khouri, both former Premiers.
ARABS OF PALESTINE
TURN DOWN PARLEY
The suggestion of the British High
Commissioner in Palestine that the
Arabs send a delegation to London
to enter into negotiations with the
Colonial Office on the Palestine development scheme, involving a $12,500,000 loan, was reported by press
dispatches from Jerusalem on April
14 to have been turned down by the
Arab Executive. The fear was entertained, according to a statement by
an Arab leader, that the Arabs
might be drawn into a round table
conference with the Jews, a possibility which they would avoid.
Their stand remains one of consistent non-recognition of the Balfour
Declaration, and they would refuse
to be inveigled into a situation which
might be interpreted as an implied
acceptance of that policy. In this instance, they maintain that if the
questions to be discussed relate to
economic and agricultural development, then the logical place for
holding the conference would be
Jerusalem and not London, since the
British conferees would have the
benefit of local experts' advice.
Jerusalem, according to press dis-
�66
THE SYRIAN WORLD
patches, was also the scene of popular demonstrations on April 23
against the reported atrocities of
the Italian authorities of Cyrenaica
in suppressing Moslem demonstrations. A call was issued by the
Grand Mufti to attend special services in the Mosque of Omar for
the victims, and the office of the
Arab Executive presented to all
foreign consulates, including the
Italian, copies of strongly condemnatory resolutions. The conviction
prevails in some quarters that the
Arabs are pursuing the wrong tactics in thus openly attacking Italy
because they will lose a large amount
of sympathy for their nationalistic
cause which undoubtedly they enjoy
among many elements in Italy.
About Syria and Syrians
FURTHER COMPLICATIONS
IN ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE
On the first of May the bishops of
the Syrian Orthodox Church in
America and several newspapers received cable information from Damascus that the three ranking Patriarchs of the Orthodox Church had
finally given recognition to Patriarch Alexander of Damascus, conceding the legality of his election
to the vacant seat of the Patriarchate of Antioch and the whole
East. Closely following this announcement, however, came another
cable dispatch from Patriarch Arsanius, the other church dignitary
elected to the same office, stating
that the situation had not changed
and promising details by mail. In
view of these developments, the
situation, instead of being clarified,
seems to have been further complicated.
The difficulties in the question of
the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate
arose upon the death of the late Patriarch Gregory IV in 1929. For two
years the two principal factions in
the church seemed deadlocked over
the election of a successor, until early
this year a conclave convened in an
attempt to put an end to the indecision. This, unfortunately, proved to
add further to the complications in
that the dissenting faction proceeded
with its own election, giving rise to
the anomalous situation of having
two heads to the one body.
ANGLICAN PRIMATE
VISITS JERUSALEM
Union of Anglican Protestant
Church and Greek Orthodox
Church Openly Discussed.
For the first time in history, a
Primate of England visited Jerusalem while in office. This fact was
stressed by the authorities of the
Greek Orthodox Church in welcoming the Archbishop of Canterbury
upon his visit to the city on April
16. He was welcomed with equal
expressions of high regard by the
authorities of the Armenian Church.
One of the first acts of the Primate was to visit the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre, where he was re-
�'
\APRILy 1931
ceived at the entrance by the acting
Greek Patriarch, flanked by twelve
archimandrites and twelve bishops
and also the Armenian clergy. In
the Katholicon, which is the Greek
Orthodox section of the church, a
service was held during which the
acting Patriarch prayed for the King
and Queen of the royal family of
England as well as for the army and
navy, after which the choir sang.
During the reception held later at
the Patriarchate, the visiting Primate referred to the possibility of
a union of the Anglican and the
Eastern churches and dwelt on a
statement made by the Ecumenical
Patriarch at Istanbul, (supreme
head of the Greek Orthodox faith),
that brotherly relations existed between the Orthodox and the English
Protestant Churches. An eventual
union would not bring the Churches
under one command but each would
remain independent while maintaining the closest co-operation, he said.
"While in the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre, I prayed to God Almighty
to help us in the work undertaken
in order to accomplish a union and
that the committee which was appointed by the Orthodox Patriarchates of Istanbul, Alexandria and
Jerusalem would be successful in its
efforts to unite Anglican Protestantism and the
Greek
Orthodox
Church," he said.
The Archbishop inspected Greek
and Syriac manuscripts in the
library.
Archimandrite Narcissus, a member of the Greek Holy Synod, said
in an interview that the visit of the
Archbishop afforded the Patriarchate the greatest pleasure. He said
the Greek Orthodox Church deeply
appreciated the Archbishop's work
in behalf of a union of their
Churches and all were hoping that '
it would be accomplished.
