Nasif Al-Yaziji
Encyclopedia
Nasif al-Yaziji was a Lebanese author and father of Ibrahim al-Yaziji. He was one of the leading figures in the Nahda movement.
Like several of the principle players of the Arab Awakening (Nahda), Nasif al-Yaziji migrated from a Mount Lebanon
ravaged by discord and revolt, to Beirut
at a time when the city was undergoing rapid development and establishing itself as a centre of academia and journalism.
A Greek Catholic, he began his career as a private secretary (mudabbir) - a common way for Christians to attain social mobility under the restrictive iqta' system by which Mount Lebanon, which he described as "a country of tribes", was governed.
First employed by Prince Haydar al-Shihabi, he went on to work for Bashir Shihab II
, whose brutal repression of his opponents earned him the title the "Red Emir".
When Yaziji moved to Beirut in 1840 he became an Arabic tutor and it was in this role that he came into contact with American and British Protestant missionaries. He would help fulfil one of the greatest ambitions of the missionaries - the translation of the Bible into Arabic - when he corrected a translation that Eli Smith
, an American missionary, and Butrus al-Bustani
started in 1847.
After this he taught at the Syrian Protestant College (later renamed the American University of Beirut
) and wrote on poetry, rhetoric, grammar and philosophy. It was for his attempts to emulate the style of classical Arab writers, thereby rediscovering the literary heritage of the Arabs, that he is best known.
Among his works are a treatise on the muqata 'ji
system. Used by the Ottomans to govern the emirate of Mount Lebanon, this involved tax-farming
or iqta' rights being given to leading local families. These families enjoyed a degree of autonomy in the running of their region, controlled the land, collected taxes and benefitted from tax exemptions and benefits in exchange for providing the central authorities in Istanbul with revenue and armed men.
With Bustani and Mikhail Mishaqa
, al-Yaziji formed the Syrian Association for the Sciences and Arts - the Arab world's first literary society - in 1847. The circle tackled and published its deliberations on themes such as women's rights, history and their fight against superstition.
It was dissolved in 1852 but its inner circle went on to establish the Syrian Scientific Association a few years later. This became a much larger, multi-sectarian society of intellectuals who pushed for Arab independence from the Ottomans.
Like several of the principle players of the Arab Awakening (Nahda), Nasif al-Yaziji migrated from a Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon , as a geographic designation, is a Lebanese mountain range, averaging above 2,200 meters in height and receiving a substantial amount of precipitation, including snow, which averages around four meters deep. It extends across the whole country along about , parallel to the...
ravaged by discord and revolt, to Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
at a time when the city was undergoing rapid development and establishing itself as a centre of academia and journalism.
A Greek Catholic, he began his career as a private secretary (mudabbir) - a common way for Christians to attain social mobility under the restrictive iqta' system by which Mount Lebanon, which he described as "a country of tribes", was governed.
First employed by Prince Haydar al-Shihabi, he went on to work for Bashir Shihab II
Bashir Shihab II
Bashir Chehab II was a Lebanese emir who ruled Lebanon in the first half of the 19th century.-Life:Bashir was born 2 January 1767 , son of Emir Qasim ibn Umar Chehab of the noble Chehab family which had came to power in 1697...
, whose brutal repression of his opponents earned him the title the "Red Emir".
When Yaziji moved to Beirut in 1840 he became an Arabic tutor and it was in this role that he came into contact with American and British Protestant missionaries. He would help fulfil one of the greatest ambitions of the missionaries - the translation of the Bible into Arabic - when he corrected a translation that Eli Smith
Eli Smith
Eli Smith was an American Protestant Missionary and scholar, born at Northford, Conn. He graduated from Yale in 1821 and from Andover Theological Seminary in 1826. He worked in Malta until 1829, then in company with H. G. O. Dwight traveled through Armenia and Georgia to Persia. They published...
, an American missionary, and Butrus al-Bustani
Butrus al-Bustani
Buṭrus al-Bustānī was a notable writer and scholar from present day Lebanon.-Life:Al-Bustani was born to a Maronite Christian family in the village of Dibbiye in the Chouf region, in January 1819...
started in 1847.
After this he taught at the Syrian Protestant College (later renamed the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
) and wrote on poetry, rhetoric, grammar and philosophy. It was for his attempts to emulate the style of classical Arab writers, thereby rediscovering the literary heritage of the Arabs, that he is best known.
Among his works are a treatise on the muqata 'ji
Muqata'ah
One of the most important topics of the Ottoman financial history is the institution of muqata'ah which functioned as an instrument in financing state expenses...
system. Used by the Ottomans to govern the emirate of Mount Lebanon, this involved tax-farming
Tax farming
Farming is a technique of financial management, namely the process of commuting , by its assignment by legal contract to a third party, a future uncertain revenue stream into fixed and certain periodic rents, in consideration for which commutation a discount in value received is suffered...
or iqta' rights being given to leading local families. These families enjoyed a degree of autonomy in the running of their region, controlled the land, collected taxes and benefitted from tax exemptions and benefits in exchange for providing the central authorities in Istanbul with revenue and armed men.
With Bustani and Mikhail Mishaqa
Mikhail Mishaqa
Mikhail Mishaqa born in Rashmayyā, Lebanon is "the first historian of modern Ottoman Syria" as well as the "virtual founder of the twenty-four equal quarter tone scale".Mikhail's great-grandfather converted to Catholicism...
, al-Yaziji formed the Syrian Association for the Sciences and Arts - the Arab world's first literary society - in 1847. The circle tackled and published its deliberations on themes such as women's rights, history and their fight against superstition.
It was dissolved in 1852 but its inner circle went on to establish the Syrian Scientific Association a few years later. This became a much larger, multi-sectarian society of intellectuals who pushed for Arab independence from the Ottomans.