al-Irfan

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al-ʿIrfān
Irfan 1Jg
description magazine
Area of ​​Expertise Literature, science, politics
language Arabic
publishing company unknown (Beirut, Lebanon)
First edition February 5, 1909
Frequency of publication weekly
editor Aḥmad ʿĀrif az-Zain
ZDB 2800710-4

The Arabic-speaking al-Irfan ( Arabic العرفان, DMG ʿIrfān  '“The Knowledge”), a Shiite reform magazine, was founded in 1909 by Aḥmad ʿĀrif az-Zain (1884–1960) in Beirut . From 1910, the publication was moved to Saidā in southern Lebanon in a separate printing house. Az-Zain, who previously worked for various magazines, u. a. the Ṯamarāt al-funūn (1875–1908), worked, was in charge until 1960. Together with Aḥmad Riḍā (1872–1953) and Sulaimān Ẓāhir (1873–1960) he initiated a new stage in Nahḍa in southern Lebanon with this encyclopedic educational magazine .

The subtitle (maǧalla ʿilmīya, adabīya, aḫlāqīya, iǧtimāʿīya) makes it clear that it was a journal for science, literature, morals and social issues. In the foreword to the first edition it was also stated that no political or controversial religious contributions should appear. The stated goals were to create a suitable educational organ for a wide audience with this magazine, which should guarantee the well-being of the peoples and serve progress. Since southern Lebanon has been excluded from it so far, the editor wanted to take this initiative with the establishment of al-ʿIrfān.

From 1910/1911 the spectrum of content was expanded: articles on technical progress and new inventions, the history of the Shiites and women's issues such as education and emancipation were published. Numerous illustrations were intended to give the magazine a more modern look and probably aimed at those who could not read. From 1922/23, a page with jokes and anecdotes was published, presumably to appeal to a wider audience. Issues such as rights, freedom and democracy were gradually taken up.

In contrast to other models such as al-Muqtaṭaf and al-Hilāl , al-ʿIrfān wanted to be a mouthpiece for the religious group of Arab Shiites. This was shown explicitly z. B. in the title picture of the 5th year with the addition šuʿūn aš-šīʿa ("the concerns of the Šīʿa "). Of the subscribers, 90% were Shiites from Lebanon , Iraq , Bahrain , Kuwait and other countries. Az-Zain saw himself as a reformer who saw the Islamic world as a cultural and not just a religious entity.

The goals and content of the magazine changed over time. Instead of spreading information and progress, current and political issues were now in the foreground. After Lebanon's independence in 1943, the thematic focus was increasingly on the rights of the Shiites in Lebanon .

Az-Zain's son Nizār took over the management of the magazine after the death of his father in 1960, which now mainly dealt with literary topics. After his death in 1981 the publication went to his nephew Fuʿād az-Zain.

literature

  • Glaß, Dagmar (2004): The al-Muqtaṭaf and its public. Enlightenment, reasoning and disputes of opinion in early Arabic magazine communication, 2 vol., Würzburg: Ergon Verlag., P. 140ff.
  • Naef, Silvia (1996): La presse en tant que moteur du renouveau culturel et littéraire: La revue chiite libanaise Al-ʿIrfān, in: Asiatische Studien / Études Asiatiques L, 2, (Literature and Reality - Littérature et Réalités), p. 385-397.
  • Naef, Silvia (1996): Enlightenment in a Shiite environment: The Lebanese magazine al-ʿIrfān, in: Die Welt des Islam, Vol. 36, 3, pp. 365–378.
  • Khalidi, Tarif (1981): Shaykh Ahmad ʿĀrif az-Zain and al-ʿIrfān, in: MR Buheiry, (ed.): Intellectual Life in the Arab East, 1890–1939, Beirut, pp. 110–124.
  • Ayyūb Fahd Ḥumayyid (1986): Aš-Šaiḫ Aḥmad ʿĀrif az-Zain, Muʾassis maǧallat al-ʿIrfān, Beirut

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Dagmar Glaß: The al-Muqtaṭaf and his public. Enlightenment, Reasoning and Opinion Controversy in Early Arab Magazine Communication, Volume I, Würzburg 2004, pp. 140ff.
  2. ↑ al-ʿIrfān, 1st volume, 1st edition, 1909.
  3. ↑ a b al-ʿIrfān, 1st year, 1st edition, 1909, pp. 1–3.
  4. ↑ Silvia Naef: Enlightenment in a Shiite Environment: The Lebanese magazine al-ʿIrfān. In: Die Welt des Islams (1996), Vol. 36,3, pp. 365-378.
  5. ↑ Dagmar Glaß: The al-Muqtaṭaf and his public. Enlightenment, Reasoning and Opinion Controversy in Early Arab Magazine Communication, Volume I, Würzburg 2004, pp. 140ff.
  6. ↑ al-ʿIrfān, 5th year, 1913/14.
  7. ↑ Silvia Naef: La presse en tant que moteur du renouveau culturel et littéraire: La revue chiite libanaise Al-ʿIrfān, in: Asiatische Studien / Études Asiatiques L (1996), 2, (Literature and Reality - Littérature et Réalités), p. 385-397.
  8. ↑ Silvia Naef: Enlightenment in a Shiite Environment: The Lebanese magazine al-ʿIrfān. In: Die Welt des Islams (1996), Vol. 36,3, p. 375.