67
RIHANI SAILS. PRESENTED
WITH LOVING CUP
Ameen Rihani, well known Syrian
traveler, lecturer and author, sailed
for England April 18 on his way to
his native land. He plans to make a
short stop in Paris to visit the
French Colonial Exposition.
On April 16 the ceremony of presenting Mr. Rihani with the loving
cup bought by popular subscription
was held in the auditorium of the
American Syrian Federation building
in Brooklyn. Although invitations
had been issued only to contributors
with the privilege of bringing members of their families and friends,
the hall was filled to overflowing.
Dr. F. I. Shatara, chairman of the
committee, presided. In his introductory remarks he dwelt on the public
services of Mr. Rihani during his
two years' visit in America and expressed particularly the gratitude of
his Palestinian countrymen to Mr.
Rihani for his defense of the Arab
cause.
Dr. Salim Y. Alkazin paid a
touching personal tribute, and Dr.
R. T. Deen, speaking in Arabic, referred to the erudition of Mr. Rihani and his fearlessness in giving
expression to his political convictions.
The presentation of the cup was
assigned to Mr. Salloum A. Mokarzel in 'his capacity of secretary of
the committee. In explaining the motive behind the action, Mr. Mokarzel
said that in offering the stock of
Mr. Rihani's popularity on the market, it had been oversubscribed,
leaving a surplus over the price of
the cup whidh provided a moderate
purse. In responding, Mr. Rihani expressed his thanks and refused the
purse unless it was applied to the
purchase of some of his Arabic
books.
�68
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Mr. Rihani spoke in both Arabic the author of an epic poem in
and English. He expressed deep ap- French for which he has received
preciation of the feelings of his the blessing of His Holiness the
countrymen in America, declaring Pope.
that he would retain the cup as one
Such zeal as Rev. Eid has disof his most valued possessions as
played
is reminiscent of the efforts
long as he lived, and that upon his
of
the
early
Christian missionaries.
death he would bequeath it to the
He is completely Wedded to his work
National Museum in Beirut for perand is consumed by the desire to
manent preservation. His Arabic
keep alive in this new land the finer
address dealt with his conception of
the broader relations that should traditions which have been our racial
exist among Arabic-speaking peo- heritage for long centuries. The success attending his activities has been
ples.
so marked that it is a pleasure to
Miss Fedora Korban, the gifted
point him out as an example of modSyrian singer, gave several Arabic
ern missionary zeal.
and English selections.
SYRIANS OF FALL RIVER
HAVE FINE NEW CHURCH
PREPARATIONS FOR SECOND
CARNIVAL UNDER WAY
The Syrian Catholics of Fall River,
Mass., can now boast one of the
finest churches of its size in America, erected in record time and after
a long period of dissension, through
the untiring efforts of their new
pastor, Rev. Joseph Eid.
A beautiful little book in Arabic
and English, just published by the
Syrian-American Press of New York,
gives the history of the church and
the multiple trials attending its erection. The account, however, fails to
give full credit to the energy, zeal
and tact of the modest pastor
through whose efforts the work was
made possible.
In less than a year Rev. Eid not
only brought accord and harmony
where dissension had reigned for
over twenty years, but aroused sufficient enthusiasm among the community in the face of the economic
depression to prosecute the work and
bring it to a successful culmination.
Rev. Eid is a graduate of the
Maronite College in Rome and besides being a D. D. and a Ph. D.,
is a master of six languages. He is
The Lebanon League of Progress
of New York has announced that its
second annual festival-outing will
take place this year at Bridgeport,
Conn., the scene of the first and most
successful carnival, but the date will
be July 4 and 5 instead of labor Day.
This latter date has been reserved
for holding a similar carnival in
the vicinity of Detroit, Mich., so as
to afford the populous Syrian centers of the North the opportunity of
sharing in the carnival and patriotic
spirit.
It is hoped that the coming event
will prove even more successful
than the preceding one. Time for
preparation is more ample and almost three thousand participants in
the last carnival are sure to come
and bring many friends, such was the
enthusiasm and satisfaction over the
first affair. It is expected, furthermore, that the young Syrian-American generation will be more liberally represented not only because of
the varied entertainment provided as
much as for the opportunity of living for a day in the charming spirit
u
�s
New Syrian Catholic Church of St. Anthony of the Desert in Fall River, Mass.
�70
THE SYRIAN WORLD
of the tradition of the old country.
Folk dances, sword play, singing and
all the appurtenances of a festival occasion will be in evidence. This annual event promises to become a
fixed racial institution among the
Syrians and Lebanese of the United
States, and what must be generally
admitted is that it affords an exceptional opportunity for the promotion of a spirit of good-fellowship
and general good time.
The admission is $1.00 per person for the two days. Refreshments
and restaurant service will be
available.
