Francis Marrash
Encyclopedia
Francis bin Fathallah bin Nasrallah Marrash (Arabic
: / ALA-LC: Fransīs bin Fatḥallāh bin Naṣrallāh Marrāsh; 1836–1873), also known as Francis al-Marrash or Francis Marrash al-Halabi, was a Syrian writer
and poet
of the Nahda movement (the Arabic renaissance). In 1865, he published his novel
Ghabat al-haq, considered to be the first modern novel of Arabic literature
.
, a city of Ottoman Syria
(present-day Syria
), to an old and respected Melkite
family known for its literary interests. The family was well established in Aleppo, although they had gone through troubles: Francis' uncle, Butrus Marrash, was martyred by Greek Orthodox fundamentalists on April 16, 1818. Other Melkite Catholics were exiled from Aleppo during the persecutions, and among them the priest Jibrail Marrash. Fathallah, Francis' father, wrote a blasphemous book and created another scandal. He was a man of letters, and had built up a huge private library to give his three children Francis, Abdallah
and Maryana
a thorough education, particularly in the field of Arabic language and literature. Aleppo was then a major literary and philosophical center of the Ottoman Empire
, featuring many thinkers and writers concerned with the future of the Arabs. It was in the French religious schools that the Marrash family learnt Arabic
with French
, and other foreign languages (Italian
and English
). But Francis at first studied the Arabic language and its literature privately. He then received private tutoring in medicine for four years under an English physician and practiced medicine for a year. Eventually, his father Fathallah and brother Abdallah achieved a certain literary fame, while Maryana brought the tradition of literary salon
s back into the Arab world
, and was the first woman to write in the Arab press.
At four, Marrash contracted measles
, and suffered from eye problems that kept worsening ever since. In 1850, his father took him to Paris
to find a treatment. In 1866, Marrash decided to continue his medical education in Paris. But his fragile health and his growing blindness forced him to interrupt his studies within a year after his arrival. He returned to Aleppo completely blind, but still managed to dictate his works. In 1867, he published an account of his journey to Paris: Rihlat Baris. The book begins with a description of his progress from Aleppo, to Iskenderun
, Latakia
, Tripoli
, Jaffa
, Alexandria
, Cairo
, and then back to Alexandria from which he boarded a ship to Marseille
. The Arab cities inspired him revulsion and indifference, except Alexandria and Cairo, where Ismail Pasha had already begun modernization projects. He then travelled through France, with a stopover in Lyon
before ending up in Paris. He was fascinated by France, and Paris the most. All his life, he had been traveling between Aleppo
, Beirut
and France
.
In 1862, he began writing Ghabat al-haq (The Forest of Justice), which he published three years later. It is an allegorical novel written as a dialogue, which deals with ideas of peace, freedom and equality. Through this work, Marrash becomes the first Arab writer to reflect the optimism and humanistic view of 18th century Europe. This view stemmed from the hope that education, science and technology would resolve such problems of humanity as slavery, religious discrimination, illiteracy, disease, poverty, war, and other scourges of mankind, and it gave utterance to his hope for brotherhood and equality among peoples. He also advocates the modernization of Arab schools and the separation of state and religion. In 1872, he publishes Durr al-sadaf, a novel in which he describes the Lebanese society of the era and its customs. The contrast between natural and social laws, inspired by the philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
, is a recurring theme in many fiction works of Marrash.
During his lifetime he wrote many essays about literature and science (especially mathematics), and about education, a subject which mattered a lot to him; he wrote in Ghabat al-haq that "without the education of the mind, man is a mindless beast". He included poems in all his works, written in muwashshah
and zajal
forms according to the occasion. In 1861, he published a poetic eulogy of Mehmed Fuad Pasha
in the February 7 issue of Hadiqat al-Akhbar, the first bi-weekly newspaper in Beirut. He wrote many articles in the popular press. In those published in Butrus al-Bustani
's journal al-Jinan, he reveals himself favourable to women's education, which he limited however to reading, writing, and a little bit of arithmetic, geography and grammar. In an 1882 issue of al-Jinan, he wrote that it is not necessary for a woman "to act like a man, neglect her domestic and family duties, or that she should consider herself superior to the man". He nevertheless closely followed his sister Maryana's studies not suspecting that the first poem which she would publish in the public press—actually in al-Jinan—would be her elegy on him. Marrash also attacked Arab men's oppressive treatment of their wives and daughters, and rebelled against the custom that allowed parents to marry their daughter off to an old man. In his later works, he tried to demonstrate the existence of God and the divine law; the Sharia
, as he conceives it, goes beyond the sphere of the Islam
ic law alone.
