The Modern Nahda

Sometimes I wish that I could write down the dialogues that Omar and I exchange on our road trips back and forth to and from DC. But one expression that Omar mentioned to me kept whirling in my head this whole week and it ran something along the lines of "Sometimes I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders when I remember the responsibility bestowed upon us." What exactly did he mean by this? At least the way I interpreted it suggested that this "weight" is what defines our purpose here. Why have I left Egypt to come half way across the world to study in Charlottesville? I sometimes ponder. Then I remember that I am part of a greater movement. It is people like Omar and me that fuel the engine for the awakening, the renaissance, call it what you will..., but heed my words, there is a subtle movement bubbling from the grassroots that will revolutionize the world.

There is no denying that the Arab and Muslim world is going through its dark ages. Although I do not wish to convert this blog entry into another "clash of civilizations" story of how we are the underdogs in comparison to the West, why deny that we have yet to have a revolution on the scale of the European Renaissance, Enlightenment, and Scientific Revolution? I believe that our forefathers had sowed the seeds for such a revolution, but it had never really materialized. Our revolution was called Al-Nahda.

I have familiarized myself with this movement through my readings of memories, autobiographies, and documentaries that I have read in my Arabic studies here at the University of Virginia. It is truly an eye-opener to see the plethora of great works that came out of the Arab World since its decline since the so-called Golden Age that spanned from the 8th century to the 13th century. The Nahda was an intellectual moevement that took place during the early 20th century in Egypt and Lebanon to define an Arab identity through literature. This was an intellectual movement aimed at reform, modernization, and the revival of the Arab fortitude in a modern world where ideologies were competing for supremacy.

The Nahda encouraged an open eye to learn from the world, which was essentially what brought Islam to the forefronts of the world when it embraced everything from Greek to Hindu philosophies.

Why do I embrace the Nahda? Partly because I feel like I am bestowed with an opportunity that the 19th century proponents of the movement were given. I was bestowed with the opportunity to study in the civilizational beacon of knowledge. I am given the unique opportunity to study the Western intellect through science and education. Before my eyes, I have seen one of the most epic shifts in power in the world, the transition of the U.S. government from regime to another. Some in my part of the world couldn't even fathom seeing such a shift in their governments in their lifetime. It is my submergence in Western life and its instutions that motivates me to bring back to Egypt with me a toolkit of methods to modernize, reform, and advance the state of our nation. My tone is ambitious, but my heart is determined.

Upon his return from Paris, Rifa El Tahtawi, an emissary by Mohamed Ali Pasha suggested that we have a lot to learn from the West, but that we should always keep an open-minded approach to modernism that is tailored to the values of Islam.

My particular interest in the Nahda stems from my readings. I have taken several Arabic literature and prose classes at the university and they have exposed me to a period where Arabic literature had seemed to reach its prime. Since Arabic is the lingua franca of most of the Middle East, the exchange of ideas and information quickly led to the ascendence of the Nahda in major cities like Cairo and Beirut and there was an ardent interaction between the two sides through the circulation of literary publications, as I shall outline in my later entries. Magazines such as Al Resalla (The Message), Loghatna al-Gameela (Our Beautiful Language) and al Fagr (The Dawn) exposed Arab readers to the talents around their world. Today, these magazines have sadly disappeared. Moreover, due to the partitioning of the Arab world by the West, many sought opportunities abroad.

My particular interest stems from the Lebanese diaspora, and especially those who traveled to the West. Some of the greatest writers the Arab World has ever seen has been those in exile. This is where the likes of Khalil Gibran Khalil sprung from. To some extent, I feel the same distance from my home like them. I wouldn't be surprised if this same nostalgia that I feel is what inspires me to read and wrte so much about my home land.

Homegrown talents such as Naguib Mahfouz, Taha Husseuin, and other Egyptians pushed this movement forward. But it is worth noting that Taha Husseuin also experience the same Western exposure that I am undergoing myself. The West offers a distinct atmosphere for the exchange of ideas, where you have access to every piece of information known to humankind at your finger tips. This is an advantage that no other civilization can offer nowadays. Despite my reservations about living in the West, I know that this is the suitable environment to develop one's intellect.

The essence of the Nahda was an exposure of the Arab World to the free thought and health competition of ideas that propelled the West to forefronts of the world. Unfortunately, the paranoia of modern day fundamentalist ideologies, both religious and secular have chocked any breathing space for new ideas to be brought to the table that could potentially change the current system. My experience here in the States has been an one that has taught me to be open, rational, progressive, and a distinct love for knowledge. I hope to bring back this spirit of intellectual inquiry to have some impact back home. But my quest from knowledge is far from complete. As I learn more and more about this movement of the Nahda, I will strive to emulate it more and more in my endeavors.