SYRAMAR GOLF CLUB
TO HOLD TOURNAMENT
The fourth annual Spring Tournament of the Syramar Golf Club will
be held Saturday and Sunday, May
23 and 24, at the Wolf Hollow
Country Club, Delaware Water Gap,
Pa. Numerous prizes have been assigned to winners of the different
flights, from veterans to beginners.
The word Syramar stands for
Syrian American, and the club has
been in existence for over four
years, meeting with steadily increasing success.
The annual election of officers was
held the latter part of March, those
chosen being George Tadross, President; David Malhami, Vice-President; Joseph Ghassoun, Secretary
and Faris Saydah, Treasurer.
MOSQUE IN BROOKLYN
The Moslems of New York have
formed a society which acquired the
property at 108 Powers St., Brooklyn, and converted it into a mosque.
It is the first regular Moslem place
of worship in the city and was dedicated on April 28.
DR. HITTI SPEAKS
AT BROOKLYN MEETING
Dr. Philip K. Hitti of Princeton
was a guest on April 26 at the International Institute of the Y. W.
C A. of Brooklyn where he delivered an address on the Arabs' contribution to civilization. Dr. Hitti
speaks out of a vast store of knowledge when dealing with historical
topics, and in this instance he was
particularly informative. A large
American audience attended the
lecture.
The meeting was held at St. Ann's
Chapel, Clinton and Livingston Sts.,
Brooklyn, and was in charge of Miss
Bahiya Hajjar, the Syrian associate
of the Institute. The exercises also
comprised Syrian national songs under the direction of Prof. Alexander
Maloof.
Following the meeting, a reception was given in honor of Dr. and
Mrs. Hitti at the home of the Institute, 94 Joralemon St.
ST. NICHOLAS CLUB
HOLDS SPRING DANCE
The St. Nicholas Young Men's
Club of New York held its annual
Spring dance in the grand ballroom
of the Hotel Bossert in Brooklyn on
the evening of April 18. There were
about four hundred in attendance and
they thoroughly enjoyed the speeches
and entertainment. The music was
provided by the Mediterranean Radio
Broadcasters.
Mr. N. S. Sydnawey, the president, While welcoming the guests,
took occasion to point out that the
name of the club was adopted out
of recognition of the charitable
spirit of "Santa Claus," and that
it did not imply any religious, much
less political, affiliation.
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Newspapers
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Salloum Mokarzel, a Lebanese American intellectual, founded<em> The Syrian World</em> in 1926. Salloum Mokarzel was the younger brother of Naoum Mokarzel, the publisher of the Arabic-language newspaper <em>Al-Hoda. </em>Together, the Mokarzel brothers ran Al-Hoda Publishing, and in 1909, they published <em>The Syrian Business Directory.</em> </p>
<p>Mokarzel created <em>The Syrian World</em> in order to document and celebrate the culture and history of "Syria." At the time, Syria referred to the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. The publication was primarily aimed towards second-generation children of immigrants, but Mokarzel hoped that it would also appeal to the general American public.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><em>The Syrian World</em> was published between 1926 and 1932 as a journal. In 1932, the format was changed from an academic journal style to a newspaper style, which continued until the periodical's end in 1935. After the death of his brother Naoum, Salloum took over the publication of <em>Al-Hoda.</em></p>
<p>The articles in <em>The Syrian World</em> cover a variety of topics spanning from the practical to the theoretical. Practical subjects include international and domestic travel, historical and contemporary Arabic and Arab-American art and literature, and the mental and physical health and hygiene of immigrants. More theoretical, philosophical, and ideological subjects include ideologies of race, the changing role of women, the formation of Syrian and Lebanese-American societies, and the political and psychological relationships between immigrants and their countries of origin.</p>
<p>All issues of <em>The Syrian World</em> are available, along with full indexes for the first four volumes. For volumes five and six, there are tables of contents at the start of the issues.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabs--United States
Arabic periodicals
Newspapers
Arab American Newspapers
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926-1935
Relation
A related resource
<em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mokarzel Family Papers</a>
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11299/175685" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annotated Index to the Syrian World, 1926-1932</a> at the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center Archives
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Al-Hoda Newspapers</em></a>
Language
A language of the resource
English
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Claire A. Kempa, 2015-2017. Collection Guide written by Claire A. Kempa, 2017.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 August.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
NS 0002
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
TSW1931_04reducedWM
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Volume 05, Issue 08
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1931 April
Description
An account of the resource
Volume 5 Issue 08 of The Syrian World published April 1931. The issue is especially long as it was published the same month famed poet and frequent contributor to the Syrian World, Kahlil Gibran, passed away. There are only just a few inclusions in the article that are not related to Gibran's passing. The first is an article discussing the concept of chivalry in Arabia and Islam. This article primarily deals with the origin of chivalry, which seems to point to the crusades, in which Moslem and Christian knights met in combat. Salloum Mokarzel, in addition to his tribute work to Gibran, is featured for the continuation of his travels through Jebel-Druze. There is then the usual installment of "Ali Zaibaq," now a regular series of The Syrian World. The issue closes with political developments in Syria and excerpts from the Arab press. Intermingled with the issue's regular stories are works dedicated to Gibran. There is a discussion of his last days followed by a description of his Boston funeral. The remainder of the pieces are works by other authors normally featured in the Syrian World