Marrash died in 1873 in Aleppo
.
Khalil Gibran
was a great admirer of Marrash. His own works echoe Marrash's style and ideas about enslavement, education, women's liberation, truth, the natural goodness of man, and the corrupted morals of society.
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...
: / ALA-LC: Fransīs bin Fatḥallāh bin Naṣrallāh Marrāsh; 1836–1873), also known as Francis al-Marrash or Francis Marrash al-Halabi, was a Syrian writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and 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...
of the Nahda movement (the Arabic renaissance). In 1865, he published his novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Ghabat al-haq, considered to be the first modern novel of Arabic literature
Arabic literature
Arabic literature is the writing produced, both prose and poetry, by writers in the Arabic language. The Arabic word used for literature is adab which is derived from a meaning of etiquette, and implies politeness, culture and enrichment....
.
Life
Francis Marrash was born in AleppoAleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, a city of Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria is a European reference to the area that during European Renaissance from the late 15th to early 18th century was called the Levant within the early period of the Ottoman Empire, the Orient until the early 19th century, and Greater Syria until 1918...
(present-day Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
), to an old and respected Melkite
Melkite
The term Melkite, also written Melchite, refers to various Byzantine Rite Christian churches and their members originating in the Middle East. The word comes from the Syriac word malkāyā , and the Arabic word Malakī...
family known for its literary interests. The family was well established in Aleppo, although they had gone through troubles: Francis' uncle, Butrus Marrash, was martyred by Greek Orthodox fundamentalists on April 16, 1818. Other Melkite Catholics were exiled from Aleppo during the persecutions, and among them the priest Jibrail Marrash. Fathallah, Francis' father, wrote a blasphemous book and created another scandal. He was a man of letters, and had built up a huge private library to give his three children Francis, Abdallah
Abdallah Marrash
Abdallah bin Fathallah bin Nasrallah Marrash , was a writer involved in various Arabic-language newspaper ventures in London and Paris.-Life:...
and Maryana
Maryana Marrash
Maryana bint Fathallah bin Nasrallah Marrash , was a Syrian writer and poet of the Nahda movement . She brought the tradition of literary salons back into the Middle East. She was the first Syrian female poet to publish a collection of poetry...
a thorough education, particularly in the field of Arabic language and literature. Aleppo was then a major literary and philosophical center of the Ottoman Empire
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...
, featuring many thinkers and writers concerned with the future of the Arabs. It was in the French religious schools that the Marrash family learnt Arabic
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...
with French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, and other foreign languages (Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
). But Francis at first studied the Arabic language and its literature privately. He then received private tutoring in medicine for four years under an English physician and practiced medicine for a year. Eventually, his father Fathallah and brother Abdallah achieved a certain literary fame, while Maryana brought the tradition of literary salon
Women's literary salons and societies in the Arab World
The tradition of women's literary circles in the Arab World dates back to the pre-Islamic period when the eminent literary figure, Al-Khansa, would stand in the 'Ukaz market in Mecca, reciting her poetry and airing her views on the scholarship of others...
s back into 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...
, and was the first woman to write in the Arab press.
At four, Marrash contracted measles
Measles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
, and suffered from eye problems that kept worsening ever since. In 1850, his father took him to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to find a treatment. In 1866, Marrash decided to continue his medical education in Paris. But his fragile health and his growing blindness forced him to interrupt his studies within a year after his arrival. He returned to Aleppo completely blind, but still managed to dictate his works. In 1867, he published an account of his journey to Paris: Rihlat Baris. The book begins with a description of his progress from Aleppo, to Iskenderun
Iskenderun
İskenderun is a city and urban district in the province of Hatay on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The current mayor is Yusuf Hamit Civelek .-Names:...
, Latakia
Latakia
Latakia, or Latakiyah , is the principal port city of Syria, as well as the capital of the Latakia Governorate. In addition to serving as a port, the city is a manufacturing center for surrounding agricultural towns and villages...
, Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
, Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
, Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, 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...
