From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Said Akl Born 4 July 1912[1] Zahlé, Lebanon Died 28 November 2014 (aged 102) Beirut, Lebanon Occupation Poet, writer, playwright, linguist and ideologue Said Akl (Arabic: سعيد عقل, also transliterated Saïd Akl, Said Aql and Saeed Akl (4 July 1912 – 28 November 2014) was a Lebanese poet, writer, playwright and language reformer. He was considered one of the most important modern Lebanese poets. He was also a staunch advocate of Lebanese identity and nationalism and the Lebanese language, designing a Latin-based Lebanese alphabet made up of 37 letters. His writings include poetry and prose both in Lebanese dialect and in classical Arabic language. He has also written theatre pieces and authored many popular songs and pan-Arab anthems. Contents [hide] 1 Early life 2 Ideology 3 Lebanese language and alphabet 3.1 Yara and Khumasiyyat 3.2 Lebnaan newspaper 4 Said Akl Awards 5 Death 6 Works 7 In popular culture 8 See also 9 Further reading 10 References 11 External links Early life[edit] Akl was born in 1912[2] to a Maronite Catholic family in the city of Zahlé, Lebanon. After losing his father at the age of 15, he had to drop out of school and later worked as a teacher and then as a journalist. He then studied theology, literature and Islamic history, becoming a university instructor and subsequently lecturing in a number of Lebanese universities, educational and policy institutes. Ideology[edit] During his early years, Akl was an adherent of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (in Arabic الحزب السوري القومي الإجتماعي) led by Antun Saadeh, eventually being expelled by Saadeh due to irreconcilable ideological disputes.[3] Akl adopted a powerful doctrine of the authentic millennial character of Lebanon resonating with an exalted sense of Lebanese dignity. His admiration to the Lebanese history and culture was marked by strong enmity towards the Arab language and culture. This view is crystallized by Akl once stating “I would cut off my right hand just not to be an Arab”.[3] In 1968 he stated that literary Arabic would vanish from Lebanon.[4] For Akl Lebanon was the cradle of culture and the inheritor of the Oriental civilization, well before the arrival of the Arabs on the historical stage.[3] He emphasized the Phoenician legacy of the Lebanese people. He is known for his radical Lebanese nationalistic sentiments; in 1972, he helped found the Lebanese Renewal Party (in Arabic حزب التجدّد اللبناني transliterated as Hizb al Tajaddod al Lubnaani) which was proposed by May Murr, a well known writer and researcher of ancient Lebanese history and a staunch supporter of Akl. This party was a non-sectarian party that adhered to Lebanese Nationalism. During the Lebanese Civil War, Akl served as the spiritual leader of the rad
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 08:19:27 +0000
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