غنية الطالب ومنبة الراغب

Ahmed Fares Al-Shidyaq: A writer, poet, linguist and historian, and one of the pioneers of the modern Arab renaissance. He had several titles; Among them are: “The Famous Politician” and “The Renowned Journalist.” His most famous titles are: “Al-Shidyaq” – a priestly rank lower than the priest – and he was called the one who explored the science of high stature. Faris bin Youssef bin Yaqoub bin Mansour bin Jaafar bin Shaheen bin Yohanna was born in the period between (1801 AD - 1805 AD) in the village of Ashkout in Lebanon. His father worked as a tax collector, and was a writer who loved reading and buying books; Which contributed to the education of his children. Chidiac's life was a long journey of travels that did not end even after his death. He left Beirut to Damascus and from there to Egypt, where he studied at Al-Azhar and married Warda Al-Souli. Then he moved to Malta, where he spent fourteen years. And converted from the Maronite doctrine to the Evangelical. He traveled to England and France, where he spent ten years, and then moved to Tunisia, where he announced his conversion to Islam in 1857 AD and named himself Ahmed Fares. He settled in "Istanbul", where he launched his glue newspaper "Al-Jawa'ib" in 1881 AD, which was considered one of the most famous Arab newspapers at the time. He is the author of many books, including: “The Leg on the Leg in Knowing Al-Fariaq”, “The Wasta in Knowing the Conditions of the People of Malta”, “The Treasure of Languages” and “Ultimate Wonder in the Characteristics of the Language of the Arabs”. Chidiac was a landmark of the nineteenth century; Where he was able to formulate many Western ideas that served the establishment of the Arab Renaissance; Perhaps one of the most important political ones is his introduction of the term “socialism” into the Arabic language. He also emphasized that absolute rule is the cause of the misery of the East; Therefore, he called for the necessity of seeking the opinion of the people on the laws issued through an elected House of Representatives or “the Shura Council.” He also supported the Ottoman Caliphate and called for the idea of ​​an Islamic university adopted by Sultan Abdul Hamid, and strongly opposed the “Ahmed Orabi” revolution. Economically, he called for the need for change and development in the economic field, and he was fully aware of the damages of Western occupation and its relationship to the promotion of trade. Socially, he advocated the necessity of liberating Eastern women. Chidiac died in Istanbul in 1887 AD, but he refused to be buried except in his homeland, Lebanon, and recommended that.