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SEPTEMBER, 1926
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SYRIAN WORLD
VOL. I.
SEPTEMBER, 1926
No. 3
NAHR AL-KALB
THE SPOT RICHEST IN HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS
By
PROF. PHILIP K. HITTI, PH.
OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
D.
FORMERLY OF THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT
The most important fact regarding the geography of the
land of Syria is its intermediary, central position between the
ancient seats of civilization in particular, and between the three
great historic continents in general.
The most striking fact in its history is that it provided the
ancient and mediaeval world with its battlefield in time of war
and, market-place in time of peace. This historical fact follows
as a corollary from the geographical fact; and both help to explain the role which the people of Syria have played as the carriers and the disseminators of the products of the early human
culture.
There is, perhaps, nothing that better illustrates the position
of the country as an international battlefield and more succinctly
epitomizes its military history than the limestone promontory
projecting abruptly into the Mediterranean Sea at the mouth of
Nahr Al-Kalb (the Dog River). This rock bears the inscriptions and effigies of world-famed warriors and conquerors from
Ramses II and Nabuchadnezzar down through the ages into the
time of Marcus Aurelius, Sultan Selim, Napoleon III, and even
Allenby and Gouraud. In Egyptian hieroglyphics, Assyro-Ba-
�«—
2
THE SYRIAN WORLD
bylonian cuneiform signs, Greek, Latin, Arabic, French and
English characters, the mute tongue of this eternal rock has never ceased from time immemorial to declare the strategy of the
place and to proclaim the exploits of these world conquerors and
their military achievements. The names of Ptah, Ra', Amon,
Ashur, and other deities, which stood at the head of the Egyptian and Assyrian, pantheons, also are here immortalized.
Some of these inscriptions must have already been old and
hoary with years when Christ was born a couple of hundred
miles to the south. Many of them must have witnessed the
armies of Alexander the Great, the legions of Pompey, the Crusaders of Raymond, the hordes of Saladin and of al-Malik alDahir, and the warriors of Ibrahim Pasha sweep up and down
the coast in, triumphal march or in retreat. The eyes of Peter
and Mark, as Peter and Mark and other early missionaries made
their way on the maritime plain, must have been caught by the
sight of some of these records. Where else in the world can
one find a place so rich in historic associations, so replete with the
memories of the past?
*
*
*
The Dog River — The Lycos of Strabo and Pliny — is one
of the largest streams of Lebanon. It bears its name probably
from thej howling noise made by its water as it dashes through
the rocks into the sea. Its basin, formed by the union of four
wadisy begins from the slopes of Jabal Sannin, at a height of
some 9,000 feet, and extends a distance of 25 miles emptying
its water 8 miles to the north of Beirut. This water is supplied
from Nab' al-Laban, Nab' al-'Asal, Wadi al-Salib and J'itah,
the last being a cavern six miles from the Sea. J'itah is an
Aramaic word meaning "the howling" or "screaming one". It
is this water of the Dog River which the people of Beirut drink,
and the origin of which can be traced back to the thawing snows
that fall during the winter months on the heights of Lebanon.
The taste of the ice-cold and refreshing drinks which I had
three summers ago from the sources of al-Laban and al-'Asal,
when on a walking trip with President Dodge and three other
professors of the American University of Beirut, "is still under
my teeth" — as we express it in Arabic.
The mouth of the River is crossed by three bridges. The
one nearest to the sea is the lattice-girded bridge of the Lebanon
tramway line with its three spans of about 60 feet each. About
a hundred yards upstream is a masonry bridge of five arches car-
�1
;
SEPTEMBER, 1926
3
jying the Beirut-Tripoli carriage road. This bridge was first
built by Waseh Pasha, the fourth governor of autonomous Lebanon, and later rebuilt by his successor Na'um Pasha. This
is the bridge which the automobiles and carriages traveling between Beirut and Tripoli cross today. Walk a quarter of a
mile higher up and you come across a quaint old bridge, the
most picturesque and interesting of all three. This bridge is
for pack traffic only. In its present form it bears one-centuryold repairs made by the famous Amir Bashir. A small slab with
an Arabic inscription on one side of the bridge indicates that
fact.
The original bridge, which must have stood either on this
same spot or close by, was first built by the Seleucid king of Syria
Antiochus the First, in 250 B. C. The original bridge, however,
was destroyed and repaired many times. In the Mamluk period
it was repaired by Sayf al-Din ibn-al-Hajj 'Araqtay al-Mansuri
(1292 A. D.). Sultan Selim (1512-1520 A. D.), the Ottoman
conqueror of Syria and Egypt, must have also rebuilt this same
bridge as indicated by an Arabic inscription on the roadside by
the bridge.
Girding the slope of the adjacent northern hill, just across
from this bridge, are the remains of a Roman aqueduct, with
arches, near which we still have an inscription in Babylonian
cuneiform left by the Biblical Nabuchadnezzar (604-562 B. C.)
the conqueror of Tyre and Jerusalem. This Babylonian inscription is hard to reach. It is hidden with bushes and lies just behind the modern mill. It was discovered in 1883 by Julius
Loytved the Danish Consul in Beirut.
The early Egyptians and Assyrians must have crossed the
River mainly at this bridge or at an adjacent one. The Egyptians were probably the first highway makers in that part of the
world. Their road cuts the rock high up along the brow of the
summit of the promontory. In their track the Assyrians followed later. The Assyro-Egyptian road wound its course up
bold ascents and down rapid declivities. The mere physical
passage of such a pass by an army with horses and chariots was
in itself an achievement worthy of a tablet. Such a route in
winter would be well-nigh impassable.
The Phoenicians trod this same path until they tired of it.
Proclus, a young Phoenician from 'Akka and ruler in Ba'albek,
conceived the bold plan of opening a new road lower down to-
Pt
�4
THE SYRIAN WORLD
wards the sea. His workmen possessed only hammers, probably of hardened copper, and knew nothing of powder, dynamite
or other explosives. Proclus left inscriptions in Greek — which
seems strange and hard to explain. They were discovered and deciphered by Professor John Alsop Paine over fifty years ago.
The story of the discovery is told by him in the Palestine Exploration Society, Second Statement, Pp. 5-14 (Hackensack, New
Jersey, 1873.)
The Romans in their turn utilized this same Proclean or
Phoenician road. Mareus Aurelius was the one who, in all probability, repaired and widened it about 173 A. D. Hence the
name VIA ANTONINIANA. The Latin inscription of this philosopher-emperor is still legible. Like all others, it stands on a
large tablet chiseled into the face of the rock. The panels of
the different tablets vary from four to nine feet in height and
from 2 1-3 feet to Ax/2 feet in breadth. The Latin inscription
reads:—
IMP. CAES. M. AVRELIVS ANTONINVS.
PIVS: FELIX
AVGVSTVS. PART. MAX.
BRIT. MAX. GERM. MAXIMVS. PONTIFEX.
MAXIMVS.
Traces of the Roman pavement can still be seen on this
road to the present day.
It is this same Roman-Phoenician road that is still trodden
by the modern Lebanese as they make their way round the
precipitous coast.
But it was not only the geographical difficulties that intercepted the passage of the warriors at this particular point. The
mountaineers, realizing the advantage of the physical configuration of the land, would naturally make their stand right there,
behind the precipitous promontory, in order to check the advance
of a hostile army. The Dog River mouth was the Thermopylse
of Syria.
After the Egyptian conquests in Syria this promontory served as the natural boundary between the empire of the Pharaohs
and that of the Hittites. In several of the, critical battles of the
First Crusade it figured prominently. In 1100, Baldwin drew
the Moslems from a strong position at the mouth of the River
by a feigned retreat. As late as 1840, when the four European
powers — Russia, England, Austria and Prussia — resolved to
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
5
wrest Syria from the hands of the Egyptian Ibrahim Pasha and
restore it to the Sultan of Turkey, they landed (September 10)
at Juniyah, under command of Sir Charles Napier, a force of
Turkish troops with English and Austrian marines, who immediately entrenched themselves just to the north of the mouth
of the River.
It is clear from the above that what gave this site its characteristic features is the fact that just before reaching the mouth
of the River the rocky precipices thrust themselves abruptly into the sea forming a natural barrier to travel. To round this
precipice, a road had to be cut in the solid limestone rock along
the face of the sea-cliff. The position of the road rendered it
of great military importance from earliest times, making it the
natural, and at times, the. political boundary between the empires
to the south and those to the north of it.
*
*
*
The first inscription that greets the eye of a modern traveler, as he makes his way in an automobile from Beirut to Juniyah
and reaches the Dog River, is the French inscription of the
expedition sent in 1860 by Napoleon III to quell the civil war
better known as the Harakl This inscription reads thus:—
1860 -1861
Napoleon III
Empereur des Frangais
Armee Francaise
General de Beaufort d'Hautpoul
Commandant en Chef
Colonel Osmont
Chef d'Etat-Major General
General Ducrot
Commandant d'Infanterie
Then follow the names and numbers of the regiments.
The pity of it is that this modern French inscription was
carved on top of an earlier Egyptian inscription, dedicated to
the God Ptah, which was thus obliterated. It is interesting to
note, in this Connection, that the 65-year-old French inscription
�MMMMMMI
6
TH£ SYRIAN WORLD
is not much clearer today than the Latin inscription of Marcus
Aurelius which has withstood the weather for seventeen centuries or so.
A few feet from the French inscription stand two worn-out
panels bearing the effigies of two Assyrian royal personages. One
of these may be the picture of Tiglath Pileser I who visited
Lebanon in quest of cedar-wood for his palaces and temples in
Assyria. On passing there, this Assyrian king must have seen
the stela of the Egyptian Ramses, which was already standing
there, and emulated the Pharaoh's example by setting his own
effigy and inscription.
After a little ascent we find another Assyrian tablet belonging to Ashur-nazir-pal (885-860 B.C.) and commemorating his
victorious march through Syria. Leaving Ashur-nazir-pal to
his glory, we come, after a short climb, to an immense boulder
on which two of the most interesting and best preserved inscriptions are recorded. The first tablet bears the effigy of an Assyrian king, probably Shalmaneser III (860-825 B.C.) who had a
successful campaign against a coalition of Syrian kings headed
by Hazael of Damascus. The second tablet, about one foot
from the former, is an Egyptian one dedicated to the sun-god
Ra'. In the upper corner are two small figures facing each other.
A round-headed Assyrian tablet nearby is thought to represent
Sennacherib's invasion of Syria and Palestine in 701 B. C.
A few steps beyond bring us to the last two tablets: one by
Ramses II and much dilapidated; the other a round-headed
Assyrian tablet with the image of Esarhaddon the son of Sennacherib (II Kings, XIX-37). The king holds in his right hand
a cone. The cuneiform writing though inscribed in or about
671 B. C. is still legible. It commemorates the successful termination of the Egyptian campaign of "Esarhaddon, the great
king, the mighty king, the king of the land of Ashur and Babylon, king of Karduniash, king of all kings,
son of Sennacherib." *
The capture of Memphis, Ascalon and Tyre is referred to
in this inscription.
Among all these inscriptions the Egyptian ones are evidently
the oldest. They mostly belong to "The great lord, the prince,
great and mighty, the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the lord
*P. H. Weissbach, "Die Denkmaeler und Inschriften an der Mundung
des Nahr e'l-Kalb." Berlin, 1922 (Wissenschaftliche Veroflfentlichungen des
Deutsch — Turkischen Denkmalschutz-Kommandos — Heft 6.)
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
7
of both lands, the son of Ra<, Ramses Miamun
». Ramses
ruled 1292-1225 B. C.
His inscription therefore must have been about a thousand
years old when Alexander the Great made his way down the
bynan coast after the battle of Issus in 333 B. C.
If we now return to the carriage road and walk a few yards
northward we see near the bridge a modern inscription in English bearing the name of Allenby and the British regiments
which, in 1918, wrested Syria from the hands of the Ottoman
lurks And as if not wishing to leave this whole glory to the
British, the French, after assuming the man^te, added another
French inscription, artistically decorated, bearing the name of
General Gouraud. I remember seeing the workmen for days
chiselling into the solid rock and carving the French characters.
*
*
*
This brief portrayal of the historic associations of the mouth
of the Dog River will not be complete without reference to two
villages overlooking the glorious gorge. On one hill to the
south stands Tarnish which owes its name probably to Artemis,
the Greek goddess. On another hill to the north stands another
Maronite village, Ballunah, perpetuating the memory of Apollo.
And then there are, just above the oldest of the roads, the
stalagmite floors of three or four caverns in which the prehistoric man made his abode. Innumerable years before the world
knew of any Egyptians, Assyrians, Phoenicians, Greeks or Romans some prehistoric tribes lived their half-animal, half-human
lives in the grottoes of Nahr al-Kalb which are not quite as
large as those of Kentucky but bear a strong resemblance to them.
*
*
*
Four Egyptian inscriptions, six Assyrian, one Babylonian,
three Greek, two Latin, two Arabic, two French, and one Engglish — these constitute the visiting cards left by some of the
world's greatest conquerors on the table of the Dog River promontory. They bear witness to the strategic importance of the
place in ancient, mediaeval and modern times, and to the memorable events which led to the writing on this rock of ages with
indelible paint. The memories of the past evoked by these
unparalleled monuments, mingling with the remembrance of
Apollo and Artemis worship in the overlooking villages and
with the souvenir of the prehistoric man in the neighboring grottoes, all contribute to make the mouth of the Dog River one of
the richest spots in historic and prehistoric associations.
1 .-vj-r, -;-- fcSSSSasSSsSS^ ;-
.-;-...-.
�aa
8
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Health Problems of the Syrians
in the United States
By
F. I. SHATARA, M. D., F.A.C.S.
The topic of this brief contribution is bound to arouse some
questions and perhaps some criticism. Is it conceivable that the
Syrian migrating from a country where sanitation and public
health are in their infancy, to a country where these activities
form an important part of the duty of the Government—Federal, State and Municipal—should face any health problems at
all? Are there any health problems peculiar to the Syrian? We
shall see.
The editor of The Syrian World is to be greatly commended for devoting a part of the valuable space in his magazine to
the discussion of health problems. As a rule, a community that
has recently immigrated to this country is so preoccupied with
its economic and social problems as to overlook health and sanitary questions. It is hoped that this section of the magazine
will become something of a public health forum. Questions
should be encouraged, and contributions sought from men abler
than the writer.
It will greatly clarify the subject under discussion if we divide diseases into two groups — preventable and non-preventable. Under preventable diseases I shall not include all diseases
commonly included by the Health Department, but only those
diseases whose cause is definitely known, and which can, under
strict sanitary regulations, be eliminated. Diphtheria, Typhoid
Fever, and Small-pox are instances. These three diseases can
be entirely eliminated from a community, and immunity against
them can be acquired by vaccination—notwithstanding the antivivisectionists. It may be safely stated that the index of civilization of a given community varies in inverse proportion to the
prevalence of these diseases. In Syria, especially in Beirut,
where the water is piped from one common source, and where
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
1
\\
i (
9
sewage disposal is not done under sanitary precautions, where it
is done at all, Typhoid Fever has been a scourge. The other
preventable diseases are also prevalent. It is gratifying to note
that malaria, which was endemic in Syria, is being gradually
eliminated. From this standpoint, the Syrian in the United
States, or the American of Syrian origin, to be strictly Rooseveltian, far from facing a health problem, enjoys the immunity
which science affords.
But let us turn to the other group of Non-preventable diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries etc.; these are; more prevalent,
under the stress and strain of life in a highly civilized community, than in one where life is leisurely or more or less primitive.
The Syrian, accustomed to the simple and easy life, to the open
country, bright sunshine, and out-of-door recreation, finds an
entirely different environment when he lands in the United
States, especially if he choses to settle, as he usually does, in the
big cities. Until he gets acclimatized to his new environment,
he is more apt to feel the wear and tear of life in a City like
New York, than the native-born American. Another factor is
perhaps the excitability and emotionalism of the Syrian. Like
all dark-haired people who come from a warm climate, the Syrian lacks the coolness which is one of the characteristics of the
Nordic. While in one way this is an asset, still it makes him
more subject to nerve strain, neurasthenia etc. He tolerates pain
less and recuperates less rapidly. This I have noticed in my
surgical work.