the rest pay tribute to one of the most important Lebanese literary figures of all time.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals
Arabs--United States--Periodicals
Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals
Language
A language of the resource
English
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Syrian-American Press
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
104 Greenwich St., New York, NY
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
1930s
Funerals
Kahlil Gibran
Labeebee A.J. Hanna
New York
Obituaries
Poetry-English
Religion
Reverend W.A. Mansur
Thomas Asa
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/1d4116c0884094c7d902196101d38759.pdf
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PDF Text
Text
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Angele Hobeiche Kmeid-Ellis Collection: Supplemental Materials
Description
An account of the resource
The materials in the Ellis Family supplemental materials collection primarily relate to the family histories of the el Khazen, Hobeiche, and Kmeid (Kemaide) families. Materials also include other official documents, records, newspaper articles, and interviews that relate to the broader context.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Kail Ellis
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1862-2006
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ellis Family
Translations by Lala AlSaeedi and Hadia Harb
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
English
Italian
French
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Text
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KEllis2020-843
Title
A name given to the resource
Poem by Kazahiya alAqiqi
Description
An account of the resource
Poem by Kazahiya alAqiqi, on the love of Jesus Christ.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Kazahiya alAqiqi
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Kail Ellis
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
Poem
Poetry
Religion
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/317bb1d834fd6cf8a066bfa58ea3e4da.pdf
e0e91138844ff218dadba13aacb93393
PDF Text
Text
��
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Angele Hobeiche Kmeid-Ellis Collection: Supplemental Materials
Description
An account of the resource
The materials in the Ellis Family supplemental materials collection primarily relate to the family histories of the el Khazen, Hobeiche, and Kmeid (Kemaide) families. Materials also include other official documents, records, newspaper articles, and interviews that relate to the broader context.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Kail Ellis
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1862-2006
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ellis Family
Translations by Lala AlSaeedi and Hadia Harb
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
English
Italian
French
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Text
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KEllis2020-844
Title
A name given to the resource
Arabic Newspaper Clippings
Description
An account of the resource
Newspaper clipping. P.1: declaring vow of monasticism of Mary Ensila and Alfred with short info about them, also about Mary Terese and Bolus Kmeid Jr.
P.2: political news on Lebanon, the withdrawal of U.S. forces, Rashid Karami order to lay down arms.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Newspapers
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Kail Ellis
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
monasticism
Newspaper
Religion
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/48808ce27b75ae5441487a18ca35f92d.pdf
a00e8f14e90a26a22a6c3d65e9fc7926
PDF Text
Text
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Ameen Rihani: Arabic Letters
Subject
The topic of the resource
Rihani, Ameen Fares, 1876-1940
American literature--Arab American authors
Description
An account of the resource
The Ameen Fares Rihani collection contains the personal correspondence, English and Arabic manuscripts, papers, notebooks, articles, press clippings, and other documents of Ameen Fares Rihani (1876-1940), a formative and influential Arab-American author, poet, political activist, and intellectual who dedicated his life to promoting and advocating for Arab culture and history across the world.
This collection contains 271 letters, written in Arabic, addressed to Ameen Fares Rihani from friends, family, political leaders, and others. The letters were written between 1899-1941.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Ameen Rihani Organization
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1899-1940
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ameen Rihani Organization
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/PDF
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Rihani2018AR55_04_007
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
رسائل امين الريحاني العربية
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Ameen Rihani to Youssef Sadder, 1921 April 9
Description
An account of the resource
نسخة رسالة من امين الريحاني الى صهره يوسف صادر بتاريخ 9 نيسان 1921. وفيها يعبر الريحاني عن ارائه السياسية مبادئه، ويسأل يوسف ان كان وجوده، اي الريحاني، في لبنان "الوطن" سيفيد لبنان بشيء. كما بين الريحاني رأيه في فصل الدين عن السياسة و"ضد تدخل رجال الدين بالامور السياسية".
A photocopy of a letter from Ameen Rihani to his brother-in-law Youssef Sadder, dated April 9, 1921. Rihani clearly expresses his views and principles in politics, and asks Youssef whether his return to Lebanon will benefit the country. Rihani also explained his thoughts of separating religion from politics, and that he is against "religious figures who interfere in/control politics".
