Guardian Unlimited, U.K.Thursday, August 20, 2007
Books - the Authors: Taha Hussein (1889-1973)
Books - the Authors: Taha Hussein (1889-1973)
Birthplace:Izbet el Kilo, Egypt
Education: Al-Azhar University, Cairo University, and the Sorbonne
Other jobs: University professor, journalist, cultural critic, translator, Egyptian minister of education.
Did you know? He was left blinded by botched eye surgery at the age of two.
Critical verdict: It is difficult to overstate Taha Hussein's contribution to the intellectual renaissance in Egypt during the 20th century. His research and writings looked back to ancient Egyptian culture, but also drew heavily on classical Greek thought.
He attracted accusations of heresy after the publication of *On Pre-Islamic Poetry*, which called into question the historical accuracy of the Qur'an.
He was acquitted, but the book was temporarily banned. It later reappeared with some minor changes.
He was progressive in dealing with themes of social injustice, and was a pioneer in using classical forms to address modern issues including female emancipation.
Recommended works: His most striking and widely read work (outside the Arab world, at least) is his three-part autobiography *The Days*, with its vivid recreations of village and city life in Egypt.
*The Future of Culture in Egypt*, meanwhile, emphasises the shared Mediterranean heritage of Egypt and Europe and is essential reading for those interested in the region.
Influences: Rifa' al-Tahtawi's An Imam in Paris was a key inspiration. Tahtawi's description of post-Enlightenment Europe led to Hussein's desire to forge stronger links with the West.
An important influence on his early spiritual thinking was Sufism - particularly the mystic poetry of Ibn Farid, whom he writes about in *The Days*.
Now read on: Naguib Mahfouz (for his realistic portrayal of Egyptian city life) or Nawal El Saadawi (for her themes of social justice, especially feminism).
For a bleaker view of the British colonial connection, try Tayeb Salih's masterpiece *Season of Migration to the North*, in which Hussein's optimism about relations with the West is seen as a sinister struggle for influence.
Criticism: Apart from his own masterly autobiography, try *Ma'ak*, the memoirs of his French wife.
Education: Al-Azhar University, Cairo University, and the Sorbonne
Other jobs: University professor, journalist, cultural critic, translator, Egyptian minister of education.
Did you know? He was left blinded by botched eye surgery at the age of two.
Critical verdict: It is difficult to overstate Taha Hussein's contribution to the intellectual renaissance in Egypt during the 20th century. His research and writings looked back to ancient Egyptian culture, but also drew heavily on classical Greek thought.
He attracted accusations of heresy after the publication of *On Pre-Islamic Poetry*, which called into question the historical accuracy of the Qur'an.
He was acquitted, but the book was temporarily banned. It later reappeared with some minor changes.
He was progressive in dealing with themes of social injustice, and was a pioneer in using classical forms to address modern issues including female emancipation.
Recommended works: His most striking and widely read work (outside the Arab world, at least) is his three-part autobiography *The Days*, with its vivid recreations of village and city life in Egypt.
*The Future of Culture in Egypt*, meanwhile, emphasises the shared Mediterranean heritage of Egypt and Europe and is essential reading for those interested in the region.
Influences: Rifa' al-Tahtawi's An Imam in Paris was a key inspiration. Tahtawi's description of post-Enlightenment Europe led to Hussein's desire to forge stronger links with the West.
An important influence on his early spiritual thinking was Sufism - particularly the mystic poetry of Ibn Farid, whom he writes about in *The Days*.
Now read on: Naguib Mahfouz (for his realistic portrayal of Egyptian city life) or Nawal El Saadawi (for her themes of social justice, especially feminism).
For a bleaker view of the British colonial connection, try Tayeb Salih's masterpiece *Season of Migration to the North*, in which Hussein's optimism about relations with the West is seen as a sinister struggle for influence.
Criticism: Apart from his own masterly autobiography, try *Ma'ak*, the memoirs of his French wife.
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