It may not be amiss to point out here the great strides
made in recent years in the realm of preventive medicine, in
trying to prevent these non-preventable diseases. The modern
physician tries to prevent disease rather than wait and attempt
a cure after the disease has taken a firm foothold. The causes
of all diseases are being carefully studied and the knowledge
thus gained is transmitted by the physician to his patients, and
efforts are made to eliminate causative factors. Furthermore,
by the detection of a disease in its early stage it is often possible
to check its progress, and by the recognition of what may be
termed the prodromal stage, or the stage before the disease has
acually begun, it is sometimes possible to prevent its inception.
Hence the value of the so-called health examinations. I wish
that every reader of this article will make it a practise, if he has
not already done so, to get in the habit of having a health exami-
�10
THE SYRIAN WORLD
nation at least once a year. The money thus spent will be a
good investment. It will be similar to the proverbial stitch in
time. My plea to, the reader is simply this—treat your body as
well as you treat your automobile, for while you can easily buy
a new car, medicine has not yet progressed to the point where it
can give you a new body if you wreck the one that God gave
you.
A brief mention should be made of tuberculosis and other
lung infections such as pneumonia, pleurisy, etc. While no statistics are available, I am under the impression that the Syrian
is more prone to these diseases than the native-born. The reasons for this are several. The climate in Syria is mild and
equable, while here it is severe and changeable. There is sometimes, as is commonly known, as much as forty degrees variation
in temperature within twenty-four hours. Again the change
from an out-of-door life to a life of confinement where one
rarely sees the sun, and inhales, instead of pure air, one that is
laden with smoke and dust, breaks down the resistance and renders an individual susceptible to these lung diseases. The Syrian
working girl is the one especially to suffer. She divides her life
between the tenement house, the factory and the subway, gets
very little exercise and recreation, and after living about two
years in a city like New York, loses her vitality and healthy
color, and becomes an easy prey for these diseases'.
In conclusion, I must briefly and cautiously mention veneral
diseases. It is a difficult matter to discuss these without committing a breach of propriety. On the other hand, the prevalence
of these diseases, which are often contracted because of sheer
ignorance, leads me to believe that an educational campaign along
these subjects is a greatly needed one, and one that will
save our Syrian youth many sufferings and dire consequences.
Let the family physician assume the role of teacher and guide.
Let parents realize that knowledge, properly imparted, far from
hurting the morals of their children, will dispel that morbid
curiosity which often leads youth astray.
"The best of friends is he who shows you no more friendship when you become rich, no less when you become poor."
Ahmad Ibn Kais.
-
�The Khouriat, or wife of tlle Christian priest of Rashayya, who at the risk of her life carried a message to
the Rashayya garrison premising relief. Shp
here shown being decorated by the French High Commissioner de Joir
in the public square in Beirut.
�Gruesome spectacle in the courtyard of Rashayya fortress following thedesperate attack by the Druzes. The
town may be seen on fire in the right foreground.
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
[1
The Widowhood of Shahrazad
By
.,
V
|
11
HENRI DE REGNIER
of the French Academy
e/f Review by
WILLIAM CATZEFLIS
Part II
The Sultan, Shahryar, had just been found assassinated, in
his bed. His own dagger, with the agate pommel, was found
inbedded in his chest, and his own sword had served the murderer or murderers, to sever his head. His guards were found slain
at his very door
As to the murderer, he had disappeared without leaving any trace. Kerendar, coming to see his master in the
morning, had seen the tragic spectacle, and had tried to bring
aid to the Sultan, but the latter was beyond help. Then he hastened to inform Shahrazad of what had happened
Shahrazad was very popular in Bagdad, on account of her
beauty and talent, and Kerendar offered to have her recognized
as the reigning Sultana. Nothing was easier, providing she consented to keep him as Grand Vizier, and to let him govern the
kingdom in her name. If not, the throne would go to the Atabeck
of Mosul, and she, Shahrazad, would be confined in, some secure
place for the rest of her natural days, unless these days happened
to end abruptly in some other manner. Shahrazad was not ambitious, but she liked her comfort. She liked her palace, her
gardens, her life of ease, and the death of Shahryar had rather
pleased her, as giving her more freedom. Everything was arranged promptly and with great ability by Kerendar. The funeral of Shahryar was followed by the recognition of Shahrazad, and, soon after, by the hanging of Kerendar, who was pronounced the real murderer. Not that they had found any evidence against him, but a murderer to be punished was needed,
and Shahrazad's dislike for him had increased since that morning
when he scared and frightened her badly, by awakening her suddenly and waving before her eyes his bloody hands
The beginnings of Shahrazad's reign were happy. That is
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
11
The Widowhood of Shahrazad
By
HENRI DE REGNIER
of the French Academy
eA Review by
WILLIAM CATZEFLIS
Part II
The Sultan, Shahryar, had just been found assassinated, in
his bed. His own dagger, with the agate pommel, was found
inbedded in his chest, and his own sword had served the murderer or murderers, to sever his head. His guards were found slain
at his very door
As to the murderer, he had disappeared without leaving any trace. Kerendar, coming to see his master in the
morning, had seen the tragic spectacle, and had tried to bring
aid to the Sultan, but the latter was beyond help. Then he hastened to inform Shahrazad of what had happened
Shahrazad was very popular in Bagdad, on account of her
beauty and talent, and Kerendar offered to have her recognized
as the reigning Sultana. Nothing was easier, providing she consented to keep him as Grand Vizier, and to let him govern the
kingdom in her name. If not, the throne would go to the Atabeck
of Mosul, and she, Shahrazad, would be confined in, some secure
place for the rest of her natural days, unless these days happened
to end abruptly in some other manner. Shahrazad was not ambitious, but she liked her comfort. She liked her palace, her
gardens, her life of ease, and the death of Shahryar had rather
pleased her, as giving her more freedom. Everything was arranged promptly and with great ability by Kerendar. The funeral of Shahryar was followed by the recognition of Shahrazad, and, soon after, by the hanging of Kerendar, who was pronounced the real murderer. Not that they had found any evidence against him, but a murderer- to be punished was needed,
and Shahrazad's dislike for him had increased since that morning
when he scared and frightened her badly, by awakening her suddenly and waving before her eyes his bloody hands
The beginnings of Shahrazad's reign were happy. That is
�12
THE SYRIAN WORl
to say that the people of Bagdad were suffering from the sam .
ills, paying the same taxes, bearing the same injustice and mise
ries. But these conditions, which made them loathe Shahryar,
made them worship Shahrazad. Peoples are thus made. Their
fate is uniformly pitiful and their happiness always imaginary.
Shahrazad had then inaugurated a happy reign. She was told
that so often that she was surprised that she was not sharing the
happiness of her people. That disproportion vexed her.
And then, when Shahrazad had slept all she wanted; when
she had endeared herself to the people and received their acclamations; when she had rebuilt her palace, replanted her gardens,
changed the places of pavillions, fountains and bushes, and hanged the Grand Vizier, Kerendar, she discovered that she was not
any happier than during the life of Shahryar.
When evening came, and she went up to the terraces of her
new palace, she felt that something was missing. She found herself, idle and uncertain. Shahrazad had the habit of reasoning
her impressions. Having thought deeply, she recognized that
the stories she used to tell Shahryar every night kept her mind
in a state of ingenious and salutary activity. She had to invent
the subjects, to imagine the circumstances. Once the play over,
she felt a spiritual fatigue and weariness. How could she remedy
that state? She could not very well group around her her retinue
and guards and make an audience of them
She could not
think of the easy pleasures
As to real love, it is not easier
for queens to obtain it than for daughters of cobblers. And then,
when one is at the peak of honors, one gets adulation, respect,
and inspires fear, but it is hard for one to be loved
Suddenly an idea occurred to her, and thrilled her soul. Would
it not be amusing for her, she who had told so many stories,
to have people tell them to her in turn? Why not try? Unlike
Shahryar, she would not have the boresome entertainers beheaded. She would be satisfied to have their ears cut, for failing to
charm hers. Shahrazad was not cruel; she was even a little sorry
for having had that poor Kerendar hanged. Now she was wiser,
but even wisdom has its hours of weariness. Decidedly, she would
convoke the story tellers. The news of this would be published
in Bagdad the following day.
They were published, and they produced a magic effect. The
marvelous life history of Shahrazad, the cobbler's daughter who
had become a Sultana, had made story telling fashionable. It
had become a vogue. [There was hardly a house in Bagdad where
�—•.
IPTEMBER, 1926
:
13
,-eople did not gather to hear stories. Clubs and academies had
been formed for that purpose, with championship and prizes.
In brief, a real literary furore had invaded the town, creating
queer vanities, rivalries, and animosities which often turned into
hatred. It is easy, therefore, to conceive of the effect produced
upon the people of Bagdad, and especially upon ambitious candidates by the edict of the Queen
The clause about the ears
caused a little anxiety, but the vanity of the Ba^dadian story tellers was such, that no one of them imagined he would have to
suffer that outrage
The first one who was favored by fate was Mardook. He
was a little man, ugly and conceited. He had, for himself, an
unlimited esteem; therefore, he did not doubt that, after hearing
him, Shahrazad would close the door to further competition,
and would permanently attach him to her person. His rivals
had for him nothing but contempt, yet, they were not entirely
at ease in their minds. Women have such bad taste you never
can tell what they might do. As to Mardook himself, he was
sure of his success. He had a new outfit made by the best tailor
of Bagdad; and with a large turban, surmounted by a tall feather, his hair freshly trimmed and his beard perfumed, he strode
the steps of the palace, with a great deal of pride. His colleagues
had insisted on accompanying him to the gates, and their imposing cortege remained outside, discussing the merits and the chances
of the candidate. But after a certain length of time, all conversations were hushed,as the bronze doors of the Palace were thrown
open, and they saw Mardook, his cloak in disorder, holding preciously upon a piece of cloth, his two severed ears.
His example, however, did not discourage his rivals. Each
week saw the one selected by fate going lip the stairs of the
Palace. Shahrazad listened patiently to the stories that they
told, but she could not become interested. The marvelous inventions, which had amused her when they were conceived in her
own mind, left her indifferent and bored when she heard them
from some one else's mouth. Exhausted, she had often discharged the applicants without even giving them a chance to declaim
their tales. Wounded in their vanity, these persons spread calumnies about her. Poisoning tongues were spreading strange rumors in Bagdad. They were saying that the Sultana, weakened
in mind and with a decadent intelligence, was no longer in position to appreciate the literary merits of Bagdadians. Epigrams
and songs were circulated, villifying her
�14
THE SYRIAN WORLD
It was on one of those days that Shahrazad learned of the
arrival into Bagdad of a great caravan. From the remote country of the Garamids, through the deserts of Bogdiane, at the
price of a thousand dangers and much fatigue, it had arrived into
Bagdad, bearing gifts from the king of their country to Shahrazad. The men composing it did not resemble the people of
Bagdad, either by their dress or by their figures. One of them
was said to be a famous story teller, and wanted to run the
gauntlet of the test. He was tall, and kept his face veiled, like
a woman. He was said to be of a great race, and of a princely
house. He craved the favor to speak before the Sultana.
Hearing that request, Shahrazad shook her shoulders. What
was the use of attempting, once more, a useless experience? What
did he want with her, that presumptuous stranger? Oh, she was
not going to spare that one. To punish his audacity, she would
not content herself with having his ears cut, but will have him
beheaded. So much the worse for him, and let him be told that
she expected him the following day.
It was a hot and bright night, similar to the night when
Shahryar was murdered. Stars were twinkling, and the moon
had risen.
Shahrazad, lying on her perfumed leather
cushions, was listening to the murmur of the fountains,
while inhaling the fragrance of roses. She felt herself unduly
troubled. She would have liked to bathe her feverish body in
iced water, but she wanted to get rid of the stranger first. She
gave orders that he be ushered into her presence.
He was indeed tall, and seemed elegant and robust. A wide
cloak enveloped his body, and his face was covered by a veil.
Instead of prostrating himself at the feet of the Sultana, he was
standing, erect and silent, before her. She considered him with
curiosity. What words were going to emerge from this mysterious mouth? She was beginning to be interested. All of a sudden, it seemed to her that, the leather of her cushions were acquiring a delightful freshness, that the stars were more brilliant
and the moon more silvery. The air had a peculiar flavor. The
fountains were murmuring with greater harmony j the roses had
a sweeter fragrance. In the darkness, a nightingale sang. The
stranger was still silent} Shahrazad was silent also, but her heart
was throbbing, and she lowered her eyes.
When she raised them again, the man had lifted his veil, and
was looking at her, his face uncovered, with one finger on his
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
15
hps. He was beautiful, beautiful as happiness and as the dawn.
He was keeping silent, and yet Shahrazad heard coming from
that closed mouth the unspoken words of the most marvelous
of stories, the one that Love tells Silence, and which contains
all the beauty of Death and Life.
Silence is Golden
The bosoms of men are the chests of secrets; the lips are
their locks, and the tongues are their keys. Let each one keep
the key of his secrets.
<Amr Ibn-ul <Aas
Your secret is your slave; when you let it out you become
its slave.
^.H
Never have I blamed anyone for divulging a secret I communicated to him; for my own bosom was more at fault for not
keeping it.
Omar
Guard thou thy tongue lest in speaking thyself thou ruest,
Verily wretchedness attends one's speech.
An Arab poet
My son, when you are in the company of men speak not
with the speech of those who are above you lest they consider
you boresome, nor speak with the speech of those below you lest
they dispise you.
Abu-1-Aswad al-Dou'ali.
My silence is my own, and its benefit accrues to me alone;
my speech is for others, and its benefits accrue to others, while
its injury accrues to me.
A wise Arab
The wise one is not he who knows good from evil, but he who
knows the lesser of two evils.
Omar
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
16
What is Americanism ?
By
HABIB
I.
KATIBAH
The new interest which an increasingly large number of
"Americans" are taking in the "foreign" groups of this country
could not go unnoticed.
Often, this interest takes an unwholesome, pugnacious phase j
often it is a blind reaction to deep-seated and uncontrolled racial
prejudices j often it is the outcome of a defensive, repulsing attitude to what is considered an encroachment on sacred traditions
and the continuity of historic experiences. In this latter phase
the ^foreigners are considered as intruders and social climbers,
unwanted and unwelcome sojourners in a land that is not their
own. And in all these aspects, the American interest is a negative one. It is rather an awareness and a realization of the foreigner as constituting a social and biological problem.
Needless to say there is a different kind of interest among
a smaller group of thinking Americans who try to understand the
foreigners before they judge them or condemn them; who do
not allow their unreasoned passions to control their critical judgements.
It is not our purpose here to defend the foreigners or judge
their prejudiced critics. Nor do we desire to enter into any technical discussion on the biological merits of the supremacy of one
"race" over another, and whether there is such a thing as a "race".
We leave these subjects for scientists to discuss.
There are certain basic ideas which transcend these considerations and help to enlighten our minds on the fundamental principles involved in this timely discussion. On these we wish to
dwell.
Just what is this Americanism?
It seems presumptuous for a foreigner to give a satisfactory
and all-inclusive definition of a term which is so essentially American in its implications and connotations. Yet it is not so presumptuous as it seems. On the contrary, it is just as likely for
a foreigner to apprehend and appraise this gigantic psychical
and spiritual movement as for an American. Americanism denotes
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
17
a relationship, one term of which is the American, the other one,
the foreigner.
What is a true American, therefore, is a matter to be determined by the reaction of the non-American observer as much as
by the American himself.
We are of the firm belief that most of the misunderstandings
and troubles that follow the discussion of this subject arise from
the misconception of its true nature. We are of the opinion that
Americanism is often regarded as a theoretical, biological problem when in truth it should be viewed as a practical, moral one.
We are perfectly aware of the cogency of the arguments
presented by such serious students of our social maladies as A. E.
Wiggam, in his book, "The New Decalogue of Science" and others who share his views that we should not allow sentimentalism
to get the better of our judgements in the discussion of social
problems. Heartily do we recommend this rigorous scientific study however unpleasant might be its conclusions to us. But
when we have done all our scientific research and study in our
social and psychological laboratories, and compiled our statistics
and deduced our formulae therefrom, we have not thereby done
anything in. the way of Americanism. Nor is the methodic application of these scientific truths and theories Americanism. In
a sense, Americanism is a pedagogical term. It should have as
its immediate objective the conversion of untutored foreigners
into good, responsible American citizens.
