Muhammad Jaber al-Safa
Encyclopedia
Muhammad Jaber Āl Safa was a prominent historian and writer from the Lebanese region of Jabal Amel
.
Born in Nabatiye
, he studied language and history under famous scholars Hassan Yusef al-Makki and Muhammad Ibrahim al-Husseini.
He and his companions sheikh Ahmad Reda
(also his father-in-law) and sheikh Sulaiman Daher, having formed an intellectual gathering known as "the Ameli Three", played a principal role in forming Jabal Amel's political and cultural history. Because of the group's violent opposition to the Ottoman
rule, they spent two months in Aley
's military prison. While on death row, they were liberated when the Ottomans left the country after their defeat, in the First World War.
He was later a major supporter of King Faisal
's rule in Greater Syria
, following the Arab Revolt
.
He wrote Tarikh Jabal Amel, or "The history of Jabal Amel", used as a main reference on the history of Greater Syria
or the Levant
, and Lebanon
particularly.
As his name indicates, he is a descendant of the Safavids, who left Iran
in the 18th century after a 250-year rule and settled, among other places, in Jabal Amel
in southern Lebanon.
Jabal Amel
Jabal Amel or Amil is a mountainous region of Southern Lebanon.The region is named after the Banu 'Amilah, a Yemenite tribe who, along with the kindred tribes of Hamadan, Lakhm, and Judham, settled in Syria, Palestine, parts of Jordan, and Lebanon. The area was known in ancient times as Jabal...
.
Born in Nabatiye
Nabatiye
Nabatieh , or Nabatiye, is the principal town of the Nabatieh Governorate, in southern Lebanon. Nabatieh has approximately 120,000 inhabitants, is the capital of the Jabal Amel area and the chief center for both the mohafazat, or governorate, and the caza, or canton...
, he studied language and history under famous scholars Hassan Yusef al-Makki and Muhammad Ibrahim al-Husseini.
He and his companions sheikh Ahmad Reda
Ahmad Reda
Sheikh Ahmad Reda was one of the foremost scholars of Arab literature and linguistics.-Early life:Born in Nabatiyeh, he was a main supporter of King Faisal's Greater Syrian rule , following the Arab Revolt in the First World War...
(also his father-in-law) and sheikh Sulaiman Daher, having formed an intellectual gathering known as "the Ameli Three", played a principal role in forming Jabal Amel's political and cultural history. Because of the group's violent opposition to the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule, they spent two months in Aley
Aley
Aley is a picturesque town in Mount Lebanon. It is located 17 km uphill from Beirut, just south of the summer resort of Bhamdoun and north of the strategic town of Souk El Gharb.-Demographics:...
's military prison. While on death row, they were liberated when the Ottomans left the country after their defeat, in the First World War.
He was later a major supporter of King Faisal
Faisal I of Iraq
Faisal bin Hussein bin Ali al-Hashemi, was for a short time King of the Arab Kingdom of Syria or Greater Syria in 1920, and was King of the Kingdom of Iraq from 23 August 1921 to 1933...
's rule in Greater Syria
Greater Syria
Greater Syria , also known simply as Syria, is a term that denotes a region in the Near East bordering the Eastern Mediterranean Sea or the Levant....
, following the Arab Revolt
Arab Revolt
The Arab Revolt was initiated by the Sherif Hussein bin Ali with the aim of securing independence from the ruling Ottoman Turks and creating a single unified Arab state spanning from Aleppo in Syria to Aden in Yemen.- Background :...
.
He wrote Tarikh Jabal Amel, or "The history of Jabal Amel", used as a main reference on the history of Greater Syria
Greater Syria
Greater Syria , also known simply as Syria, is a term that denotes a region in the Near East bordering the Eastern Mediterranean Sea or the Levant....
or the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
, and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
particularly.
As his name indicates, he is a descendant of the Safavids, who left Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
in the 18th century after a 250-year rule and settled, among other places, in Jabal Amel
Jabal Amel
Jabal Amel or Amil is a mountainous region of Southern Lebanon.The region is named after the Banu 'Amilah, a Yemenite tribe who, along with the kindred tribes of Hamadan, Lakhm, and Judham, settled in Syria, Palestine, parts of Jordan, and Lebanon. The area was known in ancient times as Jabal...
in southern Lebanon.