Subject
The topic of the resource
Rihani, Ameen Fares, 1876-1940
Correspondence
Letter writing, Arabic
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
نيسان 1921
1921-04-09
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
امين الريحاني
Ameen F. Rihani
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
New York, New York
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Ameen Rihani Organization
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
1920's
Lebanon
New York
Politics
Religion
Separation of Religion & Politics
Youssef Sadder
اراء
الدين
السياسة
امين الريحاني
فصل السياسة عن الدين
لبنان
نيويورك
يوسف صادر
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/c5441d8471fd8211d48d4caf7393d8e3.pdf
8d55b4e426f2fcb0b87a8bc468869701
PDF Text
Text
���
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Ameen Rihani: Arabic Letters
Subject
The topic of the resource
Rihani, Ameen Fares, 1876-1940
American literature--Arab American authors
Description
An account of the resource
The Ameen Fares Rihani collection contains the personal correspondence, English and Arabic manuscripts, papers, notebooks, articles, press clippings, and other documents of Ameen Fares Rihani (1876-1940), a formative and influential Arab-American author, poet, political activist, and intellectual who dedicated his life to promoting and advocating for Arab culture and history across the world.
This collection contains 271 letters, written in Arabic, addressed to Ameen Fares Rihani from friends, family, political leaders, and others. The letters were written between 1899-1941.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Ameen Rihani Organization
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1899-1940
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ameen Rihani Organization
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/PDF
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Rihani2018AR56_01_028
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
رسائل إلى أمين الريحاني - العربية
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Abbas Nahoul Bajani to Ameen Rihani, 1901 July 22
Description
An account of the resource
رسالة عباس نحول بجاني الى امين الريحاني بتاريخ ٢٢ تموز ١٩٠١. عباس يناقش مع الريحاني مبادئ الحرية الانسانية، وطاعة الحاكم، والخلود والادراك والكتاب المقدس.
A letter from Abbas Nahoul Bajani to Ameen Rihani, dated July 22, 1901. Abbass discusses human freedom, obedience to the ruler, mortality, cognition, and the Holy Book.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Rihani, Ameen Fares, 1876-1940
Correspondence
Letter writing, Arabic
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
تموز ١٩٠١
1901-07-22
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
عباس بجاني
Abbas Bajani
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Ameen Rihani Organization
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
1900's
Freedom
Philosophy
Religion
الحرية
الدين
امين الريحاني
عباس بجاني
فلسفة
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/524805b7227f96552604d6bdabb2f847.pdf
c6c8b11efc676e98933f403038daab93
PDF Text
Text
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Ameen Rihani: Arabic Letters
Subject
The topic of the resource
Rihani, Ameen Fares, 1876-1940
American literature--Arab American authors
Description
An account of the resource
The Ameen Fares Rihani collection contains the personal correspondence, English and Arabic manuscripts, papers, notebooks, articles, press clippings, and other documents of Ameen Fares Rihani (1876-1940), a formative and influential Arab-American author, poet, political activist, and intellectual who dedicated his life to promoting and advocating for Arab culture and history across the world.
This collection contains 271 letters, written in Arabic, addressed to Ameen Fares Rihani from friends, family, political leaders, and others. The letters were written between 1899-1941.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Ameen Rihani Organization
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1899-1940
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ameen Rihani Organization
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/PDF
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Rihani2018AR56_01_057
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
رسائل إلى أمين الريحاني - العربية
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Anis Jurige to Ameen Rihani, 1917 November 6
Description
An account of the resource
رسالة من انيس جريج الى امين الريحاني بتاريخ 6 تشرين الثاني 1917. فيها يرد جريج على رسالة سابقة من الريحاني. وفيها برسل ايضا توبيخا وتنبيها لبعض الاسماء "يوسف مراد الخوري" و "عبد المسيح"، فيصفهم بالمتاجرين "بالصحافة والدين والبلدية [...]". ويخبره ايضا بانتهائه من "القصيدة الثلاثية المؤلفة من 1001 بيت على قافية واحدة"، ويصفها انها "جامعة بين الفلسفة ومبادئ اقطابها ومتناقضاتها ومتوارداتها وبين الادوار التأريخية والاجتماعية والسياسية واللاهوتية"، ويرسل طيا بعض الابيات من نهايتها.
* ورد الرسالة ضمن ملف الاعوام 1900- 1910. الرسالة بتاريه 6 تشرين الثاني 1917.