This, to our mind, is the essence of the whole problem. This
is the practical religion of Americanism devoid of all its dogmas
and rituals.
It is quite possible that in the light of this interpretation,
Americanism would lose something of its American content j it
is not unlikely, and to us seems inevitable, that viewed thus,
Americanism becomes more of a problem of interpretation and
interrelation than of assimilation. In other words, to make of
foreigners good American citizens does not necessarily mean to
convert them into New England Puritans of Anglo-Saxon blood
and traditions, even if this were possible. Yet, how often is the
aversion of some blue-blooded Americans to foreigners based on
this foolish, though often unwitting, expectation which by nature could not be realized? How often do Americans of AngloSaxon descent seem to imply in Americanism this round-about
change of human nature which may take centuries to accomplish,
and which, once accomplished, may not be to the best advantage
�is
THE SYRIAN iVORLb
of the Americans, the foreigners, or the human race in general.
Two views of Americanism are distinctly here before us: one
that regards Americanism as conformity to some sacred residium
of raciality given, so to speak, a priori, and over which we have no
authority or control; the other conceives of Americanism as a forward-looking, practical arrangement whereby people of different
races could live together in peace and harmony. According to the
first view, true American ideals are those which were in existence
150 years ago; all others that came after are adventitious and
alien. These ideals, we may add, are Anglo-Saxon, or at least
Nordic. The other view regards Americanism as a composite
product of the ideals represented by the different nationalities
that have found a dwelling-place and a refuge in this vast
land, originally belonging to the red-skinned American Indians.
This latter view must be distinguished from one similar to it
in appearance, but in fact quite different—the view that is expressed in the slogan, once very popular, of "the melting-pot"...
We have chosen the word "composite" deliberately, to avoid
even the suspicion of favoring a conglomoration of "foreign"
ideals with those of "the native American" in such a way that
we will have neither the one nor the other.
We note with satisfaction the passing away of this "meltingpot" theory of Americanization, while we may not assent completely to some writers' tendency to swing from it back to the
old Yankee theory of Americanization, as evidenced by a recent
book on the subject, "The Melting-Pot Mistake", by Henry
Pratt Fairchild.
While Mr. Fairchild makes the scientific basis of his book
the distinction between "race" which is a biological, hereditary,
characteristic, and "nationality" which is acquired, he resumes
his discussion, as if with the assumption that the latter is hereditary and unchangeable, and ends with two quotations from "two
distinguished foreigners" to substantiate his contention that it
constitutes "a mystic centre" and a "soul" of the people who
adopt it.
There seems to be a discrepancy somewhere in Mr. Fairchild's argument. Either nationality is acquired and hence there
is nothing "mystical" about it, or else this mysticism comes not
from the consideration of nationality, but from another source,
raciality or what is akin to it. Indeed one's suspicion that the
author involuntarily substitutes raciality for nationality is more
than justified by a perusal of his book. He harps continuously
-
-
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
19
on the "Puritan stock" and the traditions of the immigrants of
150 years ago, forgetting or overlooking the distinction between
those traditions which are acquired and have been the inspiration
of millions of people all over the world, and those ones that
are "biological" or "racial" or what not...
It is obvious that assimilation of the foreigners on the basis
of a common understanding of acquired traditions, i. e., nationality, is quite possible, and to our way of thinking, most feasible;
while assimilation in the sense of conformity to all the idiosyncrasies and deep-set racial traditions of the Anglo-Saxon or Nordic Stock is obviously impossible, and senseless. For humanity
may be united on essential things, which are the heritage of all;
on ethical and social standards that make their appeal to reason;
but not on matters of social behavior which go back thousands
of years, and in the last analysis are based on sheer prejudice,
blind imitation or accidental contingencies.
We feel that some modern writers, Wigam, Stoddard, Robinson etc., have emphasised a little too unduly the place of instinct
in, the process of thinking and in human behavior.. The mind,
with its consciously formulated standards, is given altogether too
little a place. We would like to recall for them the consideration that while man was originally motivated by instincts, almost exclusively, he has more and more employed "conscious"
reasoning in his social behavior. Furthermore, and what is of
more consequence, civilization is nothing more than the constant
substitution of "reason" for "instinct". To some psychologists,
civilization appears to be a thin, artificial veneer on the thick
surface of instinct, but it is just this thin veneer which makes us
more of men and less of beasts.
There is something to be said for the policy of restricted
immigration, if it were carried out a little more humanely and
scientifically. This restriction we, of foreign extraction, desire
for our own sakes, to enable us to accommodate ourselves to our
new environment more satisfactorily. But may we observe here
that even if there were only five righteous foreigners among a certain type of Nordics these latter would not assimilate them or
make it easy for them to be assimilated. The obstacle here is not a
biological one but a moral one. For every race has its peculiar
vice and that of the Nordics is pride. This pride has made them
the most powerful race on earth, but it threatens also to unmake
them. The English have been in India more than 150 years,
and are today as far from understanding the mentality of the
�20
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Hindus as when they first landed there as merchants and pirates.
It is with, a sense of extreme pleasure and gratification that
we can say from personal experience and close observation that
many Nordics are not haters of foreigners. We know too many
good-natured, generous, large-hearted Christian Nordics to condemn them in a sweeping manner. These hold to us the promise
that a new spirit and a new interpretation of Americanism are
asserting themselves.
One of these Nordics, of New England Stock, who has devoted with his wife thirty years to social work among foreign
groups in the larger cities of the United States has summed up
his experiences in a pamphlet which we wish could be placed in
the hands of every social student before reading such books as
"The Melting-Pot Mistake", by Mr. Fairchild or "The Revolt
Against Civilization", by Lothrop Stoddard.
Charles Frederick Weller, president of the League of Neighbors, has a most illuminating testimony about "foreigners" contained in a message entitled "Immigrants" which we take pleasure in quoting here, and with which we find nothing more fitting
to end this article.
"By good fortune," says Mr. Weller, "I have become acquainted with a number of apparently average folks bearing the
strange racial name. On acquaintance, invariably, they have
proven to be good average human beings—congenial like myself in all human essentials, though interestingly varied which is
the law of life.
"Thus my personal experiences have exactly followed the
labored scientific conclusions of the best scholars—who have found
it impossible to define any significant, lasting distinctions between
races. The scientists probe, measure, photograph, tabulate—and
perhaps arrive at the hopeful conclusion that the one real, fixed,
demonstrable distinction is between "Brachycephalic" or broad
heads, and "Delichocephalic" or narrow heads. Then the scientists report that the broad heads and narrow heads are everywhere
so variously mixed together that the popular race distinction—
one on which you and I and Congress base our prejudices—have
no fixed or clear relationship at all to what has been urged as the
one and only scientific racial distinction".
/
*
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
II
1
2f
Her First Meeting with the
Match-Makers
By AHMED HIKMAT
The recent social and political upheaval in Turkey had among its
foremost results the liberation of the Turkish woman and the abolishment of the! Harem institution. The following story by the Turkish
writer, Ahmed Hikmat, translated to Arabic and published in a Mohammedan newspaper of Damascus, gives one an intimate impressionistic study of the feelings of a Moslem girl of the old regime, at
the first visit of professional match-makers on the mission of choosing a bride for a bridegroom totally unknown to her. Incidentally, it
uncover« to us one of the most dynamic and fundamental motives' of
the modern Kemalist revolution.
The conditions described here still exist in many Moslem countries and in some parts of Syria, where many of the Moslem women
are still held prisoners behind their veils. — Editor.
A gorgeous carriage was coming towards the house
It
drew nearer...... What could it have stopped for!!
A few minutes passed before the door was knocked. Was it
just an ordinary visitor coming to us?
I went to the top of the stairs and peered at the comers.
I saw enter two women attended by a servant. Nothing out of
the ordinary in this, had I not noticed the commotion and hubub
which followed their entry.
Presently my governess came running up the stairs, jumping two steps at a time, as I read on her excited face signs of
astonishment and perplexity.
"A big event, a big event! my little beloved one," she panted
out in a disconnected and confused voice.
"And what may this big event be?" I asked.
"O, my lambkin, it is a great matter for which they have
come. But never mind now, run to your room and hide. Here
they come! Beware to show yourself or move about!"
Then she ran back to where my mother stood, repeating: "A
big event, a big event!" Her hurry did not prevent me from
shouting after her: "Tell me, in God's name, what is this big
�.
22
.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
event; which this carriage has brought about with it?"
I had scarcely finished my sentence when my mother appeared at the door of her bed-room. I trembled with fright as
she looked at me with a glance full of seriousness and authority,
and raising her finger to her lips, motioned me to silence, and
ordered me to go to my room without delay.
Then my governess came out and took me in hand to my
room.
A sudden feeling of insubordination arose within me, and
I stood there on tip-toe to find who those women were. But
no sooner had I glanced at them than I ran away in fear.
To say that I did not understand, that my heart did not
beat at; the coming of these women, I would not be telling the
truth. I knew that these women were m..a^t..c.Ji-m..a..k..e.jr..s!
Up 'till yesterday I was, like all girls who reach the age
of fifteen and are not betrothed, despondent of life, wishing for
death when the least annoyance crossed me. Often I would say
to my parents: "Would that death take me away and rid you of
me!"
And as if my cat sensed the situation, it followed me and
rolled on the floor by my feet.
"Depart from me," I said, "for the love that was between
us has come to an end! See you not, pussy, the match-makers?"
Then my governess came back panting and said to me: "Make
ready and come with me."
"Where?" I asked.
Instead of an answer, my governess asked me what dress
I would like to put on, and it was finally decided that I should
wear my rose dress, which I proceeded to put on as the words,
"hurry up," "make haste," etc., rang in my ears.
Bitter and painful thoughts raced through my mind at that
moment. I felt as though I were a commodity displayed before strange buyers whom I do not know and who know me not.
They look at me from behind a show-window, and I wonder
as they measure my length and width with their scrutinizing
eyes, if I, the soulless, unfeeling statue, suit the fancy of their
bride-groom! I stand before them with a drooping head like
a guilty one before a judge.
I may be a beautiful girl, free from blemishes and faults,
yet the fear of God Himself would not prevent the matchmaker from remarking haughtily: "We want a different color,"
or "a different face than this."
I\
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
25
Thus do the betrother and his folks tyrannize over the betrothed one and hers, dictating their will as though it were coming from Heaven.
That was what went on in my mind at that moment, and
I must confess that it cut my self-respect deeply, so deeply that
I cried. Yes, I cried bitterly and my tears rolled down copiously on my cheeks.
"Do not cry, my sweet one," comforted my governess, "for
I fear your eyes will turn red
for God's sake, do not cry!"
She said this as she went on making my toilet. And as she
touched my face with powder, she lectured me thus.
"Your steps must be steady and balanced, neither too fast
nor too slow. As you walk turn not backwards nor sidewards.
And beware of frowning or closing your eyes or staring. Display not the least haughtiness or vanity, nor the least sign of stupidity. And under no condition must you show your feet or
hands, nor your teeth. Ah, if they should see the cavity of that
tooth that was taken out last year
what a calamity it would
be!!!"
When my governess was through with my toilet, she was
not yet through with her lecturing. For, following me, she
kept up her instructions: "Stop, let me fix your ribbons, now
walk this way
lift your foot
now do this
now do
that "
As, I entered the guests' salon, I was face to face with two
ghosts or rather ghouls! I was exhausted and threw myself
on the sofa. But as I sat it occurred to me that my posture
might not have pleased the match-makers, and my cheeks turned red with shame, and the more I thought of the color of
my cheeks, the redder they grew.
To turn myself away from my self-consciousness, I began
to fidget with the edge of my robe.
I thought to myself: This one in the middle is the motherin-law. She is an old woman, thin and tall, yet she tries to
imitate youth in her appearance. She flirts and makes up; she
opens and closes her eyes in a coquettish manner, and frequently
looks sidewise, and cracks her fingers. When she talks she puckers her lips and slowly, drawlingly, allows the words to come out
disjointed from her awry mouth.
I felt, as I listened to her, that her glances which shot out
like sparks or poisoned arrows from her small, greenish eyes,
were piercing my bosom and pinning me tightly to my seat
�24
THE SYRIAN WORLD
The fright which the sight of the mother-in-law inspired in
me did not prevent me from forming a mental picture of her
precious son! Rather, perhaps, it was the very thing which
drove me to it. I said to myself: "I wonder if he is like his
mother? Would he ever become as ugly as she is?" Nor need
I deny that I would often steal a glancei at my "match-maker"
as she was busy lighting or putting out her cigarettes.
No! No! I will not hesitate at all to say that I did not like
her.
But the one who was sitting next to her, who I have no
doubt is her daughter
she, too, is like the rest of sisters-inlaw, envious and insidious, as one could readily read on her
forehead! She, too, pierced me with sharp glances from her
blue eyes, as her face peered out now and then from behind the
thick veil of her mother's smoke.
"Ah!" I said to myself as the mother-in-law was taking the
last sip of her coffee, "how far are these two women from knowing my true nature and character? Is it the mission of the matchmakers merely to look, not to understand?"
What a relief when I found myself again alone in my room.
But only for a short while.
For the women folk of my home soon flocked around me
and were all talking at the same time.
Said one: "You were frowning in the presence of the matchmakers." "On the contrary," said another, "you were not serious
enough." A third one added that the glow of my cheeks enhanced my beauty while a fourth one contradicted her!
To what purpose, O, God, were the long years which I spent
learning music and drawing, and the long hours which I spent
poring over my books at school?
The two match-makers did not give me any opportunity to
talk, or discuss with them any subject! Far from that, they did
not even give me a chance to raise a glance at them
Ah, how I yearn for a man who would know my heart, and
whose heart I would know; who understands me and whom I
understand? Where will I ever chance on a man like that?
•
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
25
ISLAM
ii.
No careful reader of the Koran can fail to note the close
resemblance of Mohammedanism to Christianity and Judaism. In
the Mohammedan calendar Jesus stands next to Mohammed in
importance. He is characterized as being "from the Spirit of
God", and although his divinity or deity is vehemently denied,
his miraculous birth from the Virgin is attested to. Jewish influence on Mohammed and the Koran is not hard to discern also.
Geiger wrote a whole book on "What Mohammed Took from
Judaism". In both cases Mohammed had no first-hand acquaintance with the sacred literature of these two religions, but rather
received his information from secondary sources of traveling
monks and popular Rabbinic literature.
At first Mohammed did not have in mind introducing a new
religion. He preached what he believed to be the same religion
which Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus preached before him.
To him Christianity was a continuation and fulfillment of Judaism. As to his own mission, he believed himself to be the "Messenger" of God sent to give the Arabs a warning and to bring
them back to the only and one religion.
But later in Medina, when he was repulsed and ridiculed by
the Jews with whom he had tried to effect some agreement, he
turned his face from Jerusalem Meccaward, and thereupon began to reconsider Islam in the light of a new religion which
superseded the other two. He began to call the Jews and the
Christians who disputed with him "falsifiers" of the Torah and
the Gospels, and taught that his new revelations "annulled" —
nasakh — the previous ones.
It is not af all necessary to believe in the "Monk Buhairah"
legend to explain the origin of Christian influence on Mohammed. Christianity of the Nestorian or docetic type was quite
common in Arabia. Khadijah's cousin was said to be a Christian. The prince of Arab poets before Islam, Amru-1-Kais,
was a Christian. So also was the prince and paragon of Arab
generosity, Hatem of the tribe of Tai. In Tai'f, not far from
�26
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Mecca, there was a thriving colony of Arabs which had come under the influence of monotheistic, probably Christian, influence.
A story told of Mohammed in Medina gives us a vivid picture of the extent of Christian influence on him.
It is related by Arab biographers of Mohammed that a man
of the tribe of Ayad visited the Prophet while he was surrounded by a group of his "followers". Mohammed asked the man
about the old itinerant monk-priest, Kis Ibn Sa'ida of Ayad.
The man informed Mohammed that Kis had died. Mohammed
shook his head in sorrow and said:
"May Allah have mercy on him. I can still recall him when,
riding on a red she-camel, he harangued the crowds in the fair of
'Okaz". Then, turning to his followers, he asked if any remembered something of the famous sermons of Kis Ibn Sa'ida. Abu
Bakr volunteered and recited a short rhapsodic sermon which
the picturesque priest was fond of delivering in oratorical flourish.
The fundamental principles of Islam may be summed up in
the following five tenets:
1—The acknowledgement of One God, and the recognition
of Mohammed as the Apostle of God.
