Ahmad Meshari Al-Adwani
Encyclopedia
Ahmad Meshari Al-Adwani (1923 in Kuwait
— 1990) was a poet
and teacher
who wrote the lyrics of the national anthem of Kuwait, Al-Nasheed Al-Watani
. In 1938, he graduated from the "al-Mubarakiyah" Secondary School, Kuwait. In 1939 he travelled to Cairo
, Egypt
, and was admitted into the College of Arabic Language
Studies at the Al-Azhar University
. In 1949 he graduated from the Al-Azhar University, with the title of "Sheikh". In 1950 Al-Adwani established the monthly magazine Al-Be'thah in Cairo, with his lifelong friend and companion, Dr. Abdulaziz Hussein. Due to lack of funding, however, the magazine was stopped after only three issues. In 1952 he helped establish the "Al-Ra'ed" magazine, published by the Kuwait Teachers Club. He went on to form many other magazines throughout his life.
Al-Adwani worked with many people; among them was his friend, Dr. Abdulaziz Hussein, who was at that time the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, as well as the President of the Kuwait National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters, to work on designing, founding and implementing various cultural and social programs that would later prove to transform Kuwait from a simple oil
-producing sheikhdom in the middle of nowhere into a beacon of social, artistic and educational knowledge in the Arab World
. Among these programs was the establishment of Fine Arts Gallery, the Department of Arabian culture and the Department of Musical Culture. He died in 1990 at 67, leaving a home library of literary gold and a stockpile of unpublished, unedited scripts and poems.
1938-Graduated from the "al-Mubarakiyah" Secondary School, Kuwait.
1939-Travelled to Cairo, Egypt. Admitted into the College of Arabic Language Studies at the Al-Azhar University.
1949-Graduated from the Al-Azhar University, with the title of "Sheikh".
1950-Established the monthly magazine Al-Be'thah in Cairo, with his lifelong friend and companion, Dr. Abdulaziz Hussein. Due to lack of funding, however, the magazine was stopped after only 3 issues.
1952-Helped establish the Al-Ra'ed magazine, published by the Kuwait Teachers Club.
1954-Taught Arabic Language and Literature
at the "Shuwaikh secondary school for boys" in Kuwapp.
1956-Appointed as the General Secretary in the Department of Information, (Ministry of Education).
1957-1965-Laid the foundation for, and implemented the material for the Teaching of the Arabic Language Curriculum in the Department of Information, as well as helping in preparing the curricula of other school systems in the Persian Gulf
area.
1963-By Amiri Decree, appointed as Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education.
1965-Appointed Assistant Undersecretary of TV and Radio at the Ministry of Information, and then as Assistant Undersecretary for Technical Affairs.
1965-1966-Established the Theatrical Studies Center.
1969-Established the Circular "Min al Masrah al Alemi" (From The World Theatre)
1970-Established "Alam al Fikr" magazine (World of Thought).
1972-Established the College of Musical Studies.
1973-By Amiri Decree, appointed as the Director of the National Council for Culture, the Arts, and Letters.
1976-Established the Higher College of Music, and the Higher College of Theatrical Arts.
1978-Established the circular "Alam al Ma'rifah" (World of Knowledge) which could be assimilated to The Reader's Digest.
1980-Was commended by The Kuwaiti Institute for the Advancement of Sciences for his achievements.
1980- Published his first literary compilation, "Ajnihat el Asifah" (Wings of the Storm), which was a compilation of all the poems he had published over the years, in Kuwait and in Egypt. Over the years, some of its contents were translated into English, French, Italian and Mandarine (Chinese).
1981-Established the "Al-Thakafah al Alamiyah" magazine (Literacy of the World).
1987-Retired from public service, but remained as an advisor to the Ministry of Education's education system.
1990-Died at the age of 67, leaving a home library of literary gold and a stockpile of unpublished, unedited scripts and poems.
1993-A book was published in his memory by the Literati's Alumni, in which they compiled selected pieces of his writings, as well as editorials by many poets, artists, thinkers, theologians all over the Arab world, headlining their relationship with Al-Adwani.
1996-After a considerable length of time and painstaking effort by a team of literaries, headed by Dr. Khalifa Al Wuqayan and Dr. Salem Abbas Kheddadah, and under the patronage of The National Council for Culture, the Arts, and Letters, a second compilation was published, with closing comments by the Council's director, Dr. Sulaiman Al Askari. It was called "Awshal" (Waterfalls), and contained never-before-published poems, as well as poems published in Al Adwani's first compilation.
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
— 1990) was a poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
who wrote the lyrics of the national anthem of Kuwait, Al-Nasheed Al-Watani
Al-Nasheed Al-Watani
Al-Nasheed Al-Watani . The Kuwaiti national anthem is by poet Ahmad Meshari Al-Adwani, Ibrahim Al-Soula composed the music and Ahmad Ali arranged the composition. It was first broadcast on 25 February, 1978....