A letter from Anis Jurige to Ameen Rihani, dated November 6, 1917. Jurige sends through Rihani a warning to some "friends" as he described them "Youssef Murad alKhouri" and "Abdulmaseeh", also describes them as making business of "press and religion and country [...]". Jurige also tells Rihani that he finished "the trio poem of 1001 verses using same rhyme", he describes the poem as "combining philosophy in its pioneers and commons and contradictions, and the historic, social, political and theological roles", and sends some verses from the end of the poem.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Rihani, Ameen Fares, 1876-1940
Correspondence
Letter writing, Arabic
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
تشرين الثاني 1917
1917-11-06
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
انيس جريج
Anis Jurige
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Cleveland, Ohio
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Ameen Rihani Organization
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
1910's
Abdulmasih
Anis Jurige
Country
Philosophy
Poetry
Politics
Religion
Triolet Poems
Verses
Youssef Murad alKhouri
ابيات شعرية
القصيدة الثلاثية
امين الريحاني
انيس جريج
دين
سياسة
شعر
عبد المسيح
فلسفة
وطن
يوسف مراد الخورية
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/b9963bb49b1d0c9b7b497f5d1c073550.pdf
575b7af4352ce4b4f6f977dbec7a83cd
PDF Text
Text
��
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Ameen Rihani: Arabic Letters
Subject
The topic of the resource
Rihani, Ameen Fares, 1876-1940
American literature--Arab American authors
Description
An account of the resource
The Ameen Fares Rihani collection contains the personal correspondence, English and Arabic manuscripts, papers, notebooks, articles, press clippings, and other documents of Ameen Fares Rihani (1876-1940), a formative and influential Arab-American author, poet, political activist, and intellectual who dedicated his life to promoting and advocating for Arab culture and history across the world.
This collection contains 271 letters, written in Arabic, addressed to Ameen Fares Rihani from friends, family, political leaders, and others. The letters were written between 1899-1941.
Source
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Ameen Rihani Organization
Publisher
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Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1899-1940
Contributor
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Ameen Rihani Organization
Format
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Text/PDF
Language
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Arabic
Type
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Text
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
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Rihani2018AR56_03_054
Alternative Title
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رسائل إلى أمين الريحاني - العربية
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Hussein Aweni to Ameen Rihani, 1926 September 19
Description
An account of the resource
رسالة من حسين عويني الى امين الريحاني بتاريخ 19 ايلول 1926. يخبر الريحاني بثناء الملك عبد العزيز بن سعود على كتابه تاريخ نجد، لكن هناك بعض التصحيحات/التصليحات حول الدين والوهابية. ويذكر بعض الامتيازات وطالبيها - لم يذكر نوعها. من الاسماء المذكورة: ناصر، زكي باشا، يوسف ياسين، احمد الحفظي، الشيخ فؤاد، محمود نديم، محمد كرد علي،
A letter from Hussein Aweni to Ameen Rihani, dated September 19, 1926. Aweni informs Rihani of King Abdulaziz praise on the book of Najid Modern History, but there are some corrections on religion and Wahhabism. He also mentioned some of the privileges given. Other names: Nasser, Zaki Pasha, Yousef Shaheen, Ahmed alHafzi, Sheikh Fouad
Mahmoud Nadeeml, Muhammad Kurd Ali.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Rihani, Ameen Fares, 1876-1940
Correspondence
Letter writing, Arabic
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
ايلول 1926
1926-09-19
Creator
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حسين عويني
Hussein Aweni
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Language
A language of the resource
Arabic
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Ameen Rihani Organization
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
1920's
Book: Modern History of Najid
Hussein Aweni
King Abdulaziz bin Saud
Religion
Wahhabism
الدين
الملك عبد العزيز بن سعود
الوهابية
امين الريحاني
حسين عويني
كتاب: تاريخ نجد الحديث
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/d2108dc9539222bfaf760a80f1414921.tif
5616383be6dfdb4c66be445642fe613f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Mokarzel Family
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabic literature--History and criticism
Lebanese-Americans--United States
Description
An account of the resource
<h5>Introduction</h5>
<p>Naoum Antoun Mokarzel (1864-1932) and Salloum Antoun Mokarzel (1881-1952) were influential intellectuals who immigrated to the United States from Lebanon in the late nineteenth century. Both were prominent Lebanese-American intellectuals who used their family-owned publishing house, the Al-Hoda Press, to preserve their heritage for diaspora communities across the world and to educate English-speaking audiences about the rich history and culture of Lebanon.</p>