2—The ritual of worship, five times a day.
3—Alms.
A—Fasting of the month of Ramazan.
5—The pilgrimage to Mecca.
In the fiirst four we find nothing radically different from
similar universal elements of Christianity and Judaism. But the
fifth is, a decided concession to heathen, Arab nationalism.
This dual nature of Islam, its religious nationalism and nationalistic religion, gave Islam its greatest impetus as an aggressive, dynamic world force, which seemed, magic-like, to create
a civilization out of nothing, but which in truth pressed and
moulded previous elemnets into its service, and fusing them
together with its heat of enthusiasm, created a new type of civilization, neither old nor new, but distinctly different.
Had Islam confined itself to Arabia it would have, in all
probability, died away, engulfed in the abyss of the monotonous
sands of the desert, and Mohammed, instead of becoming a
colossal figure in the history of the world, would have been another local prophet of Arabia, another Hud or Saleh, whose memory hangs on the slender thread of a mere name.
But with the vision of a statesman which characterized his
latter days, Mohammed cast his eyes beyond Arabia, to the
I
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
i
|J
27.
earthly paradise of Damascus, to the spacious plains of Mesopotamia, to the thrones of the Christian Heraclius and the Zoroastrian Yezdegird. Such was the vision with which the Koreishite
prophet fired his compact body of faithful companions and zealous followers. To the majority, we must assume, this vision
aroused nothing more exalting or spiritual than a relief from the
severe life of the inclement desert, and the dream of a life of
plenty and affluence, always seen from afar but never realized or
even realizable in Arabia itself. Early records of the Islamic
invasions of these neighboring countries are full of ejaculations
of enthusiastic warriors in praise of Allah "Who has delivered
us from the privations of the Jahiliyyah to the plenty of Islam".
Partly in the light of this pressing economic determinism,
partly in the light of a religious zeal which transcended the
bounds of this human existence, promising an immediate translation from the miseries and exigencies of a mortal life into
a state of eternal happiness, such as no Arab ever entertained
even in his fondest dreams, could we explain the unparalleled
energy and swiftness of execution with which Islam spread like a
prairie fire, north, east and west until, in less than half a century, the Moslem Empire exceeded that of the Romans at the
height of their glory, extending "from Cyrene on the west to
India on the east".
Just three years after the death of Mohammed in Medina,
Damascus fell into the hands of the Arabs in the year 635 A. D.
In the following year the battle of Yarmuk, on the eastern side
of the Jordan river, brought the whole of Syria under the banner of victorious Islam and drove the last Byzantine king within the borders of Asia Minor. In the year 637 the battle of
Kadisiyya made the fresh invaders from Arabia masters over
thej ancient kingdoms of Babylonia and Assyria. The battle of
Nahawand in 642 extended their rule further over the lands
of the Medes and the Persians, while in 640 Egypt fell.
All this came in the short reign of two of the former companions of the Prophet, Abu-Bakr and Omar, who were the first
and second Caliphs, i. e. successors, respectively, of Mohammed.
It is not possible to go into the details of the political fortunes of Islam in this short treatise. The civil wars between Ali
and Mu'awiyah; the establishment of the Umayyad dynasty in
Damascus; the rise of the Abbaside one in Baghdad; the founding of a new caliphate in North Africa and Andalusia, Spain;
form an interesting and romantic story, but are little pertinent
�I
. WM mUU
28
THE SYRIAN WORLD
to our present subject, which is to give a comprehensible outline
of Islam as a religion, as a spiritual movement which left its
mark on the history of mankind.
The dynasty of the Umayyads, founded by Mu'awiyah in
Damascus in the year 660 A. D., may be generally described as
a dynasty of worldly tolerance. The Umayyads came from that
branch of Koreish which offered Mohammed most opposition,
and whose members embraced Islam only when they began to
discern in it worldly advantages and political prestige. Their
interpretation of Islam was worldly, but, it may be said in
justice to them, was also sane and tolerantj they were practical
men, of affairs above everything else. Under their lenient rule
Islam attained its height of glory, and Arab nationalism was consolidated.
It was under the Umayyads, and partly due to their tolerance,
that the influence of Christian Syria was first felt in Islam. At
first, the beaurocratic and secretarial management of the vast
kingdom was left in the hands of the natives. Books of the
treasury, records of the taxes etc., were kept in Greek, Persian
and Coptic, in the respective countries of Syria, Persia and Egypt.
The grandfather of St. John of Damascus, considered "the
greatest theologian of the Greek Church", held a high position
at the Umayyad court while the Christian poet al-Akhtal was
as much of a favorite in the court of Mu'awiyah as Farazdak
and Jarir the Moslems. The mollifying influence of the Byzantine civilization had its bearing on the rough-hewn sons of
the desert, especially in the court, where the Umayyad Caliphs
exceeded the Byzantine rulers in the voluptuousness of their
luxurious tastes.
This early contact of Islam with Christian influence in Syria
rendered it accessible also to spiritual and intellectual influences
which raised it from the status of a local, Arabic reform movement to a great world, spiritual movement which left its indelible
traces on many nations far remote from Islam for several centuries. The, universalism of the Abbasides was the open sesame
which opened to Islam the treasures of Greek philosophy, Hindu
mysticism and Persian arts and civilization.
The Christians of Syria played an important role in this process of universalization. Syrian clericals and laymen educated
in the lap of the Eastern Churches, Nestorian and Byzantine, furnished the link between the Greeks and the Arabs.
Many of the works of the Greek philosophers, especially the
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
4
h
29
works of Aristotle, had already been translated into Syriac before
they were translated into Arabic. One of those translators comes
down to us under the name of Ibn-ul-Batrik, "the son of the
Patriarch".
The chief works translated from the Greek were scientific
works dealing with medicine and mathematics and works of philosophy which the Mohammedans employed in their new science
of "kalaam", i. e. the science of words, which undoubtedly
influenced Mediaeval Scholasticism.
Such names as Avicenna and Averoes attest to the extent of
this influence. For these names which we come across frequently
in books of Mediaeval school-learning ares the corruption of genuinely Arabic names, Ibn Sina, the Arab philosopher and physician of the 10th. and 11th centuries, and later, Ibn Rushd, the
most eminent Arab philosopher and commentator of Aristotle,
who taught in Cordoba, Spain, in the 12th century where a great
Arabic civilization flourished. So great was the influence of the
Arabs in medicine on the West that up to the 18th century, Avicenna's famous book on medicine, al-Kanoon, was the main textbook of medicine in all European universities. The word Aljebra attests to their contribution to mathematics, as does the word
Logarithm, which is said to be derived from Khwarizmi who
laid down its principles. Alchemy, the progenitor to our Chemistry, is also indebted to the Arabs. Its founder Jabir Ibn Hayyan, bequeathed his name to the English language through the
word jibberish, meaning obscure and mysterious, because alchemists guarded their secret of transforming base metals to gold
with obscure words and symbols.
Four are the characteristics of the fool: He becomes wrathful against one who takes no pains to appease him; he sits where
he is not invited; he pleads poverty before one who would not
enrich him; and he talks of what does not concern him.
Ali.
1
Men lose their heads more by gold than by strong wine'
Ali!
Knowledge is like a stream, wisdom like a sea.
i
-
Ali
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
30
Famous Arab Lovers
in
Jameel and Buthainah
Next to Maj nun Laila, Jameel was the most famous of the
cycle of lyric poets, known in Arabic literature as "The Arab
Lovers". Like Majnun, he, too, was designated by the name of
his beloved, so that hardly is his name mentioned without that
of Buthainah to whom he poured out the passion of his heart.
Jameel was known to his contemporaries of the latter part
of the Umayyad period as the "Imam of Lovers", and by
some of them called "the greatest of poets of Islamic and preIslamic days".
How the love-affair between Jameel and Buthainah began is
a matter of conjecture, as is the case with many of those early
Arab poets. It is said in one tradition that while Jameel was
lying on his back at noontime and some of his camels were
crouching near a spring of water in a valley called the valley
of Baghid, Buthainah, who was a young maiden in her teens,
came with some of her girl friends and drove the camels away.
Jameel awoke and an altercation between them soon followed.
It is related that Buthainah's cute cuss words fell, softly on Jameel's ears and he fell in love with her right then.
We gather from various other traditions about this pair of
lovers that Buthainah was quite an independent little flapper
for her time. For when she heard of Jameel's love for her
and that he had sung her name in his lays, she swore that she
would seclude herself with him whenever he desired to come
to her, regardless of what her parents would say. But parents
in those days had much more of a say in these matters than they
have now, and it was not without many disappointments and
hardships that the two lovers did occasionally meet.
It is perhaps with something of those hardships in mind
that Jameel sings, substituting the name of Laila for that of
con
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�SEPTEMBER, i926
jj
his beloved Buthainah, to turn away the suspicion and mad jealousy of her people:
* I
"Ye tell me that Tayma is Laila's home
When Summer pitches his tent of rays
Lo, the Summer months have passed
What keeps, then, my Laila away?
Alas, I fear lest I suddenly die!
'Ere the burden of my heart before her I lay.
I have heard it said:
'His is a hopeless malady.'
Yea! this I verily know,
As well the secret of my remedy."
How passionate was Jameel's love, yet how resigned and
contented in/ his enforced enstrangement from his beloved one
appears in many of his songs. The following is one of the most
striking and beautiful expressions of lovers' contentment in
Arabic poetry:
"One boon of Buthainah I only desire,
A boon that e'en the envious one would not begrudge me:
A hasty glance, though a whole year pass
In which we meet not nor speak!"
Another poem of Jameel's brings out his predicament in
Buthainah's love which was neither requited nor gainsaid, but
left in that state of suspension and anxiety so painful, yet so
sweet, to true lovers:
"Woe unto me, could I but spend a night,
In the valley of Kura, how happy I would be;
Could I but again, meet Buthainah alone,
Our love to exchange, unnoticed and free.
Long years I've spent, her promise of love awaiting
My youth I renewed, the more her love to cherish.
I was not turned from her door away, nor invited;
Nor could I let her love alone, like an earthly
thing, to perish."
One day when Jameel was having a tryst with Buthainah,
her father and brother knew of it. They came rushing with
drawn swords intent on redeeming Buthainah's honor from her
persistent lover. As they approached they saw Jameel kneeling
before Buthainah with tears in his eyes, while she was stroking
his hair and comforting him.. This sight softened their hearts
and tempered the fury of their wrath. Then the father, putting back his sword in its sheath, turned to his son and said:
�it
THE SYRIAN WORLD
"Let us go back, it is no more meet for us to withhold her
from him."
One would expect from this last incident that Jameel was
finally joined to his beloved in holy wedlock, but whether because of confusion with the accounts of Majnun and other lover poets, or because of the similarity of conditions and customs
which worked disadvantageously alike against those poor, ancient lovers, we read of Buthainah also as having married a man
called Nabih whom she did not love.
This, however, did not deter the gallant Jameel from continuing his visits to Buthainah. One of those occasions was
a windy night in which nature gave vent to its fury. Rain, lightning and thunder played havoc with the flimsy, hair-spun abodes
of the desert dwellers. Under it all, drenched with rain to the
bone, stood Jameel at a distance from Buthainah's tent, waiting
for the retirement of her household. When all was quiet inside the tent and all fire and light was extinguished, he took a
pebble, and with the help of a benevolent lightning stroke,
threw it at where Buthainah usually slept. But the pebble hit
a girl friend of hers, who was sleeping by her side.
"By Allah's name," cried out the frightened maid, "none
could have thrown this pebble at me at this hour of the night
but a jinni!"
But Buthainah, who was awakened from her sleep by the
consternation of her friend, guessed the nature of the real jinni
who was the source of the mischief. She quieted her friend's
fears and sent her to sleep in another corner of the tent. Then
she went out and fetched Jameel. The two lovers whiled away
the long hours of the night with pleasant conversation and the
exchange of their grievances and misfortunes. They were not
aware; that dawn had stealthily approached to betray their privacy and drive them away from each other's embrace, when suddenly a black slave of Buthainah's husband came with a bowl
of laban for his mistress's breakfeast. For the luxury of taking one's breakfast in bed was not unknown to the patrician
ladies of the desert in those days.
The slave retraced his steps to his master without speaking
a word, but Buthainah felt in her heart that her doom was sealed unless she thought of an expedient plan to ward off the
wrath of her husband, who would surely know of her scandal
from the faithful slave. She hid Jameel under the divan, and
hurriedly called for her girl friend to come and sit beside her.
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�View of the South Gate of Baalbek. Syria.
Brown Bros.
�—
A view of the fertile plain of Baalbek, between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, showing the new cement road to Damascus.
Photo by F. Askar.
A typical scene in Mt. Lebanon showing a village of flat-roofed houses on the brink of a deep ravine. The broad zigzag line
with the sharp bends in the right foreground is a carriage road. Note the nature of the ground patiently terraced for cultivation.
�** * M
A typical scene in Mt. Lebanon showing a village of flat-roofed houses on the brink of a deep ravine. The broad zigzag line
with the sharp bends in the right foreground is a carriage road. Note the nature of the ground patiently terraced for cultivation.
Photo by F. Askar.
�A view of the fertile plain of Baalbek, between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, showing the new cement road to Damascus.
Photo by F. Askar.
' »
'
".-•' i>:
A typical scene in Mt. Lebanon showing a village of flat-roofed houses on the brink of a deep ravine. The broad zigzag line
with the sharp bends in the ri^ht foreground is a carriage road. Note the nature of the ground patiently terraced for cultivation.
'
�A typical scene in Mt. Lebanon showing a village of flat-roofed houses on the brink of a deep ravine. The broad zigzag line
with the sharp bends in the risht foreground is a carriage road. Note the nature of the ground patiently terraced for cultivation.
Photo by F. Askar.
�«r»~.
Harvesting under difficulties
a
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How present unsettled conditions in Syria drive the farmers in some sections to post armed guards
while harvesting their crops.
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�SEPTEMBER, 1926
33
When Nabih, with a fierce look of evil determination in his eyes,
broke in on his wife, his wrath was disarmed upon finding a
maiden sitting next to Buthainah. He doubted not but that his
slave was either trying to deceivq him or was himself deceived
by a suspicious and evil conscience. Nabih turned back and
scolded the surprised slave, who was too embarrassed
to make any explanations, and too timid to defend the fidelity of his own vision.
And in this way both Buthainah and her lover were saved
from an untimely end.
(I
ON BEING HANDSOME
A learned man, who was ugly and short of stature, appeared
before Harun ar-Rashid, who, looking at him dispisingly,
said: "What an ugly face you have!"
The learned man replied: "O, Prince of Believers, pulchritude is not a means with which men approach kings. Had not
your majesty read of Joseph, peace be upon him, who was the
handsomest of men, when he requested of Pharaoh to make him
a guardian over the treasures of the world, saying: 'for I am a
faithful and knowing one', and not, 'I am the most handsome
of all men'?"
The Caliph, pleased with the reply of the learned man,
raised his station and rewarded him generously.
A handsome looking man was wont to follow Al-Ahnaf and
attend his "circle" of instruction, but never opened his mouth in
speech. This pleased Al-Ahnaf, until one day, wishing to find out
more about this young man, confronted him alone and said to
him: "Why speakest thou not, my son?" The young man, after
a little hesitation, addressed Al-Ahnaf saying: "O, master, if a
man should fall from yonder minaret of this mosque would
he be hurt?"
Al-Ahnaf was quite disappointed and replied: "Had we but
let thee alone, my son, covered by thy silence!"
!
�34
THE SYRIAN WORLD
The Most Precious Book in the
Arabic Language
All those who know of the Arabian Nights say, "Aye"! What
a deafening voice coming from every corner of the earth and in
every human tongue conceivable! If we could gather it in a megaphone and broadcast it at one time, it would defy the thundering
voice of Zeus!
Now, all those who know of "Kitab-ul-Aghani" or the book
of songs, lift their voices and say "Aye". What a contrast! It is
like the piping of a little mouse beside the bellowing of a husky
ox.
One wonders, if among the one hundred millions or more
of the inhabitants of the United States, there are more
than a hundred or so who know about the latter book, this to
include even professors and students of Arabic Literature in our
great American Universitites.
