الرئيسية
Salama Moussa (1887-1958) (Ar: سلامه موسى) was a notable Egyptian journalist and reformer in the 1920s. Born in Zagazig to a Coptic Christian family, Moussa was known for his wide interest in science and culture, as well as his firm belief in the human intellect as a guarantor of progress and prosperity. In 1908, he travelled to Europe where he studied literature, philosophy, social and natural sciences. He continued studying these subjects critically throughout his life.
Moussa belonged to a group of intellectuals who vehemently demanded the simplification of Arabic and its grammar and the recognition of Egyptian Arabic as the Modern Egyptian language, which inflamed the criticism of his conservative opponents. Standard Arabic had remained unchanged for generations, and the majority of the Egyptian people were illiterate, prompting Moussa and other thinkers to advocate writing in the vernacular. The simplification and modernization of language in Egypt remains under discussion to this day. Salama Moussa's writings continue to be in demand, perhaps even more than before.
Nobel prize-winner and fellow countryman Naguib Mahfouz was mentored by Salama Moussa, who is quoted as saying to Mahfouz: "You have much talent, but your essays are no good." After this incident, Mahfouz relates that he chose his topics more carefully.
Salama Moussa became seriously ill and died on 4 August 1958.
[edit] Publications
Divine Thoughts and Their Origin 1912)
Treatise about Socialism (1913)
The Most Well-known Love Affairs in History (1925, revised and renamed "Love in History" around 1949)
Reading Matters on Elections (1926)
Dreams of a Philosopher (1926)
Freedom of Thought and Its Representatives (1927)
Secrets of the Inner Life (1927, revised in 1948)
History of Art and the Most Well-known Pieces of Work (1927)
Today and Tomorrow (1928)
Descent and Development of Mankind (1928, revised in 19523)
Stories (1939)
About Life and Culture (1930, revised and renamed in 1956: Culture and Life)
Our Duties and the Tasks of Foreign Countries (1931)
Gandhi and the Indian Revolution (1934)
Renaissance in Europe (1935, in 1962 posthumously revised and renamed "What Is Renaissance")
Egypt, a Place Where Civilization Began (1935, expanded edition in 1948)
The World in 30 Years (1936)
Modern English Culture (1936, expanded ed. in 1956)
Our Life as from 50 (1944, expanded ed. in 1956)
Freedom of Thought in Egypt (1945, this piece of work clearly shows, how much Salama Moussa was influenced by the European culture, in particular by Voltaire.)
Eloquence and the Arabic Language (1945, expanded ed. in 1953 as well as posthumously in 1964)
My and Your Intellect (1947, expanded ed. 1953)
The Years of Salama Moussa’s Apprenticeship (1947, posthumously expanded 3ed. in 19589 This piece of work is of the first renowned autobiographies of the Arabic Language Area)
The True Path of the Young People (1949)
Psychological Attempts (1953, changed to Attempts in1963)
These are My Mentors (1953, among them a very obstinate discussion on Goethe’s works, posthumously expanded ed. in 1965)
The Book of Revolutions (1955)
Psychological Studies (1956)
The Woman Is not the Plaything of the Man (1956, a very early dispute about the liberation (emancipation) of the woman at that time, especially in the orient)
George Bernhard Shaw (1957, who he has met and got to know in England, posthumously expanded ed. in 1977)
Attempts of the Young People (posthumously 1959)
Forbidden writings (posthumously 1959)
Mankind is the Pride of Creation (posthumously 1961)
Moussa belonged to a group of intellectuals who vehemently demanded the simplification of Arabic and its grammar and the recognition of Egyptian Arabic as the Modern Egyptian language, which inflamed the criticism of his conservative opponents. Standard Arabic had remained unchanged for generations, and the majority of the Egyptian people were illiterate, prompting Moussa and other thinkers to advocate writing in the vernacular. The simplification and modernization of language in Egypt remains under discussion to this day. Salama Moussa's writings continue to be in demand, perhaps even more than before.
Nobel prize-winner and fellow countryman Naguib Mahfouz was mentored by Salama Moussa, who is quoted as saying to Mahfouz: "You have much talent, but your essays are no good." After this incident, Mahfouz relates that he chose his topics more carefully.
Salama Moussa became seriously ill and died on 4 August 1958.
[edit] Publications
Divine Thoughts and Their Origin 1912)
Treatise about Socialism (1913)
The Most Well-known Love Affairs in History (1925, revised and renamed "Love in History" around 1949)
Reading Matters on Elections (1926)
Dreams of a Philosopher (1926)
Freedom of Thought and Its Representatives (1927)
Secrets of the Inner Life (1927, revised in 1948)
History of Art and the Most Well-known Pieces of Work (1927)
Today and Tomorrow (1928)
Descent and Development of Mankind (1928, revised in 19523)
Stories (1939)
About Life and Culture (1930, revised and renamed in 1956: Culture and Life)
Our Duties and the Tasks of Foreign Countries (1931)
Gandhi and the Indian Revolution (1934)
Renaissance in Europe (1935, in 1962 posthumously revised and renamed "What Is Renaissance")
Egypt, a Place Where Civilization Began (1935, expanded edition in 1948)
The World in 30 Years (1936)
Modern English Culture (1936, expanded ed. in 1956)
Our Life as from 50 (1944, expanded ed. in 1956)
Freedom of Thought in Egypt (1945, this piece of work clearly shows, how much Salama Moussa was influenced by the European culture, in particular by Voltaire.)
Eloquence and the Arabic Language (1945, expanded ed. in 1953 as well as posthumously in 1964)
My and Your Intellect (1947, expanded ed. 1953)
The Years of Salama Moussa’s Apprenticeship (1947, posthumously expanded 3ed. in 19589 This piece of work is of the first renowned autobiographies of the Arabic Language Area)
The True Path of the Young People (1949)
Psychological Attempts (1953, changed to Attempts in1963)
These are My Mentors (1953, among them a very obstinate discussion on Goethe’s works, posthumously expanded ed. in 1965)
The Book of Revolutions (1955)
Psychological Studies (1956)
The Woman Is not the Plaything of the Man (1956, a very early dispute about the liberation (emancipation) of the woman at that time, especially in the orient)
George Bernhard Shaw (1957, who he has met and got to know in England, posthumously expanded ed. in 1977)
Attempts of the Young People (posthumously 1959)
Forbidden writings (posthumously 1959)
Mankind is the Pride of Creation (posthumously 1961)