<p>The Mokarzel brothers were the sons of Antoun Mokarzel, a Maronite Priest, and Barbara Akl Mokarzel. They were born and raised in Frieke, Lebanon. Naoum Mokarzel emigrated to the United States in 1890, at the age of 26. Naoum explored various career options as a young man, including: shopkeeper, bookkeeper, journalist, and medical student. While working as a bookkeeper in Philadelphia he founded <em>Al Asr</em>, a fledgling newspaper which quickly failed. Shortly after, in 1898, Naoum founded <em>Al-Hoda</em><span> [Guidance] as a biweekly publication; the first issue was published on February 22 of that year. In 1902, Naoum moved the paper from Philadelphia to New York and began publishing it as a daily. Newspapers proliferated among the populous Lebanese immigrant community in New York City, but among them <em>Al-Hoda </em>stood out in its wide circulation and international sphere of influence. Though Naoum frequently insisted upon his own journalistic integrity and objectivity, <em>Al-Hoda </em>was guided from the start by a fierce devotion to the cause of Lebanon; it also initially leaned towards Maronite interests, against Orthodox views. In his editorials and articles, Naoum was quick to rise to the defense of both his homeland and himself, a tendency that often stirred controversy even as it furthered Naoum's political goals.<em><br /></em></span></p>
<p>Around the time that Naoum founded <em>Al-Hoda</em>, his much younger brother Salloum joined him in the United States. Though Salloum travelled back to Lebanon to obtain his higher education at St. Joseph’s University, he was quickly folded into the new family trade of publishing. Salloum quickly established himself as an innovator in his own right: in 1909, he catalogued and published <em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>, an inventory of Syrian businesses in the United States. In the next year, he patented the first Arabic linotype machine, an invention which helped modernize Arabic publishing; this innovation contributed to the explosion of the Arabic press in both North and South America. In the 1910s and 1920s, Salloum published scholarly works through the imprint called <a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/53" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian-American Press</a>; he also carried forth his interest in Lebanese business endeavors through the monthly journal <span><em>Al Majallah Al-Tijariyeh</em> [<em>Syrian-American Commercial Magazine</em>], which he edited from 1918 to 1926.</span></p>
<p><span>Despite their shared vocation, the two brothers had very different personalities and political goals. Naoum had a fiery commitment to Lebanese independence: in 1911, he founded the Lebanese League of Progress in an attempt to unite the Lebanese diaspora behind the cause of Lebanese independence. Naoum was among the delegation from Lebanon sent to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. Though Naoum was an outspoken and passionate figure whose devout Maronitism, Lebanese nationalism, and willingness to critique the diasporic community often created controversy. By contrast, Salloum was known as a gentler figure, more interested in building new communities and hybrid cultural identities than in influencing political change in the homeland. Despite his very different aims, Salloum, too, was a formidable influence both to his peers and to younger generations of Lebanese-Americans.</span></p>
<p><span>The difference between the brothers’ personalities and political goals is represented by the differences in their publications. Throughout World War I and the following years of geopolitical chaos and decolonization, Naoum was deeply involved in nationalist movements. His decision to publish </span><span>Al-Hoda </span><span>in Arabic indicates his continuing commitment to a diasporic community which faced towards and participated in the culture and political realm of the homeland. By contrast, Salloum was interested in translating and modifying his birth culture to thrive in various new homelands. To facilitate this goal, in 1926, Salloum launched </span><em>The Syrian World</em><span>, which he initially conceived as an academic journal aimed towards a hybrid audience of second-generation children of immigrants and Americans of non-Lebanese descent. Between 1926 and 1932, </span><em>The Syrian World </em><span>was published as a monthly journal. During this time, it served as an outlet for scholarship on Syrian and Lebanese history, as well as topics pertinent to the immigrant community such as health, current events, and preserving Lebanese heritage for younger generations. In served as a platform for Salloum to initiate his plans for community formation through his editorials; for example, Salloum put out a call for the formation of regional federations like the Southern Federation of Syrian and Lebanese American Clubs in a editorial in the late 1920s. In 1932, the combined factors of the Great Depression and the death of Naoum Mokarzel led Salloum to scale back his involvement in the paper; its format was changed from the style of an academic journal to a more traditional newspaper. This incarnation of the paper--which lasted from 1932 to 1935--consisted of daily news on both transnational and local levels. </span></p>
<p><span>Naoum Mokarzel had three marriages: Sophie Shishim, between 1898 and 1902; Saada Rihani between 1904 and 1908; and Rose Abillama, from 1910 until Naoum’s 1932 death. Naoum had no children, and Salloum and his family were Naoum’s heirs. In 1908, Salloum married Helen Abu Khalil. Together, the couple had five daughters: Mary, Rose, Alice, Yemna, and Lila. By 1919, Salloum and Helen moved their family to Cranford, New Jersey; however, the children were raised to be highly educated world citizens, encouraged towards literacy in both English and Arabic. In 1925, Helen took her five daughters to Lebanon, where the girls travelled and attended school until returning to America in 1927. </span></p>