"What is the point of comparison", the reader may ask, "and
why should you expect us, as you seem to do, to be as familiar
with "Kitab-ul-Aghani" as with the Arabian Nnights y the charming companion of our youth?" To which we make reply, that
the latter book is an equally entertaining and a more significant,
a more instructive book than the Arabian Nights could ever
be. It is a bold statement to make, but easily defensible when the
true nature of "Kitab-ul-Aghani" is considered, for it is the
greatest, the most inclusive thesaurus of Arabic literature, folklore, history, tid bits and anecdotes in existence today. There is
none like; it, and none has been since it was written almost one
thousand years ago. It has a great many advantages over the
Arabian Nights, and could almost compete with it on the score
of story telling.
It is for one thing a larger book, consisting, as it does, of 21
volumes with an average of 270 pages to a volume, or over 5500
pages of closely set type.
Strange it is that this book which was the pride and the treasured heirloom of the Arabs for centuries, should be ignored
by the outside world so completely and that a book like the Arab-
M
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I
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
I
I <
1
I
35
ian Nights, which was not counted worthy to take rank among
the books of literature in the canon, of the native Arabic scholars, should assume the primacy in the estimate of the West.
The Arab classicists were undoubtedly mistaken in their rejection of the Arabian Nights, and proved by so doing their
short-sightedness and lack of literary taste.
One cannot say, however, that the Arabian Nights is a greater book than "Kitab-ul-Aghani", for the two belong to two different categories. The former is a gem of beautiful and finished
workmanship j the other, a rich mine of precious stones in all
shapes and degrees of perfection.
Many of the verses and anecdotes in the Arabian Nights
are directly traceable to "Kitab-ul-Aghani".
What the Arabs of good literary taste thought of "Kitab-ulAghani" could be no better illustrated than in an anecdote. It is
related that a certain Arab prince used, to take with him on his
journeys thirty camel-loads of books of literature for his reading,
but that when "Kitab-ul-Aghani" made its appearance
he did away with all that cumbersome load of books and would
carry with him only "Kitab-ul-Aghani".
There may? be some exaggeration in this story, but it is not
an exaggeration at all to say that "Kitab-ul-Aghani" is the quintessence of more than thirty camel loads of all conceivable books
preceding the time of its authorship.
No wonder it is mentioned by Ibn-Khalikan, the author of
the Arabs' "Who is Who", that fifty years were consumed in its
compilation.
The author of this marvelous book was a noble Arab, a descendant of the last of the Umayyad Caliphs. He was called
Abu-1-Faraj Ali Ibn al-Hussein, the Korishite, of the family clan
of the prophet Mohammed. For short he was called Abu-1-Faraj
al-Isphahani, i. e., of Isphahan, a city in Persia, which was his
birthplace.
An Arab in race and tradition, a Persian in environment and
culture, Abu-1-Faraj was one of the most cosmopolitan and
cultured men of his age. He was born in the year 284 A. H.
and died in the year 356.
It is said that he wrote many books on Arab folklore, history
and genealogy.
He is described by a contemporary quoted in Ibn-Khalikan's
book as one who memorized more poetry, songs, anecdotes, history, traditions andj genealogy than any other one he knew of;
�36
THE SYRIAN WORLD
and that besides these cognate subjects, he knew a great deal
about medicine, veterinary science, grammar and mythology
(folklore).
The name of the book — Kitab-ul-Aghani — has reference
more to its scheme than to its contents. It is related by the author
himself that Harun-ur-Rashid had commanded his court singers to bring together the best one hundred melodies or "voices"
of the past as well as those then current.
Our author, who came about fifty years later, took the verses
sung in these classical melodies and traced the authors of the
"voices" as well as the authors of the verses, and related exhaustingly, it seems, many interesting and entertaining things
pertinent to this subject, and, sometimes, impertinent.
There is no special method of arrangement as to the subjects
or authors, Abu-1-Faraj cleverly explaining that his haphazard
plan is more conducive to sustain the interest of the reader to
the end.
It may be safely said that more than half of all that we know
about Arabic poetry, and in the case of many poets, all that we
know, has come down to us through the indefatigable labor of
Abu-1-Faraj Al-Isphahani and is recorded for endless future
generations in his matchless book "Kitab-ul-Aghani".
WHY HE DID NOT RUN AWAY
The Caliph Omar Ibn ul-Khattab, the second Caliph of Islam, came upon a group of boys playing in the street. As soon
as the boys saw Omar all ran away except Abdullah, the son
of Al-Zubair.
"Why rannest thou not away with the rest?" asked Omar.
Abdullah, looking up to the Caliph unafraid, replied:
"O Prince of Believers, I harbour no evil in my heart, therefore I had no cause to fear thee j nor is the street too narrow to
make it necessary for me to move from thy way."
"A cure there is to every ill
But folly remains incurable still."
"The soul aspires to more if given rein,
But, curbed, satisfaction finds in its domain."
i
,-.. ,.
-
•
-"
-
I
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
37
The Caliph and The Bedouin
The Caliph al-Mahdi, having gone on a hunting trip with a
party of his courtiers and entourage, lost his way in a thicket of
woods. Hungry and thirsty, he at last came upon a lonely tent
before which stood a Bedouin. Unknown to him, the Caliph
halted his horse and after the usual salutations said:
"O good Arab, have you aught for a weary and hunerv
6
stranger?"
'
The Bedouin did not say a word, but going into his tent he
brought out a loaf of bread, some fermented milk, (laban) and
a skin-bottle, of wine.
The Caliph ate heartily of the bread and laban, and having
had enough to still the pangs of his hunger, the Bedouin poured
him a cup of wine and handed it to him. The Caliph drank it
at one quaff, then as he returned the empty cup to his host he
looked at him and said:
"O brother Arab, know you who I am?''
^No", replied the Bedouin, "and who, pray, may you be?"
"I am the personal attendant of the Prince of Believers".
"May Allah bless you in your service", responded the Bedouin, as he poured another cup to the thirsty Caliph and handed
it to him.
As the Caliph drank the second cup, he again turned to the
Bedouin and said:
"O friend of the desert, know you who I am?"
"You have just told me that you were the personal attendant
of our Lord, the Prince of Believers," replied the Bedouin, 4
little peeved.
"Nay", said the Caliph, "but I am one of the generals of
the Prince of Believers al-Mahdi".
The Bedouin made no reply, but poured a third cup and
handed it to him.
When the Caliph had drunk that, he turned for the third
time to the Bedouin and addressed to him the same question.
"You have just claimed that you were one of the generals of
the Caliph al-Mahdi, and who may you be now, pray?"
"I am the Prince of Believers, al-Mahdi, himself!"
At this point the Bedouin had reached the limit of his pa-
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
38
tience. Wrenching the cup from the hand of the disguised
Caliph in exasperation and disgust, he said: "Depart from me.
Verily, if I give you another cup you will claim next that you
are the very Prophet Mohammed!"
The Bedouin had scarcely finished his remark when the retinue of the Caliph filled the place, bowed and made obeisance
to the Caliph.
The Bedouin looked about in amazement and bewilderment.
His heart sank within him for fear, as he began to realize that
his guest was truly the Caliph.
But al-Mahdi, with a hearty laugh, reassured him and put
him at ease, and bestowing a royal largess on him, departed merrily with his companions.
KNOWLEDGE
The mistake of the learned one is trumpeted abroad; the
mistake of the ignorant one is hidden by his ignorance.
The worst among the learned ones are those who seek association with princes j and the best of the princes are those who
seek association with the learned ones.
The learned ones are the fountains of wisdom and the lanterns in darkness.
Said Alt: "Enough praise for learning that it is claimed by
those who have it not."
It is mentioned in a tradition of the Prophet, that when
God gives knowledge to one, He first makes him pledge that
he would not keep it from anyone.
*«**=*•- ' '"*<* *
H
MS
*»««
-
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�SEPTEMBER, 1926
39
Mu' Awiya and the Proud Chieftain
' m
I
In the latter days of the Prophet Mohammed, when the
success of his religious call began to attract many of the braves
and notables of Arabia, there came to him one day, riding on a
camel, a proud chieftain by the name of Wa'il Ibn Hujr.
The Prophet received him well and called upon Mu'awiya,
then one of the Prophet's companions, to take the Arab chieftain and show him a tract of land which the Prophet had bestowed upon him.
It was noon-time as Mu'awiya, in obedience to the Prophet's
command, trudged, barefooted, on the burning sand of the desert behind the proud chieftain.
"Let me ride behind thee," pleaded Mu'awiya.
The chieftain turned in his seat and, in a tone of utter contempt, replied:
"Thou art not fit to ride behind one of the kings of Arabia!"
"Then," remonstrated Mu'awiya, "give me thine sandals
that I may protect my feet from the burning sand."
Wa'il hesitated a little, then said:
"Nor will I do this. I fear that thou mightest boast among
the Arabs that thou didst wear the sandals of Arab royalty. Albeit, thou mightest walk in the shadow of my camel!"
Years later, when Mu'awiya had become Caliph in Damascus, Wa'il came to do obeisance before him, as was incumbent
upon all chiefs and leaders of the nation to do.
Mu'awiya rose to welcome him and seated him next to
himself.
Wa'il was swallowed up with shame as he recalled to himself
the first encounter he had with Mu'awiya years before in the
desert, contrasting in his mind his own behavior then
to the generous reception which was accorded him by the new
caliph.
With confusion and shame still agitating him, Wa'il started
to apologize for his own rudeness in the past towards Mu'awiya.
But Mu'awiya waved his hand as if to indicate it was not
necessary. "You need not apologize, my good friend," interrupted the Caliph, "when Islam came it put an end to all pride and
demolished all worldly ranks before it."
�——————
40
THE SYRIAN WORLD
What Happened in Syria
By PAUL KNABENSHUE
AMERICAN CONSUL GENERAL IN BEIRUT
The following are excerpts from an official report by Mr. Paul
Knabenshue covering events in Syria up to June 1st, 1926. The
information herein contained should be especially interesting to
students of the Syrian situation particularly because of the many
conflicting reports emanating from the different factions in the
controversy. It must be conceded that Mr. Knabenshue, writing
officially, takes the attitude of an unbiased, disinterested, detached observer. What lends more weight to his observations and
conclusions is his intimate knowledge of conditions in Syria, due
to his long service in his diplomatic capacity in Beirut. — Editor.
In order to arrive at an appreciation of the situation as existing and
in the process of developing in Syria, and of the difficulties with which the
French have1 had to contend and which are still besetting them, one must
have an understanding of the many complex elements entering into it.
First and foremost is the fact that the population is a heterogeneous
one, both in respect to races and religions, which divide the people into
some 30 contending groups. In consequence thereof there is no real national spirit. Each person gives his allegience first to his religious or
racial group. There seems to be so much ingrained distrust between the
rival groups as to make it practically impossible for them to reconcile
their respective local differences and aspirations for common action for
the general good of the country as a whole. For instance, it is only a comparatively small part of the Moslem and Druse population of the interior
that is taking an active part in the present revolution, although it must
be acknowledged that the movement is growing.
The general standard of individual education among the people, chiefly of the' coastal region, the Lebp.non and the large cities, makes them fitted for independence. But their bitter group antagonisms militate against
concerted action. It is for this reason that a mandate is necessary. It is
for this reason also that the Mandatory Authority shall e'xercise a firm
administrative control over the country during which time it should bend
every effort to inculcate a national spirit among the people.
Other important factors entering into the situation are a conflict of
Syrian interests with those in contiguous territories; and the economic
boundaries which have been set up as a result of the repartition of this
area of the Near East as a result of the World War. There is Turkey on
the North and Palestine, Transjordania and Irak on the South and East
under British Mandate. The French claim to have 35,000 troops in the
country.
Peace by diplomacy now seems to be out of the question. It is the
fl
\
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
1
i\
41
geneTal belief that to suppress the revolt and to restore public security,
the French require at least 25,000 more troops—perhaps even as much as
50,000. The French military authorities appreciate that their task is not
an easy one. The rebels split up their forces into small bands, each of
which can engage the attention of a considerably larger number of regular troops. These bands, having no impediments, move about freely and
quickly, while a French column operating against them is encumbered
with commissariat. They cannot live on the country as do the rebels.
It may be said that the situation is now (June 1) reaching a climax
whidh will determine whether peace will soon be reestablished or whether
the disturbances will be prolonged.
The French army proceeded with its preparations for its spring campaign. As a preliminary to the main objective, subjugation of the Djebel
Druse, they first sent an expedition to clear the rebels from the region
north of Damascus. Meeting with little or no resistance' they occupied
Nebk and several other villages. An expedition was then sent against the
Druses operating in the region east of Mount Hermon and after meeting
with stout resistance finally drove the rebels therefrom and occupied Mejdel Shams and other villages.
On April 22, the final preparation being completed, the invasion of
the Djebel Druse was commenced with Ezraa and Bosra as bases of operation. Sueida, the capital, was the chief objective of two converging columns
of 5,000 and 6,000 troops respectively. After a somewhat formidable
battle the French entered Sueida on April 25. The Druses retired, with
heavy losses, to their mountain fastnesses.
With Sueida as a base, the French army, by the use of artillery, aeroplane bombing, and columns of troops, commenced the pacification of the
surrounding country and brought about the submission of numeTous villages. The fighting men of the villages, however, remained with or joined
the Druse forces in hiding, presumably in the region known as the Ledja.
Since then, it is reported, another battle has taken place.
In the political field, M. de Jouvenel on April 26, appointed Ahmed
Nemy Bey, a son-in-law of the late Sultan Abdul Hamid, and a Moslem
resident of Beirut, as President of the State of Syria, authorizing him to
form a cabinet and take over the responsibility of the provisional govern,
ment and if possible bring about peace with the rebels.
On May 15, the Syrian Government, so set up at Damascus, presented
to the High Commissioner the conditions under which it would be willing
to act. These conditions embodied, in effect, the terms demanded by the
rebels several months ago. M. de Jouvenel accepted them in principle.
Next came the' launching of the Lebanese Republic. In accordance
with article I of the Mandate, "The Mandatory shall frame, within a period of three years from the coming into force of this mandate, an organic
law for Syria and the Lebanon*** This organic law shall be framed in
agreement with thei native authorities***."
The mandate having gone into force on November 1, 1923, it was incumbent upon the mandatory to cause the organic law to be drafted and
put into force by November 1, 1926.
Shortly after his arrival in Beirut in December, 1925, M. de Jouvenel
�42
THE SYRIAN WORLD
gave to the existing Lebanese Assembly the privilege of drawing up a
constitution for the Lebanon and its adoption was voted on May 23. The
Lebanese Republic was proclaimed on May 24. The constitution provides
for a legislature composed of a Senate and a House of Deputies, the members of both bodies to be elected by the people. The High Commissioner
exercised his authority in this first instance and appointed the members
of the Senate and formed the House of Deputies from the existing members of the assembly.
The Senators were appointed on May 25, and both bodies, acting jointly, elected Mr. Charles Debbas as President of the Republic on May 26.
Mr. Debbas is a Lebanese and was Director of Justice in the former Lebanese Government.
However, in accepting the terms of the government which he had
created in Damascus M. de Jouvenel had more or less endorsed their demands for Syrian Unity. This implied a rectification of the frontiers of
the Lebanon in favor of the Syrian State and the granting to the latter
of one of the' Lebanese seaports. Tripoli, for the most part a Moslem city,
is the port which it was expected would be ceded. Tyre is also mentioned
in this connection.
On the other hand Article I of the Constitution provides as follows:
"The Greater Lebanon is a single independent State. Its frontiers are
those which have been officially recognized by the French Mandatory Government, on behalf of the League of Nations, and which form its actual
present limits."
The Republic of Lebanon has a population of less than 600,000. The
machinery of government set up provides for a president, a legislature
composed of 16 senators and 32 deputies, and a cabinet composed of a
premier and seven ministers.
Of the beginnings of the Syrian revolution and its developments Mr. Knabenshue writes as follows:
The dispute between the Druses and General Sarrail occurred early
last summer, but very little was known of it by the general public. In
fact it was not until the practically entire annihilation of a French column
operating in the Djebel Druse on or about July 20, 1925, that the public
was aware of any trouble. Even then much attention was not given to
the matter, and it was not until General Michaud's column of approximately 4,000 troops suffered a disastrous defeat on August 3 that the situation was viewed seriously. This incident caused a panic in Damascus,
which, being undefended, was liable to capture by the Druses.