, and then back to Alexandria from which he boarded a ship to Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
. The Arab cities inspired him revulsion and indifference, except Alexandria and Cairo, where Ismail Pasha had already begun modernization projects. He then travelled through France, with a stopover in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
before ending up in Paris. He was fascinated by France, and Paris the most. All his life, he had been traveling between Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, 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...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In 1862, he began writing Ghabat al-haq (The Forest of Justice), which he published three years later. It is an allegorical novel written as a dialogue, which deals with ideas of peace, freedom and equality. Through this work, Marrash becomes the first Arab writer to reflect the optimism and humanistic view of 18th century Europe. This view stemmed from the hope that education, science and technology would resolve such problems of humanity as slavery, religious discrimination, illiteracy, disease, poverty, war, and other scourges of mankind, and it gave utterance to his hope for brotherhood and equality among peoples. He also advocates the modernization of Arab schools and the separation of state and religion. In 1872, he publishes Durr al-sadaf, a novel in which he describes the Lebanese society of the era and its customs. The contrast between natural and social laws, inspired by the philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
, is a recurring theme in many fiction works of Marrash.
During his lifetime he wrote many essays about literature and science (especially mathematics), and about education, a subject which mattered a lot to him; he wrote in Ghabat al-haq that "without the education of the mind, man is a mindless beast". He included poems in all his works, written in muwashshah
Muwashshah
Muwashshah or muwaššaḥ can mean:...
and zajal
Zajal
Zajal is a traditional form of oral strophic poetry declaimed in a colloquial dialect with ancient roots in a number of Mediterranean cultures. The form is similar to Muwashshah. The origin of zajal is Al-Andalus...
forms according to the occasion. In 1861, he published a poetic eulogy of Mehmed Fuad Pasha
Mehmed Fuad Pasha
Mehmed Fuad Pasha was an Ottoman statesman known for his leadership during the Crimean War and in the Tanzimat reforms within the Ottoman Empire. He was also a noted Freemason.- Career :...
in the February 7 issue of Hadiqat al-Akhbar, the first bi-weekly newspaper in Beirut. He wrote many articles in the popular press. In those published in 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...
's journal al-Jinan, he reveals himself favourable to women's education, which he limited however to reading, writing, and a little bit of arithmetic, geography and grammar. In an 1882 issue of al-Jinan, he wrote that it is not necessary for a woman "to act like a man, neglect her domestic and family duties, or that she should consider herself superior to the man". He nevertheless closely followed his sister Maryana's studies not suspecting that the first poem which she would publish in the public press—actually in al-Jinan—would be her elegy on him. Marrash also attacked Arab men's oppressive treatment of their wives and daughters, and rebelled against the custom that allowed parents to marry their daughter off to an old man. In his later works, he tried to demonstrate the existence of God and the divine law; the Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
, as he conceives it, goes beyond the sphere of the Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic law alone.
Marrash died in 1873 in Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
.
Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran Jubrān Khalīl Jubrān,Jibrān Khalīl Jibrān, or Jibrān Xalīl Jibrān; Arabic , January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931) also known as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer...
was a great admirer of Marrash. His own works echoe Marrash's style and ideas about enslavement, education, women's liberation, truth, the natural goodness of man, and the corrupted morals of society.
Works
- Dalīl al-ḥuriyah al-insāniyah (Guide to Human Liberty), Aleppo, 1861, 24 pp.
- Al-mir’āt al-ṣafiyah fī al-mābādi’ al-ṭabi‘iyah (The Clear Mirror of Natural Principles), Aleppo, 1861, 60 pp.
- Ta‘ziyat al-makrūb wa-rāḥat al-mat‘ūb ("Consolation of the Anxious and Respose of the Weary One", philosophical and pessimistic discourse on nations of the past), Aleppo, 1864
- Ghābat al-ḥaq fī tafṣīl al-lākhlāq al-fāḍilah wa-āḍdādihā wa-yalīhā kitāb mashhad al-’āḥwāl, Aleppo, 1865; Cairo, 1881; Beirut, 1881
- Riḥlat Bārīs (Journey to Paris), Beirut, 1867
- Al-kunūz al-faniyah fī al-rumūz al-Maymūniyah ("Artistic Treasures Concerning the Symbolic Visions of Maymun", poem of almost 500 verses), Aleppo, 1870
- Mashhad al-’āḥwāl (The Witnessing of the Stages of Human Life), Beirut, 1870, 1883
- Durr al-ṣadaf fī gharā’ib al-ṣudaf ("Pearl Shells in Relating Strange Coincidences", social romance), Beirut, 1872
- Mir’āt al-ḥasnā’ ("The Mirror of the Beautiful One", collection of poems), Beirut, 1872, 1883
- Shahādat al-ṭabi‘ah fī wujūd Allāh wa-al-sharī‘ah (The Proofs of Nature for the Existence of God and the Divine Law), Beirut, 1892 (posthumous)