<p><span>Naoum died in 1932 on a visit to Paris, where he was serving as a representative of diasporic communities for Lebanon’s transition from French colony to independent nation. This led Salloum to take up the role of editing <em>Al-Hoda</em>. During this time, Salloum became increasingly well-known, contributing to the Lebanese pavilion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair and serving as a dignitary at the 1946 opening of the United Nations. Salloum died in 1952. The bodies of both brothers were repatriated by the government of Lebanon, and are buried together in the family tomb in their native city of Freike, Lebanon.</span></p>
<p><span>The Mokarzel brothers’ legacies were carried on by Salloum’s five daughters. After a struggle over the ownership of the paper, Salloum’s eldest daughter, Mary Mokarzel, carried on the publication of <em>Al-Hoda</em>. In 1954--perhaps in remembrance of her father’s English-language journal </span><em>The Syrian World</em><span>--Mary acquired </span><em>The Lebanese American Journal</em><span>, which she published in tandem with the Arabic paper until September 1971. Yemna was also committed to the family business, supporting her sister’s social, political, and business endeavors and serving as a correspondent for the papers.</span></p>
<p><span>Neither Yemna nor Mary married. Rose Mokarzel married Joseph Tanous; the two had three children: Peter J. Tanous, an investment banker, author, and community leader; Dr. Helene Tanous, who specialized in radiology; and Evelyne Nala Tanous, J.D., who served as Chief Counsel of the United States Small Business Administration district office in Houston. Peter has three children with his wife Ann-Christopher Tanous, Helen Tanous Bartilucci, and Will Tanous--and five grandchildren. Evelyn Najla Tanous has one daughter, Chantal Tanous D’Larenti, and two grandchildren.</span></p>
<p><span>Alice Mokarzel married Edmond Jaoudi and had two children: Dr. Maria Jaoudi, a professor of Comparative Religion who has one child, Harrison Smith-Jaoudi, with her husband, Harry Smith; and Edmond Jaoudi Jr., a technology administrator who has three children with his wife Barbara: Michael, Steven, and Anna.</span></p>
<p><span>Lila Mokarzel married George Hatab. The two had five children: Dr. Lawrence Hatab, a professor of Philosophy and author; Helen Hatab Samhan, a non profit executive; Anne Hatab Dill, an educator; Paul Hatab, a senior statistician at Micron; John Hatab, an art and drama teacher. Lawrence and his wife Chelsey Carter have one daughter, Stephanie Carter, and two grandchildren. Helen Hatab Samhan married Dr. Muhammad Kamal Samhan; they have two children, Leila Samhan Soliman and Zaid Samhan, and one grandchild. Anne Hatab married Francis Dill; the two had five children--James, Clare Dill Cruz, John, Peter, and Teresa—and four grandchildren. Paul and his wife Christine have two children, Jemma Hatab Langland and Will Hatab, and have two grandchildren. John is married to Mary Ann Hatab and they have two children, Ryan and Jeffrey Blaine.</span></p>
<h5>Scope and Contents</h5>
<p>This collection, generously provided by Salloum Mokarzel's granddaughter, Helen Hatab Samhan, contains material related to three generations of the Mokarzel family. It consists of: historic and more recent photographs of the Mokarzel brothers and their descendents; articles about the family; journals; and correspondences between members of the family. The collection has a special emphasis on the papers of Mary Mokarzel; these include: correspondences, including Mary Mokarzel's letter drafts and notes; and business papers, particularly relating to the family property in Freike, Lebanon.</p>
Source
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Helen Samhan
Publisher
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Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
Relation
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<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/42"><em>The Syrian World</em></a>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41"><em>The Syrian Business Directory</em></a>
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/53" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian-American Press and Al-Hoda Press</a>
Contributor
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Collection description written by Claire A. Kempa
Access Rights
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Parts of this collection are restricted due to copyright law as well as restrictions placed by the donor on personal documents.
Document
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Original Format
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Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from John Williams to Mary Mokarzel 4
Description
An account of the resource
A letter from John J. Williams of the University of St. Joseph to Mary Mokarzel concerning microfilms of Al-Hoda and personal affairs. (Folder 1-1-6-11)
Creator
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John J. Williams, S. J.
Source
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Helen Samhan
Publisher
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Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
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November 15, 1972
Rights
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Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
Format
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Text/jpg
Language
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English
Type
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Text
Subject
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Correspondence
Lebanese Americans--United States--Publications
Library Materials--Shipping
1970's
Al-Hoda
Catholicism
Donations
Hatab
Helen Hatab Samhan
Letters
Lily Trabulsi Szegoe
Mary Mokarzel
Microfilms
Mokarzel
Religion
Society of Jesus
Szegoe
The Bibliotheque Orientale
University of St. Joseph