The situation resulting from the Michaud defeat left only the remnants
of a small army of occupation and made it possible for the Nationalist
element to seize the' opportunity to revolt against the French.
It was realized that the country was full of potential bandits who
would become active when unrestrained. With public security shattered,
the cities and towns bordering the desert would become subject to raids'
of looting Bedouins, while the border villages on the Northern frontier
would suffer in the same respect from the Chettie bands from Turkey.
Visualizing these possibilities, it was logical to suppose that unless
considerable reinforcements should arrive, the disorder would spread to
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SEPTEMBER, 1926
43
other sections of the country.
The French concentrated most of their troops for an immediate attack upon the Djebel Druse. While they were operating against the Druses,
brigandage became widespread, chiefly in the Damascus area. Hama was
raided by Bedouins and the public buildings burned with the assistance of
the nationalist element there. The city was then bombarded by French aeroplanes. A few days later Aleppo was threatened by an attack from outside by Bedouins and simultaneously by the Nationalists from within. It
was only lack of coordination of their plans and timely action on the
part of the small French garrison that defeated the movement.
Following shortly after this came the Damascus affair, the full account of which has already been reported. This indent proved to be the
most serious of all. The French army operating ag;.inst the Druses succeeded in relieving the beseiged garrison at Sueida and returned soon
thereafter to protect Damascus and the other threatened centers.
Feeling ran high in Moslem circles of Beirut, and the daily arrival
of refugees from Damascus added fuel to the smoldering flame. It afterwards transpired that there had actually been two separate plots on the
part of the Moslems of Beirut to bring about an uprising.
Early in November, a force of several hundred Druses entered the
Lebanon coming through the corridor of the south of Mount Hermon, the
usual line of communication between the Druses of the Lebanon and of
the Hauran and Djebel Druse. This force was joined by about two thousand Druses of the Hasbaya region.
It was feared that the Druses of the Lebanon, the census numbering
them at 40,000, would seize the opportunity of entering the conflict. Another potential danger was the entry into the conflict of the Metwalis inhabitants of the southern Lebanon who numbered about 80,000. There
was still another danger lurking in the background. The Alouites who inhabit the country in the region of Latakia are a primitive but war-like
race, numbering about 350,000. They revolted against the French in 192021, and it was feared that if the revolution should get a firm footing along
the line between Rayak and Aleppo, the Alouites would be encouraged
to join) the movement.
There is one more factor entering into the situation which might be
mentioned, but whch exercises only an indirect influence. General Sarrail
is reported to have asserted upon his return to Paris that the revolt in
Syria was part of a general pan-Islamic movement. Reference to such
a movemnt is noted from time to time in the press.
I venture to offer the opinion that the present movement has not the
character of a pan-Islamic movement of former days. It is my belief that
it arises out of the fact that the various Moslem countries, chiefly in North
Africa and the Near East, have developed a political conscience which
has awakened a strong desire for political independence. It is not so much
a religious movetaent as a political one. It would seem, however, that they
are making an effort to use their common religion as a bond of sympathy
between them in order that these Moslem States may give to each other
their respective moral support in their struggle for political independence.
It is my opinion that the Syrian revolt is not the result of the alleged
pan-Islamic movement. The causes of the revolt, as I have endeavored to
�44
THE SYRIAN WORLD
show in this report, were inherent in the situation actually existing in
Syria itself—the causes were local not general. The Druse revolt was
purely the result of a local matter while the more general Syrian revolt
was simply taking an advantage offered by the resulting situation.
Upon the recall of General Sarrail, Monsieur de Jouvenel was sent
to Syria as High Commissioner. There is every reason to believe that his
mission was to bring about peace without further resort to force.
De Jouvenel's first active contact with the situation took place in
Egypt where he stopped a few days en route to Syria. He received a delegation of the Syria-Palestine Committee, a powerful group of Syrians
resident chiefly in Egypt, who now represent the Syrian revolutionists.
They offered to bring about peace under certain conditions, but de Jouvenel, incensed at the impudence of the demands, categorically refused them
in a letter written on the eve of his departure from Cairo.
Upon; his arrival in Beirut, M. de Jouvenel's first important declaration was "Peace to those who wish peace and war to those who wish war."
His next declaration was an offer to permit the Lebanese and the
Alouites to draft their own constitutions. This was followed very shortly
by a proclamation to the Syrians and Druses calling upon them to cease
hostilities in order that they might benefit by the same privilege he had
just accorded to the Lebanese. His declaration was at first well received
in the Lebanon, but the revolutionary spirit having become more widespread as a result of irreconcilable counter peace terms, the Moslem members of the Lebanon Legislative Council finally refused to participate in
the formulation of a constitution which would be applicable to a Greater
Lebanon. They demanded that the Lebanon be reduced to its prewar
boundaries.
M. de Jouvenel then issued an ordinance offering amnesty to all rebels
who would lay down their arms before January 8, 1926, with the exception
of the' leaders to whom he promised only their lives, and who would be
judged according to their acts. Peace negotiations were then commenced.
A delegation came to Beirut from Damascus while a delegation of Lebanese
Druses went to the Djebel Druse. However, the negotiations failed and
the rebellion has continued.
Before the expiration of the date fixed for submission, January 8, M.
de Jouvenel caused a proclamation to be scattered among the Druses, by
aeroplanes, calling upon them to forsake their leaders.
M. de Jouvenel then issued ordinances calling for new elections throughout Syria for representatives of the people for the purpose of determining
the future subdivisions of the country and to draft constitutions therefore.
The Moslelms boycotted the elections at Aleppo, Horns and Hama. The
leaders of the boycott at Aleppo were arrested. A mob of several thousand demonstrated and attacked the mail in an attempt to relieve the
prisoners. The mob was repulsed with casualties by troops. Some of the
leaders escaped arrest and are now organizing revolutionary forces to attack Aleppo. Thus, the Aleppo area which up to this time was comparatively quiet, has now been drawn into the revolution. The demands of the
Moslems of Aleppo, Hama and Horns was that the elections should be
postponed until peace should be reestablished throughout the country.
�__^_
SEPTEMBER, T926
45
The Bedouin's Riddle
I
'I
It so happened that I found myself one time an unwilling
member of a board of arbitration in a dispute that had been
dragging on for years. This was supposed to be the last effort
to settle the matter amicably, but the other members of the board
and I, be it said here, even to our discredit, found the two disputants had assumed the roles of the irresistible force and the
immovable body.
We figuratively threw up the sponge and reconciled ourselves definitely to the fact that the difference had to be settled
in court.
It was the exact day preceding the trial when steps into my
office an acquaintance whom I had not seen for a number of
years. He came to plead the cause of peace because he was an
intimate friend of one of the litigants and had held; himself in
reserve to the last moment. His conferring upon me the honor
of a visit was merely because I was one of the members of the
arbitration committee whom he thought he could induce to make
still a further effort.
"Salaam Ya Effendi" was his opening greeting, "I come to
inquire if there is left no more resource to settle the difference
between our friends."
"We have reached the limit of our resources," I replied.
"But can't one be found who could contain the other?" he
insisted, alluding to the well-known Arabic proverb that "the
larger vessel will hold the smaller one".
"We have exhausted our utmost ability,'' I repeated.
"But," he persisted, regardless of the imputation of incapacity cast upon me and the other members of the conciliation
board, "ingenuity and resourcefulness will overcome any obstacle.
Haven't you heard the story of the Bedouin who was bent on
divorcing his wife, and how his resourceful son disarmed his anger by undoing his riddles?"
By this time I had resigned myself to the ordeal of listening
to a long story, and complacently told the man that I did not
know it and that he could proceed to tell it. It proved to be a
good story and, plagiarism or not, I must repeat it.
-J
�I^VBMIHWm
46
THE SYRIAN WORLD
A certain Bedouin of the desert had married a woman of the
city who proved to be a very dull creature. For a decade or
more he tolerated her stupidity until, one day, he concluded he
had shot the "last arrow in his quiver of patience" and ordered
the poor wife to pack up and go home. Her most pitiful pleading could not soften his heart nor make him change his decision.
But he relented to the extent of making her return to his tent
conditional upon her father guessing a riddle which he told her
to convey to him. If the guess proved right he would welcome
her back as his wife, otherwise she would only return under pain
of death.
The riddle was: "What is light that is heavy and heavy that
is light?"
The woman, dejected, returned to her father, but the good
urbanite made light of the riddle and forthwith proceeded to
unravel its mystery. "The heavy that is light", he said, "is
mercury, because it is heavy in substance and light and quick in
movement j hence the name quicksilver. The light that is heavy,
on the other hand, is the feather, because it will move with the
slightest breeze, yet is heavier than air."
"Now, my child," he continued, "rest yourself from the fatigue of your journey for a few days before returning to your
husband, now that you know you can appease his wrath."
So for a week the woman remained, happy in the assurance
that she had at last found a formula for a modus-vivendi with
her husband, and when her father finally permitted her to depart shq set her face towards, the desert all jubilant and elated.
Towards evening she spied the tents of the tribe and would
have courted certain death had she not met her young son who
was just returning from watering the camels. She told him her
father's solution of the riddle and was about to hasten away to
enter the camp when the youth begged her not to tell his father that particular solution because he would certainly kill her.
"But what shall I tell him?" she asked.
"Under no provocation," he replied, "must you admit to my
father that you have met me now. If you so promise I will
tell you the right solution, which is other than the one you bring.
It is as follows: The heavy in the breast of the brave is light,
and the light in the breast of the knave is heavy. My father
meant the riddle in the spiritual and not in the material sense."
So doubly happy, the woman resumed her way to the tents
and there told her husband the solution — the youth's solution.
�'
SEPTEMBER, 1926
mm
'47
But she was so simple that he easily extracted from her a
confession that she had met her son and that it was he who
solved the riddle. Then the father, in a fit of rage, swore a
solemn oath by the beard of the Prophet that he would go out
forthwith and kill the boy. And, true to his word, he immediately leaped on his fleetest horse and sallied out in search of the
lad. The boy saw his father coming and divined that this sudden sally did not augur well for him. Quickly he mounted a
camel and rode away with the utmost speed. But the father,
on his swift horse, was rapidly gaining on him and when finally
he overtook him he told him that inasmuch as he was such an
adept riddle-solver he would give him a chance to retrieve his
sin by answering three questions which, if not properly answered,
he would mete on him the fate that was awaiting his mother.
1—"If you were a judge," said the father, "and two generous men came to you to decide in a difference, what would be
your decision?"
"Two men of equally generous dispositions,'' replied the
boy, "would never reach court with their difference."
2
—"And if a generous man and a miser were to come to
you, what would be your decision?" asked again the man.
"Neither would such disputants ever reach court," replied the
boy, "because, on maturer reflection, the generous one would
forbear the miser and the difference would be settled half-way."
3—"And if two misers were to come to you, what would be
your decision?" asked the man finally.
"Before answering this question," said the boy, "I must beg
leave to ask a counter-question."
"Granted,'' said the father.
"How came the two disputants to be misers?"
"By nature."
"And who is responsible for their nature?"
"Allah".
"Then Allah alone can change nature and settle such a
difference."
Needless to say that the boy was forgiven and the mother
taken back. But the story was told in a city of the U. S. A., and,
for some reason or other, it did not change the course of the litigation.
�..^
49
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Wit, Wisdom and Humor
(CULLED FROM BOOKS OF ARABIC LITERATURE)
GOOD JUDGMENT OF A JUDGE
A widow who had a little orchard of fig trees found that
whenever she went to pick her ripe figs a thief would have gone
before her and picked them. She went to the Cadi (judge) of
her town and with tears in her eyes kissed the hem of his robe
and laid her complaint before him.
"I am a poor woman," she pleaded, "and my fig orchard is
my only means of livelihood for myself and my helpless children." The Cadi listened to her story attentively and ascertaining from her where her orchard was, gave her a little sum of
money and dismissed her kindly, saying: "Fear not, my good
woman. Come to me the day after tomorrow and I will bring
the culprit before you." When the woman went away, blessing
the kind-hearted Cadi with tears of joy, the Cadi called for his
servant and gave him the following instructions:
"Go to such and such a vineyard, (naming the very one the
widow had told him about) and take with you a handful of
barley, and choose the figs that are about to ripen and insert a
barley in the orifice of each one." On the next day, early in the
morning, the Cadi called his servant again to him and said:
"Take a large basket with you and go to the open market, where
fruit dealers sell their wares and buy from every fruit dealer
a handful of figs. Then write the name of each dealer on a slip
of paper and wrap the figs with the names separately and bring
them to me." This the servant did.
Then the Cadi, opening each package, began to open up all
the figs until he came to the package in which he found the
barley seeds. He thereupon went to the dealer from whom
those figs were bought and arrested him. The dealer protested
his innocence loudly as people gathered around to find out what
the trouble was.
"If these are your figs," declared the Cadi triumphantly, as
he picked a few in his hands, "you may explain to me and these
people present how the barley came into them." Saying which
�HHHBVHMM
SEPTEMBER, 1926
49
he opened the figs and showed the barley to the astonished spectators.
The' roguish dealer was confounded and was obliged to confess his guilt.
Then taking him to prison, he brought the widow before
him on the next day and ordered the thief to pay seven times
for all the figs he had stolen, before he would let him out of
prison.
The widow thanked the Cadi profusely, and went home with
tears of joy in her eyes.
MORE MERITORIOUS THAN A PILGRIMAGE
m
i
Ibrahim Ibn Maymoun related the following story:
One year while on pilgrimage to Mecca, behold I saw, standing before the sacred Kaaba, a black but beautiful woman! She
was perturbed, as I noticed on her face, and in an agitated, trembling voice she was bemoaning and lamenting in the following
manner:
"O Omar, why didst thou avoid me,
Thou stolest my heart and tortured me.
Hadst thou, O Omar, beforehand warned me,
I would not have let thee deceive me".
I approached her gently and asked: "And who is this Omar,
my good woman?"
"He is my husband," she replied, sighing, "he lead me to
believe that he loved me, until he married me. Then he left
me and went to Jedda."
"What would you say if I bring you together?" I asked,
taking pity on her plight.
She shook her head and replied: "Alas! could that be?"
Then she described to me her husband, saying: "He is the most
handsome among men".
Straightway I went to Jedda, and standing by the sea shore,
I began to shout, "Omar! Omar!"
Presently a sturdy black fellow, the most handsome I have
ever seen, came tripping down the plank of a ship. I knew that
he was the man intended by the black woman, and recited to
him her lines. When he heard them he stopped and asked:
"Have you seen her?"
�50
THE SYRIAN WORLD
I replied: "I have seen her, but tell me, my man, what prevents you from going to her?"
"By Allah," he said, "I love her many times more than she
loves me. But necessity has driven me to seek employment here."
"And how much do you spend a year?" I asked.
"Three hundred dirhams," he replied.
"Here are three thousand dirhams for ten years", therewith
handing him the money, "and when the ten-year period is about
to end come to me and I will give you some more."
The man was overjoyed and thanked me profusely, then he
went to Mecca to live with his wife.
As for me, I went away from Mecca feeling in my heart
that this act of mine was more meritorious than my pilgrimage
*- i
V
I
itself.
MORE VALUABLE THAN WEALTH
Omar Ibn Abdul-Aziz, the pious Umayyad caliph, was said
to have left his eleven sons when he died three quarters of a
dinar each, while Hisham Ibn Abdul-Malek, another Umayyad
caliph who also had eleven sons, left each a million dinars. But
Omar's sons all became rich, one of them being able of his own
wealth to equip for war one thousand horsemen to fight "in the
way of God". As for Abdul-Malek's sons, they all became poor,
and one of them was even reduced to the occupation of stoker
in a public furnace.
: t*
A WISE SLAVE-GIRL
A party of horsemen bent on adventure and plunder met
a man in the wilderness with; a slave-girl, comelier than whom
their eyes had never beheld. They shouted to him to give up
the slave-girl, but the man, taking his bow and arrows, bravely
defended himself and his beauty against her would-be abductors. As he was shooting his arrows at them,, the string of his
bow snapped, and the horsemen rushed and seized the maiden
while the man fled in fear for his life. Then one of the horsemen approached the maiden and espying a ring in her ear with
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
51
a large pearl made a move to snatch it from her. Coolly the
maiden said: "What is this pearl to compare with the huge and
precious one under the cap of my master? Go after him".
