Tanabayeva Anar

Kazakh National University after al-Farabi

Oriental Faculty

Abd al-Karim Ghallab one of the greatest critics in Arabic

Maghreb and world literature

Abd al-Karim Ghallab (1919-2006) was a Moroccan political journalist, cultural commentator and novelist. He has been an important figure both in the literary and political field.

Abd al-Karim Ghallab was born in Fez. He studied at the mosque college of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, then obtained his B.A. in Arabic literature from Cairo University. He was an Editor in Chief and Director of the daily Al-Alam.

Ghallab is a prolific writer whose publications cover a wide range of topics and interests, some purely literary and others dealing with political and cultural issues. Through his writings he seeks to promote nationalist feelings and a deep attachment to Arabic-Islamic culture, counteracting the French education that was particularly threatening to Moroccans during the years of French colonialism.

Some of Ghallab’s short stories in the collection Wa Akhrajaha min al-Janna (1977; He led her out of paradise) criticize the tendency of the upper middle class to communicate in French. Similar concerns are expressed in his novel Sabahun wa Yazhafu al-Layl (1984; Morning, then the night creeps in). Ghallab’s fiction works illustrate and defend his beliefs and values. An active nationalist, he was often at odds with the French colonial power and was imprisoned, an experience depicted in his novel Sab at Abwab (1965; Seven gates). Some of his other fiction works, such as Dafanna al-Madi (1966; We buried the past), reveal his patriotic feelings. Ghallab fervently preaches attachment to the land and its safeguard by Moroccan farmers, as illustrated in his collection of short stories Al-Ard Habibati (1971; The land, my beloved), his novel Al- Muallim Ali (1971; Master Ali) and his essay “Fi al-Islah al-Qarawi” (1961; Of rural reform). Ghallab’s nationalist positions date back to his student years in Egypt, where he agitated for the independence of the three Maghribi countries, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. Back in Morocco, he joined the Istiqlal Party and became deeply involved in politics. He was appointed a minister plenipotentiary for the Middle East (1956-1959) and a Minister in the Moroccan government (1983-1985).His nonfiction writings also reflect his political views, ranging from his Dustur (1962; This is the constitution), Al-Tatawwur al-Dusturi wa al-Niyabi bi al-Maghrib min sanat 1908 ila sanat 1978 (1988; The Constitutional and the legal development in Maghrib from 1908 to 1978, 2 vols.), Our Arab battle with colonialism and Zionism), Nabadat Fikr (1961; The beat of thinking mind), Thaqafa wa al-Fikr fi Muwajahat al-Tahaddi (1976; Culture and thought in the face of challenge), and Risalatu Fikr (1968; The message of a thinking mind).

Religious feelings and pious way of life are also of concern to Ghallab, they are implicit in his fiction and explicitly expressed in his book Sira al Madhhab wa al-Aqida fi al-Quran (1973; The struggle of ideology and faith in the Quran). In his collection of short stories, Hadha al-Wajh Al rafuhu (1997; I know his face).

Nabadat Fikr (The beat of thinking mind) is unique with all critical views of the author to all actual questions of the literature and social life. This Ghallab’s work proves that he is not only one of the best writers also he is one of the greatest critics at the same time.

This book includes about forty critical articles on different themes. It’s especially interesting to find out author’s opinion about thought and idea. For example, Ghallab was sure that every person is alive while he can think and create. He considered thought as one of criterions of human existence. He demanded high and clear thought from every literate person. He criticized and wrote about staying awaken, supremacy and crisis of thought, also about freedom, death, freedom of history and etc.

In article “Dr.Jekil and Mr.Hyde” (by Robert Lewis Stevenson) Ghallab continued to discuss the theme of good and evil. He called people to make their own decision between them.

Dr. Jekil is an envoy of good and Mr. Hyde is an envoy of evil, brutality and ignorance. Internal fight is the main idea of this article. Inside of every person can live good and evil. But which one can win? It depends on person’s intentions and will.

He also considered Oscar Wild’s “The picture of Dorian Gray”. Author of this book stated: “It is the face of my soul. Each of us has Heaven and Hell in him…” [3].

Ghallab was also agree with Wild’s idea that “Intelligence lives longer than beauty”… [4]. He maked out that knowledge is base of culture and civilization.

Criticizing “The death” Ghallab wrote that our life is really valuable when we can contribute good things and kindness to people. It’s very important to appreciate our life with good actions.

In article “Conscience of a writer” Ghallab pointed out that it’s impossible to be a real writer without writing about actual and true problems.

In article “On holiday” Ghallab wrote about holidays in Marocco and Arab world. He considered Ramadan as one of the greatest and especial event. He recommended to fast every person and wrote how it’s useful and needed for people.

Article “Bride is crying” considered status of fiancé who is crying before or during the wedding. Ghallab criticized it as an ignorance and sign of no readiness to family life.

He strictly criticized that it’s also the fault of parents and Maghreb society.

“An hour with Goethe at his home” is very unordinary description of great thinker’s study room during group excursion. Ghallab noted Goethe’s great contribution to world literature and appreciated every small thing in this house which served great poet to create his masterpieces.

Ghallab was one of the modern writers who could criticize in short articles not only classical works also philosophical concepts and ideas at the same time.

Ghallab was sure that thought is so strong that it may assist to regenerate civilization. Education and culture are very important for developed person. Author’s demands to writers are very high. He was convinced that writers should be high educated and many-sided to write about all true social problems, be useful to people and serve them accordingly.

Azmatul Mafaakhim wa Inhiraaf at- Tafkir (Crisis of understanding and conclusion of thought) author’s one of the latest work. Ghallab was sure that wrong interpretation of concepts like life, native land, patriotic feeling, national conscious, politic, democracy, freedom, power, law, state, culture and civilization, language, world, war, youth, old age and death can cause people a lot of mistakes. So he wanted people to avoid this kind of mistakes and gave his own opinion in comparison with history, philosophy.

Fis Sakafaal wa al-Adab (The culture and literature) has a discussion about connection of the culture and literature. Ghallab highly marked that culture is everywhere around and considered the culture of freedom, future, prosperity and etc. Also he was sure that literature is very close to the culture.

In 2000 the Union of Arab writers in Egypt included Ghallab’s novel Al- Muallim Ali (Master Ali) among the hundred best Arabic novels in History. In 2001 the Moroccan department of Culture published the complete works of Ghallab in five volumes. In 2004 he was awarded the Maghreb Culture prize of Tunis. His books have been translated in many languages.

Literature

Allen, Roger. Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature, edited by Julie Meisami and Paul Starkey. London and New York: Routledge, 1998.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wikiAbdelkarim_Ghallab.

Bamia, Aida A. “Ghallab, Abd al-Karim”. In Encyclopedia of World Literature in the twentieth century, vol. 5, edited by Leonard S.Klein.New York: Ungar, 1993.

3. Oscar Wilde.The picture of Dorian Gray. World Best Sellers series. English/Arabic Series. Under the supervision of Samir Izzat Md.Nassar. Amman, 2007, p.141.

4. Oscar Wilde.The picture of Dorian Gray. World Best Sellers series. English/Arabic Series. Under the supervision of Samir Izzat Md.Nassar. Amman, 2007, p.25.

5. http://www.answers.com/topic/Abd-al-Karim Ghallab

6. Ghallab Abd al-Karim. Azmatul Mafaakhim wa Inhiraaf at- Tafkir (Crisis of understanding and conclusion of thought). Beirut.1998.

7. Fis Sakafaal wa al-Adab (The culture and literature).Rabat.1981.