. In 1938, he graduated from the "al-Mubarakiyah" Secondary School, Kuwait. In 1939 he travelled to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and was admitted into the College of Arabic Language
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
Studies at the Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
. In 1949 he graduated from the Al-Azhar University, with the title of "Sheikh". In 1950 Al-Adwani established the monthly magazine Al-Be'thah in Cairo, with his lifelong friend and companion, Dr. Abdulaziz Hussein. Due to lack of funding, however, the magazine was stopped after only three issues. In 1952 he helped establish the "Al-Ra'ed" magazine, published by the Kuwait Teachers Club. He went on to form many other magazines throughout his life.
Al-Adwani worked with many people; among them was his friend, Dr. Abdulaziz Hussein, who was at that time the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, as well as the President of the Kuwait National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters, to work on designing, founding and implementing various cultural and social programs that would later prove to transform Kuwait from a simple oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
-producing sheikhdom in the middle of nowhere into a beacon of social, artistic and educational knowledge in the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
. Among these programs was the establishment of Fine Arts Gallery, the Department of Arabian culture and the Department of Musical Culture. He died in 1990 at 67, leaving a home library of literary gold and a stockpile of unpublished, unedited scripts and poems.
Chronology of his life
1923-Born in the "Qibla" neighborhood, Kuwait.1938-Graduated from the "al-Mubarakiyah" Secondary School, Kuwait.
1939-Travelled to Cairo, Egypt. Admitted into the College of Arabic Language Studies at the Al-Azhar University.
1949-Graduated from the Al-Azhar University, with the title of "Sheikh".
1950-Established the monthly magazine Al-Be'thah in Cairo, with his lifelong friend and companion, Dr. Abdulaziz Hussein. Due to lack of funding, however, the magazine was stopped after only 3 issues.
1952-Helped establish the Al-Ra'ed magazine, published by the Kuwait Teachers Club.
1954-Taught Arabic Language and Literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
at the "Shuwaikh secondary school for boys" in Kuwapp.
1956-Appointed as the General Secretary in the Department of Information, (Ministry of Education).
1957-1965-Laid the foundation for, and implemented the material for the Teaching of the Arabic Language Curriculum in the Department of Information, as well as helping in preparing the curricula of other school systems in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
area.
1963-By Amiri Decree, appointed as Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education.
1965-Appointed Assistant Undersecretary of TV and Radio at the Ministry of Information, and then as Assistant Undersecretary for Technical Affairs.
1965-1966-Established the Theatrical Studies Center.
1969-Established the Circular "Min al Masrah al Alemi" (From The World Theatre)
1970-Established "Alam al Fikr" magazine (World of Thought).
1972-Established the College of Musical Studies.
1973-By Amiri Decree, appointed as the Director of the National Council for Culture, the Arts, and Letters.
- From this date, and until his retirement, Al-Adwani worked with many people, among them was his friend, Dr. Abdulaziz Hussein, who was at that time the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, as well as the President of the National Assembly, to work on designing, founding and implementing various Cultural and Social Programs that would later prove to transform Kuwait from a simple Oil-producing sheikhdom in the middle of nowhere into a beacon of social, artistic and educational knowledge in the Arab World. Among these programs was the establishment of Fine Arts Gallery, the Department of Arabian Culture and the Department of Musical Culture.
1976-Established the Higher College of Music, and the Higher College of Theatrical Arts.
1978-Established the circular "Alam al Ma'rifah" (World of Knowledge) which could be assimilated to The Reader's Digest.
1980-Was commended by The Kuwaiti Institute for the Advancement of Sciences for his achievements.
1980- Published his first literary compilation, "Ajnihat el Asifah" (Wings of the Storm), which was a compilation of all the poems he had published over the years, in Kuwait and in Egypt. Over the years, some of its contents were translated into English, French, Italian and Mandarine (Chinese).
1981-Established the "Al-Thakafah al Alamiyah" magazine (Literacy of the World).
1987-Retired from public service, but remained as an advisor to the Ministry of Education's education system.
1990-Died at the age of 67, leaving a home library of literary gold and a stockpile of unpublished, unedited scripts and poems.
1993-A book was published in his memory by the Literati's Alumni, in which they compiled selected pieces of his writings, as well as editorials by many poets, artists, thinkers, theologians all over the Arab world, headlining their relationship with Al-Adwani.
1996-After a considerable length of time and painstaking effort by a team of literaries, headed by Dr. Khalifa Al Wuqayan and Dr. Salem Abbas Kheddadah, and under the patronage of The National Council for Culture, the Arts, and Letters, a second compilation was published, with closing comments by the Council's director, Dr. Sulaiman Al Askari. It was called "Awshal" (Waterfalls), and contained never-before-published poems, as well as poems published in Al Adwani's first compilation.