Now the slave's master had hidden under his cap an extra
string for his bow, and had forgotten allj about it in his excitement. When the horsemen shouted to him to throw down his
cap, he at once remembered the new string. Adjusting it hastily
to his bow, he renewed his attack on them and drove them away
to seek cover from his deadly shots.
"MORE FOOLISH THAN HABANNAKAH"
\m\
The Arabs, too, had their stupid men, some of whom were
notorious. — It is related that a certain Yazid, nicknamed Habannakah, always wore a string of bones and beads around his
neck to identify himself in case he was lost. One day his mother! took away his string while he was sleeping and put it around
his brother's neck. When Habannakah awoke and saw the string
around his brother's neck he exclaimed: "Yen are I, then who
am I?" On another occasion he lost a camel. He went about
crying: "He who finds my camel may keep it". Those who
heard him laughed at him and said: "Why cry out for it then?"
He answered: "For the satisfaction of finding it".
A BRILLIANT ANSWER
The great Arab literary traditionist, Al-Asma'i, met a brilliant Arab boy whom he found to be quite conversant with Arab
history and literature.
"Tell me, my boy," said Al-Asma'i, "would you rather have
a hundred thousand dirhams and be a fool withal?"
The boy answered without hesitation, "no."
"And why not?" asked Al-Asma'i.
"I fear", replied the boy, "that my folly would bring on me
a calamity which would carry the hundred thousand dirhams
away and leave me only my folly behind."
�'52
THE SYRIAN WORLD
EDITOR'S COMMENT
I
THE MULTIPLE ROLE OF
"THE SYRIAN WORLD"
It will be readily conceded that The Syrian World is a pioneer in its field. It is the only publication of its nature among
the Syrians and was undertaken, for reasons wholly unprecedented. Consequently, it cannot be governed by any set rule or
set of rules as they may apply to other publications. It is opening a, way for itself in a wholly unexplored field, sailing an uncharted sea, and establishing a standard all its own. All of
which facts are due to the novelty of the idea and the unprecedentedness of the experiment.
Of magazines in English there are, as everyone knows, any
desired number. The field is immense and permits of standardization and specialization to any degree required by the most
exacting critics. And out of this situation has grown a certain
standard of ethics, and methods of practice that one can hardly
ignore to live up to, except at the risk of his own chagrin or loss.
But this, it must be remembered, applies only to those publications which cater to a certain, class of readers, educated in a
certain train of thought, and brought up in a certain definite
and stable environment. Let us hope that the very special conditions under which The Syrian World exists will carry with them
sufficient weight, and be conceded the peculiarity of their intrinsic
considerations, that they will afford this publication exemption
from the general rule.
To appreciate the potency of these considerations one has
only to ponder the multiplicity and diversity of the role The
Syrian World is called upon to enact. Of prime importance is
the necessity of enlightening our Syrian-American generation on
their ancestry; this makes The Syrian World of necessity an
historical publication. Then it is incumbent upon us to satisfy
the natural interest of our readers in their mother-country by
keeping them posted on its developments, socially, politically,
educationally and economically, which fact multiplies the role
of the publication by so many more numbers. Still further, it
; i
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SEPTEMBER, 1926
53
is imperative that we give an account of the activities of the Syrians in the singular role they are now playing as merchants and
traders all over the world, and this in turn renders The Syrian
World of such a cosmic nature as to really make it difficult to
bring it under any given classification. And well may we mention the literary role wherein the magazine is called upon to
give that delightful perception not only of Syrian achievements
in thisf field but of the whole vista of ancient Arabic literature.
This alone is a sufficiently vast province to require an independent publication if conditions permitted specialization.
In view of this singularly peculiar situation it would be unfair to judge The Syrian World by any given or set standard.
It is indispensable that we make the publication cover the entire
field of Syrian activities and consequently we have to make it
all-embracing and inclusive. An article on the most abstract
subject may be published in the same issue with a news item
that would deal with the most mundane and material thing.
But, be it remembered, they both go to make up the general
scheme which gives The Syrian World its raison d'etre. It
must be informative of Syrian activities not only in every field
of endeavor but also from every aspect j and this character it
must retain until such time as the changed conditions permit of
restriction and specialization, when the pioneering effort would
have gained its end and paved the way for the settling hosts to
follow.
Until such time, we hope the present scheme of The Syrian
World will not only be tolerated but approved and commended
because it is the only practical method which will make it possible for it to fulfill its mission.
<
t
FACTS ON THE RUN
|
Again the perennial question of misinforming information
about Syria—misinformation in every shape, manner and form;
some imported and others of the genuine home product, and
enough of it to satisfy the demand of the most morbidly curious.
Of political misinformation, to be sure, we shall continue to
have aplenty. The reason can be plainly traced to propaganda
and counter-propaganda. This evil is hard to eradicate for the
simple reason that it is committed intentionally, deliberately and
�'54
THE SYRIAN WORLD
with the express purpose of deceiving and beclouding the real
issue or hiding the actual fact. Consequently, it is futile to
berate the American Press on what it takes a fancy, or interest,
to publish along this line. Furthermore, political questions are
highly debatable and easily lend themselves to controversial
angles according to the different points of view or objects aimed
at.
But the kind of misinformation that is intolerable is that
which is traceable to shallowness and ignorance even on the most
elementary, and, what appears to any Syrian of average education, the most simple questions. Why should a metropolitan
daily, for instance, fall into the mistake of publishing a long
article based on a mere name which has in it a touch of romance
when translated into English, but the translation proves to be
wrong? Even the fact that the article is written by a staff correspondent on the spot does not mitigate the offense. The correspondent endeavors to lend color to his story by recording
myths and legends plucked from the lips of a common, unlettered guide who may happen to know by intuition the weakness
of Westerners for these colorful products of the Oriental imagination. The grievance is that they are passed on to American
readers not as such, but as authentic historical facts, and we may
be sure that the effect is not always wholesome and salutary to
Syrian prestige.
This is even less pardonable than the casual stories written
about the Syrian quarter with the least effort at authenticity. A
staff correspondent ordered to a scene of action considered sufficiently important to warrant such a move should at least make
an honest attempt to reach some information of intrinsic worth,
and it is hardly possible that he should get that from an ordinary
guide or an illiterate man of the bazaar.
What redress can we hope to have in such a situation? Hardly any. The offending papers may or may not publish a correction on a specific point, but when the whole fabric is made up
of a tissue of misstatements or misconceptions, and when these
occur not once but ever so frequently, neither would there be
found anyone to volunteer making the correction, nor the paper
be willing to publish it.
What we deem advisable, nay, even necessary, to frustrate
future incidents of this nature, is for us to develop a sufficient
amount of national pride, of a sense of personal obligation, so
as to at least refer inquirers to those of us who can give correct
f!l
�itssca*
SEPTEMBER, 1926
55
information on these vital subjects, instead of treating them
hghtly and hazarding any kind of information whether correct
or not, which in the end works to our own detriment.
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Dr. F. I. SHATARA, although a surgeon of renown and
extremely busy at his profession, finds time, nevertheless, to indulge in his favorite hobby of wielding the pen instead of the
lancet. He is a frequent contributor to medical journals and enjoys a position of distinction in his profession, being an instructor in the Department of Anatomy and Surgery, of the School
of Medicine of the Long Island College Hospital; a visiting
surgeon of the Cumberland Hospital j a fellow, of the American
College of Surgeons, and a member of many other medical societies. He finds his principal diversion from his arduous duties,
however, in courting the muses, and at times he heeds a call
from the lecture platform. He could also have had the opportunity of displaying his talents as a diplomat, having been offered the post of Arab minister at Washington to represent king
Hussein of Hejaz, but he declined the honor. We are glad
to present him to our readers, and, inasmuch as he is the author
of the suggestion to encourage questions of a medical nature, he
no doubt could not refuse himself the satisfaction of answering
them.
Dr. PHILIP K. HITTI needs no further introduction to
our readers, but we are sure it will please them to learn that
he has consented to contribute regularly to THE SYRIAN WORLD,
principally articles on historical subjects. We are also sonfident
of his willingness to answer any question on the history of Syria
and Mt. Lebanon submitted to him by any of our readers, and
we therefore take pleasure in inviting them to do so.
HABIB I. KATIBAH is one to whom we are pleased to
refer again not only as a regular contributor but as a staff writer on THE SYRIAN WORLD. We feel confident that his many
contributions both signed and anonymous are duly appreciated
by our discerning readers.
�—
56
•—- ..
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Readers' Forum
PLEADS EDUCATING
i SYRIAN GIRLS
Editor, SYRIAN WORLD,
Your surprise at receiving this
letter, I, suppose, would be better
pictured than described. But my
hopes are that, af te^ reading my letter through and understanding my
purpose, the surprise would be a
pleasant one, and my letter would
meet with your approval.
I would request Jyou to write in
your valuable magazine1 an article
on "Woman Education", as I am
sure you are well aware of the fact
that la large number of the Syrians fin the United States neglect, to
a Jvery great extent, the1 proper education of their daughters, although
many of these put forth a great deal
of effort tb educate their boyst to
the full extent. They do not seem
to realize the importance of giving
their daughters a thorough education if America shall become their
and their children's home. Syrian
girls must have a high education to
be able to compete with their American sisters, and there seems to be
no reason why they should not get
it, with the doors of opportunities
flung open to them in this great
country. In my opinion, Syrian girls
would have availed (themselves of
these opportunities long ago had
they not been handicapped by their
narrow-minded parents who, instead
of (helping their daughters to continue their studies and elevate themselves, stands as an obstacle in the
way of their happiness and success.
They harp back on their antiquated
notions, saying: She is not going to
be a lawyer nor a doctor, what then
is the use of educating her?"
Oh, if we only could make such
parents see their mistake. An article in your magazine, I feel sure,
would enlighten such parents and
help make them realize what an
education really means to their
daughters in this modern age.
As soon as the average Syrian girl
reaches the age of fourteen or fifteen, she jis taken out of school and
taught housekeeping. In the next
scene we see her placed in the marriage market. Here is where I feel
a great deal of stress should be
placed.
Do our sons, on whom we have
placed so much effort in educating,
making of them doctors, lawyers or
holders of B. A. degrees, ever marry
our uneducated daughters, who
know practically nothing but how
to make good kibe, keeping a spotless house, and nursing a nickel to
death?
Just picture this wonderful, thrifty housekeeper with our educated
sons! Is she capable of holding her
part as a wife? Emphatically no!
The subjects that the educated man
loves to dwell upon, and the language he uses will naturally fly over
her head. Of course his choice of
friends would be from among those
who understand and speak his language. Oh, how humiliating it would
be for him to present to them his
wife, who murders the English language when she speaks, or else sits
dumbly, as deep subjects are being
debated. How tortured and miserable she would be, as she realizes
her lack of education, and how she
would then reproach her parents for
denying it to her.
t
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
I
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Tell me!, I pray you, would you
or anyone with common sense condemn our sons for marrying their
college or high-school mates, some
American girls who answer their
ideals of education and culture?
Syrian fathers and mothers, we
implore" you to put the same effort
in educating your daughters as you
do your sons. Thus only will you
help to improve the race, and make
Syrian young men proud of marrying Syrian girls.
I speak from a bitter and sad experience, for it was just this lack
of a higher education and the grievances which it has often caused me
that prompted me to write this letter.
SOJ dear editor, I beseach you to
give a place in your magazine to
my plea, and sometime at your convenience write us some article on
this timely and vital subject of
"Woman Education".
Yours very truly,
"Mary Ferguson".
McComb, Miss.
A CHEMIST'S WARNING
Editor, SYRIAN WORLD,
I take this opportunity to forward
a message through the Readers' Forum to the Syrian people-—particularly those residing in the United
States. This message deals with the
consumption of highly intoxicating
alcoholic liquors. During the past
six months, I analyzed more than
150 samples of faked whiskey and
alcohol. Out of this number only
one sample was free from denaturants; the rest being unfit to drink.
Of those denatured about 25 samples
would have killed the consumer
within 24 hours, the others acting
gradually. The most common denaturant used is pyridine. This is
a mild poison, if the liquid is sub-
57
jected to distillation. But in the
hands of the bootlegger who knows
nothing of the process of distillation, hardly any of it is removed.
This poison is very treacherous,
Being of organic nature, it works
slowly, attacking the cordaie muscle which connects the stomach with
the heart and gradually finding its
way to the heart. Its injurious effects are proportional to the amount
consumed and to the physique of
the consumer. A regular moderate
use of this poison should have fatal
consequences within two or three
years. One of our compatriots who
scoffed at the warning I gave him
is already in his grave. The' old
country folks refuse to see harm in
the use of such liquor. It was only
through pleading and pressure that
I twas able to stop a man from selling this kind of liquor. That it could
be purified by "a special process" is
nonsense.
Alcohol for perfume
purposes sometimes finds its way
out. This is commonly denatured
with brusine, a deadly poison. Brusine has replaced strychinine in this
form of alcohol, the latter being the
most deadly poison known. It belongs to the' same family as brusine.
Jamile J. Kanfoush.
Utica, N. Y.
ANOTHER SYRIAN PUGILIST
Editor, SYRIAN WORLD,
It is gratifying to note the revived interest of Syrians in athletics and sports both here and
abroad. I am glad to advise you
that we have here a Syrian pugilist
of great promise, Dixie Lahood, who
has met and defeated some of the
leading bantamweight boxers of the
world such as Abe Goldstein, California, Joe Lynch, who recently defeated the champion, and others.
Butte, Mont.
M. P. Rask.
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
58
/
About Syria and Syrians
A FRIEND OF SYRIA
The benefactions of the late Cleveland H. Dodge to the Near East
did, not stop with his death. True
to the traditions of a family which,
throughout four generations, has
sought to serve humanitarian and
religious causes with a liberality
proportionate
to
its
extensive
wealth, the late father of our Dr.
Bayard Dodge, President of the
American University of Beirut, provided in his will filed recently at
the Surrogate Court of the Bronx
that all contributions promised in
his name in his lifetime be paid as
usual. He made no special provisions for charities otherwise'. The
reason for this omission is as interesting as it is characteristic of
this philanthropist, whose word in
Wall ,Street was as good as a bond.
It is contained in a paragraph of the
will which reads:
"Following the example of my
dear father, land believing it wiser
to give liberally during my life to
religious and charitable objects, I
make no bequests of that character,
knowing the hearty sympathy of my
dear wife and children in such objects, and feeling sure that they will
use the property entrusted to them
for humane and benevolent objects".
East, was said to
$20,000,000.
have-
»
exceeded
Newspapers from Beirut state
that the report of the death of Cleveland Dodge caused deep sorrow
among the Syrians who learned to
love him for his benefactions and
his lofty humanitarianism. We learn
from Lisan-ul-Hal that no sooner
was his death announced than a
movement was set on foot by the
leading men of Beirut to hold a
memorial meeting in 'his honor
which would be' a fitting tribute of
the high esteem in which they hold
him. The date of the meeting was
not announced, it being the intention to defer it until late in the fall
when many persons, who wish to
take part in the ceremonies, would
have returned from their summer
resorts.
CHAMPION TYPIST
IS SYRIAN GIRL
It is a pleasure to be able to
announce the success of Syrians in
so many fields. One could hardly expect more of a small group of immigrants whose coming into the
United States does not go beyond the
second generation . Now that they
are given the opportunity to develop
their latent talents, one can hardly
predict the' extent of their possible
achievements.
Cleveland H. Dodge is survived by
his widow, Grace Parish Dodge, and
four children, Cleveland Earl Dodge,
Bayard Dodge, Mrs. Elizabeth D.
A Syrian young lady who has
Huntington, of Constantinople and
reached the zenith of national disMrs. Julia D. Rea, of Pittsburgh.
The entire estate left by the ^ate tinction in her chosen profession is
benefactor of Syria and the Near Miss Olga Elkouri of Detroit, Mich.
I
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�SEPTEMBER, 1926
<1
1
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In a national competition for typewriter accuracy and speed held in
Chicago in 1923 she emerged the
winner with flying colors. Previously, in a demonstration held under the
auspices of the Detroit Commercial
College, Miss Elkouri, according to
the Detroit Free Press, "typed at
the rate of 133 words a minute for
ordinary copy, and at the rate of
201 words a minute when reproducing a stock or practice sentence."
Another Detroit paper, the Detroit News, in one of its issues of
November, 1923, made an announcement of the success of our champion
Syrian typist which we take pleasure to reproduce. It follows:
"Miss Olga Elkouri, 16 years old,
1710 Fifth avenue, has been heralded as the winner of the world's record both in typewriting and taking
stenographic dictation. In a telegram received by her from Chicago,
Friday, she was informed that she
had made the highest individual record in the first annual world contest
for competent typists held under the
direction of a Chicago commercial
school. There were 815 contestants.
Miss Elkouri is a daughter of Syrian parents.
"Miss Elkouri came to this city
from California several years ago
and entered Central High School at
the age of 14. She began to study
music and loved so well to run her
fingers lightly over the keys that
she decided to take up typewriting
while she was in school away from
her beloved piano.
"The touch system came easily
and it was only a few days before
she had passed the record of 40
words, which is an average for competent operators. Week by week she
increased her speed.
"Miss Elkouri established a record of 94.4 words per minute with-
59
out a mistake, written continuously
for 10 minutes. Since that itme,
in an unofficial test, her record
reached 105 words a minute.
"The world's shorthand record,
which was supervised by a New
York office, was won by Miss Elkouri several months ago. when she
took down dictation in . shorthand
110 words a minute."
KNOTTY PROBLEM OF
SYRIAN CITIZENSHIP
The time limit set by the treaty
of Lausanne for the registration of
those who would not automatically
revert to Turkish citizenship for
failure to make their choice before
that date expired on August 6, 1926.
Previous to that date, Syrian papers
in North and South America had
carried notices from the French consulates warning Syrian and Lebanese
immigrants of the jeopardy of their
situation if they failed to register,
it being evident that the only alternative left them by the treaty of
Lausanne was} Turkish allegiance.
French authorities would, in that
case, withhold all protection or assistance from unregistered Syrians
and Lebanese, and Turkey would not
reccgnize them as subject because
they are no longer under Turkish
rule. Practically, every Syrian and
Lebanese failing to register would
become a man without a country.
Undoubtedly some Syrians and
Lebanese who still retain some' interest in their mother-country hastened to register, but judging from
the comments of the Arabic-language
press in America, both pro and antiFrench, the total registration must
have been exceedingly meager, principally by reason of the physical
�60
difficulties imposed on the would-be
registrants, it being required that
each registrant appear in person at
a French consulate accompanied by
two witnesses to prove his identity.
Now, French consulates being located only in the larger cities, and the
Syrians being scattered all over the
vast expanse of each country, sometimes in towns more than a thousand
miles away from the nearest registration post, those who actually registered proved to be only a few
from the larger cities. Hence the
outcry in the Syrian press against
the injustice of the regulations.
The problem seems not to be' confined to the Syrians and Lebanese of
America, but to have been more
acutely felt in Egypt, where the
Syrians had been having their
troubles for some time with the
Egyptian authorities who, prompted
by a radical conception of a national
spirit, denied the Syrians, even
though born in Egypt, the right of
citizenship. And as a final blow came
this provision of the treaty of Lausanne to aggravate the situation.
The Lebanese of America, however, were given an extension of
tjme up to August 30th to legalize
their citizenship status by making
the necessary registration. Dr. Najib Barbour of 154 Clinton Street,
Brooklyn, announces in the Arabic
papers of New York his receipt
through the' French Consulate of a
dispatch to that effect from the
President of the Lebanon Republic,
Mr. Charles Dabbas. Dr. Barbour
offers to make registration easier by
volunteering his assistance in completing the formalities to anyone who
sends him his application properly
filled and sworn to before a notary
public.
Similar notices have been sent to
Mexico and other countries.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Dr. HITTI ON A LECTURE TOUR
Dr. Phillip K. Hitti was extended
an invitation by the Pacific Palisades
Association to deliver a series of lectures on current events in the Near
East at its convention in Los Angeles, Cal. Dr. Hitti left New York
the latter part of July and will return the early part of Septetonber in
time to take up his regular duties at
Princeton University. Dr. Hitti has
been in great demand on the lecture'
platform ever since his return from
Syria in 1924 and his impartial exposition of conditions in Syria seems
to have had a tempering and enlightening effect on his American
audiences.
Dr. Hitti's topics on his present
lecture tour include: Modernization
of the Islamic world; Mystic sects of
Syria including the Druzes; American influence in the Near East;
Unifying Arabia, and others.
"THE HAND OF GOD —
(Wftw** > LA MAIN D'ALLAH"
A Syrian authoress, Mme. Evelyn
Bustrus, of Beirut, makes her debut
in French letters in a historical novel jwhich a Cairo magazine, al-Muktataf, reviews quite favorably in its
latest issue. Apropos of this new
literary achievement by a Syrian
woman, al-Muktataf summarizes in
the introduction to its review similar achievements by other Syrians
in different fields and different parts
of |the world. We hereby reproduce
the introduction:
"Every day brings us a, new proof
that the people of the East ase hot
behind those of the West when given the same facilities enjoyed by
Westerners in the last two centuries,
and that many a leader in the various arts and professions has ap-
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
peared recently from among them.
Behold Gdbran K. Gibran, the Lebanese! poet and artist, whose books
and symbolic paintings have been
in as much demand by Americans as
those of the foremost authors and
painters. His book, "The Prophet",
has been translated into. French and
many European languages. Behold
also Dr. Saleeby of the Philippines
whose opinion is sought by the government in many problems of the
natives of that country. Then we
have Dr. Caleb Williams Saleeby,
who has attained an eminent position among the physicians of England; M. Sabbagh of whose paintings the' French Government bought
two for its Luxembourg Museum;
Miss Florence Fawwaz, the soprano
operatic singer, and many others of
the sons of the East who have attained prominence in the various
arts, professions and industries in
all parts of the habitable world. All
these are instances of what we are
trying to demonstrate.
"And what gives us confidence
that this movement is a living and
sound one is the co-operation of
women in it. In the United States,
Brazil and other; countries to which
people of the East have emigrated,
women have competed successfully
with men in writing, painting,
music, and other modern activities.
"Most recent among these is Mme.
Evelyn Bustrus, daughter of the
late George Twainy, and wife of
Gabriel Bustrus, two of the foremost
families of Beirut, who has come
forward (with an Oriental, historical
novel in the French language. The
interest of Mme. Bustrus in writing, from which she stands in one
need of financial, remuneration, is
an eloquent example to many of our
rich ladies".
61
A SYRIAN NAVIGATION
COMPANY IN BRAZIL
Syrians in Brazil are coming into
their own. Evidences of this have
been brought out before in the previous issues of this magazine. But
we are pleased to learn from AlAfkar, a Syrian paper published in
Brazil, that a certain Syrian Company in Para, Brazil, Beetar Bros.,
has five vessels of an average displacement of 1500 tons each, navigating between Rio de Janeiro and
Manaos. On the occasion of the recent centenary of Emperor Peter
II, this Syrian navigation company
rechristened one of its ships Peter
II. The Brazilian Government, upon learning of this, sent Beetar
Bros, a letter of thanks.
In the same district of Brazil, another Syrian company revives ancient memories of its mother-country by manufacturing "perfumes
and scented ointments". A third
company, with eyes to more immediate needs and demands, is said
to possess, the best equipped rubber
manufacturing plant in the country.
SYRIANS OF BRAZIL
ENTERTAIN EGYPTIAN
PRINCE
At a reception in his honor given
under the auspices of the Phoenician Club in Rio de Janeiro, in reply to the toast by the president of
tht club, the Egyptian prince, Mohammed Ali, brother of ex-Khedive
Abbas Helmi, expressed his deep
gratification at the manner in which
he was received by his Syrian cousins who spoke his tongue.
"Wherever I went in South America," he declared, "even in the little
villages and towns, I have come
across many Arabic-speaking fellow men and women who were of
�**
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
62
consolation and service to me in a
country whose language I could not
speak. And how great was my joy
when, passing through Sao Paolo,
I observed tha prosperous condition
of the Syrians and Lebane'se, evidence of their industry and diligence
through which they have gained a
status worthy of respect and admiration."
About fifteen years ago Prince
Mohammed Ali made a similar visit
to the' United States, where also he
was royally entertained by the Syrians of New York and other large
cities.
The friendship between Syria and
Egypt goes way back into history,
to the days of Amen'hotep III and IV,
when the Tel-Amarna letters of the
14th century B. C. reveal a close association between the two countries.
Ever since, the two countries have
been like sister countries, sometimes
quarreling and sometimes at peace,
but always dependent one on the'
other. Today there are tens of
thousands of Syrians in Egypt, who,
under the protection of the friendly
government, are displaying their
talents in all manner of activities
and are credited with the modern
renaissance of the Arabic language.
Club of Sao Paolo, which had successfully competed with the best
teams of the city in various athletic events such as foot-ball, rowing,
swimming, etc. The Syrian aviator,
who had previously enlisted as a
pilot in the French army in Lebanon, was given a silver loving cup
donated by Mr. Basila Yaf eth
through the Athletic Club.
A STATUE OF APHRODITE IS
FOUND IN SIDON
One' of the most significant "finds"
of recent archeological excavations
in Syria is a small clay statue of
the ancient goddess Aphrodite, as
known to the Greeks, or Astarte, as
known to the Phoenicians from whom
the Greeks borrowed heY worship
and enhanced it. The statue is described in the Syrian press as being
C5 centimeters in height and made
of "soft, white' paste". It represents
tl>e goddess of beauty and love naked and raising her right arm to the
level of her forehead, her legs bent
a little in a slightly stooping position. It was found broken into 50
fragments and took quite a time to
be restored.
The valuable statue will remain,
we are told, in the National Lebanese1 Museum in Beirut.
A SYRIAN AVIATOR
Joseph Akar, a Lebanese by birth
and a Brazilian by adoption and
residence, is described in a Syrian
newspaper apparing in Sao Paolo
as the first Syrian aviator. Before
a large crowd of spectators he ascended a considerable height and
looped the loop. He was applauded
by thousands of his countrymen who
warmly expressed their pride of his
daring exploits.
The performance was held under
the' auspices of the Syrian Athletic
AMERICAN RUG FACTORY
IN SYRIA
An example of American enterprise in Syria is quoted by Vice
Consul M. W. Altaffer in a report
describing the establishment of a
rug factory in Aleppo. The afctory
is active, has a capacity of 100 hand
looms, and, if successful, will be the
first of a chain of similar factories
to be established in Syria by the
same management.
(Commerce Reports)
I
�SEPTEMBER, 1926
63
The Syrian Revolution
v
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What the French apparently intended to be the decisive battle of
the Syrian revolution took place in
the famous Ghuta of Damascus in
the week of July 21. Reports state
that the French gathered for the attack a force of 5000 men and opened
the action by a preliminary bombardment of the rebels' positions
lasting throughout the 19th, 20th
and 21st of July, after which the attack was launched from three directions.
In a special dispatch to the "New
York Times" from Haifa, Palestine,
under date of August 11th, the correspondent states that in this engagement the French "overran the
insurgent headquarters and their
chief stronghold with their system
of trenches and telephones and the
position of the insurgents, thus deprived of their resources, has been
considered weakened." The dispatch
further states that in one of the
engagements "the insurgents suffered a severe' reverse owing to their
lack of ammunition, in consequence
of which Nesib Bey El Bakry and
two other insurgent leaders, who
were considered responsible, we're
sent to Jebel Druze for trial by
court-martial. The timely arrival of
Druze reinforcements under Monther
Bey el-Atrash retrieved the position."
The same correspondent declares
that the "French military authorities
had long respected the peculiar position of Ghuta of which, they claimed, the insurgents had taken an unfair advantage, until they were finally compelled to undertake drastic
punitive operations."
To all appearances, this battle of
Ghuta did not prove decisive, it being
claimed by the insurgents that they
repelled the concentrated attack and
inflicted on one French column a loss
of 1800 killed. "The air of Ghuta,"
states a refugee from Damascus, "is
heavy with the odor of decaying
corpses, while before it had been
laden with the fragrance of apple,
apricot and orange blossoms."
That the action was not decisive
se'ems to be borne out by reports in
the Syrian press that following the
engagement the notables and leaders of Damascus called a meeting to
discuss peace and appointed a committee to confer with the insurgent
leaders in an effort to induce them to
cease hostilities.
In proof of the continued determination of the insurgents to prosecute
the war, it is stated that they cut
off the drinking water supply of the
city of Damascus in retaliation
against the French for having diverted the tributaries of Barada
River from the Ghuta Oasis.
The paucity of news from the
Jebel Druze area could be taken to
indicate that this section of the country is mostly, if not wholly, pacified.
It is claimed for the Druzes, however, that they are only feigning submission to take time for garnering
their harvest, after which they are
expected to join the ranks of the
combatants.
In the political field, official announcement has been made of the
intention of M. Henry de Jouvenel
to return to his post as High Commissioner in Syria for the remainder of his second term of six months
�:,>.
64
ending Nov. 15. Previous reports
were to the effect that he had definitely decided not to return. Upon
M. Poincare forming his new ministry, however, M. de Jouvenel was
prevailed upon to reconsider his
decision.
The Syrian press is full of conjectures as to the real causes for
King Faisal's sudden discovery of a
serious illness requiring the ministration of European specialists and
the beneficial treatment at Vichy.
One of the reports is to the effect
that he made a secret visit to Paris
where he1 was joined by Prince Michel Lutfalla, coming from Geneva,
and by members of the Syrian Mohammedan delegation attending the
dedication of the recently erected
mosque in Paris. What was stated
with a pretense at great reserve was
that M. de Jouvenel was constantly
advised of the' progress of the secret
negotiations between the King of
Iraq and the other parties to the
conference. One of the floating rumors is that a solution to the Syrian
problem will be found in constituting
Syria a kingdom and placing former
King Ali of Hejaz who is a brother
of King Faisal and a son of ex-King
Hussain, on the throne. This rumor,
however, may be readily dismissed
as too far-fetched by reason of
France's desire to remain on terms
of amity with the powerful Ibn
Saud who is the irreconcilable enemy
of Hussein and his sons. Another
seemingly baseless rumor is that
King Faisal aims at creating a kingdom out} of Palestine and Transjordania with his brother Abdullah as
King.
Syrian papers comment on the
present diplomatic relations between
England and France in their relation to Syria as being very friendly.
England has brought pressure to
*-,
THE SYRIAN WORLD
bear on [the government of Transjordania to refuse asylum to the
Druzes and other Syrian political
refugees within its borders. Even
Ridha Pasha Rikabi, the once powerful prime minister of Transjordania, was deposed and banished
from the country, it is claimed, at
the express representations of the
British government because he had
been openly active in aiding the
Syrian revolutionists.
In support of this contention,
Syrian papers published long interviews with Hamzeh El-Darwish, one
of the Druze leaders who have surrendered to the French, in which he
is quoted as saying that the Druzes
formerly received their arms and ammunitions through different points in
the desert, bi«t principally from Alfedein, an aeroplane station in
Trans jordania.
What, for a time, caused no little
amount of excitement was a rumor
that Dr. Shahbandar, considered the
prime Syrian agitator and one of the
powerful leaders of the revolution,
had sought refuge in Egypt after
a violent quarrel with Sultan Atrash.
The rumor was credited to the extent that the French minister in
Egypt made a formal demand to the
Egyptian government for his extradition. The whole thing, however,
proved to be a hoax, Dr. Shahbandar himself issuing a formal statement from the revolutionary headquarters in Jebel Druze denying that
he had eveY left the theatre of war
or was ever far from the firing line,
"and perhaps I shall remain close to
the likes of Zaher Contar to whom
Colonel Costiller paid five thousand
From Mt. Lebanon comes a report that the Maronite clergy is dissatisfied with present conditions and
that a delegation of five bishops will
visit Paris to make representations.
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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.
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
TSW1926_09reducedWM
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Volume 01, Issue 03
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926 September
Description
An account of the resource
Volume 1 Issue 03 of The Syrian World, published September 1926. The issue opens with an article by Prof. Philip K. Hitti of Princeton detailing the historic significance of Nahr Al-Kalb (Dog River), a river in Lebanon. This issue includes several articles about the challenges of immigrating to the United States, including the issue of health and question of assimilation. This issue also features a continuation of serialized work from the previous issue(s) (Islam, Famous Arab Lovers, and The Widowhood of Shahrazad). The issue closes with translated excerpts from the Arab-language press and letters from its readers.
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.
1920s
1926
New York
Philip Khuri Hitti
Rivers