AHMED CHAWKI - A brief biography

Birth and Education

Ahmed Shawki was born in Cairo in 1868 AD, to a family of an Arabian, Turkish , Greek and Janissary origin. His was a wealthy family with strong connections to the Khedive's palace. His grandfather came to Egypt, bearing a recommendation from Ahmed Pasha Al Jazzar, the Ruler of Acre to Mohammad Ali Pasha, the Ruler of Egypt. Being well-versed in both Turkish and Arabic, the ruler admitted him in to his entourage. With the passage of time and succession of rulers, the poet's grandfather was promoted to several outstanding posts, until he was last appointed by Khedive Said Pasha as Secretary of the Egyptian Customs House. When his grandfather died, he left behind a large estate. Unfortunately, Shawki's father squandered this estate and had to live on his own labour.

The refore, his grandmother (on his mother's side) took the new-born child away right from the cradle and sponsered him on behalf of his parents. In order to keep him away from hardships, the kind grandmother bestowed on the child more parental care and love than his parents could.

When he reached the age of four, Shawki was admitted to "Kuttab Al Sheikh Saleh" in Sayeda Zeinab District in Cairo, a one-class, one-teacher school for teaching juniors mainly to read and memorise the Qur'an. He then moved to Al Mobtadayan Primary then Secondary School where he was exempted from tuition fees in reward for his distinction. He later joined the School of Law. After completing two years of study, he was awarded a certificate in translation. As soon as he graduated the Khedive employed Shawki in his Royal Private Property Bureau. One year later, the Khedive decided that Shawki should be sent to Europe to complete his education. Shawki chose to study law, being the discipline most closely related to letters and largely dependent on eloquence and mastery of language. He tried as hard as he could to study also French literature in addition to his major subject of study. After three years of study, he graduated in July 18, 1893.

To complement Shawki's formal education, the Khedive ordered that he should spend more six months in France to acquaint himself with life and people in Paris, a luxury which Shawki could not afford, due to time constraint during his study. Shawki accepted many invitations by his French classmates to visit their towns and villages in the North and South of France. Shawki enjoyed French hospitality and commended the French farmer.

In 1894, Shawki returned home where the Khedive admitted him into his entourage. In 1896, Shawki was delegated by the Khedive to represent the Egyptian government in the Orientalists' Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland. Shawki enjoyed the opportunity of sightseeing this country. Hence, he proceeded to Belgium where he visited Brussels and attended an exhibition in Anvers. One year later, Shawki contracted an eye disease (ophthalmia) and therefore, travelled to Constantinople for treatment and convalescence along the Coast of the Bosphorus. There, he stayed for forty days and returned home fully recovered.

Shawki's Poetry: "Al Shawkiyat"

Since his college days in Paris, Shawki was a close friend of Emir (Prince) Shakeeb Arsalan, a Lebanese political leader and poet. Oftentimes, Shawki would read out his poetry to the Emir who admired and regularly read his published writings. The Emir expressed to Shawki a wish to see in print someday a collection of Shawki's poetry, bearing his name;"Al Shawkiyat".

Moreover, Shawki himself was surprised to find, after the death of his father, a small note, among his father's personal effect, reading : " This is what I could collect of my son's writings, while he was a student in Europe." Shawki then realised how interested his father had been in collecting his writings, whether published or not. Intent on executing his father's will, he had part I of his collection "Al Shawkiyat" first published in 1890.

Conscious of his moral and social responsibility as a poet, Shawki intentionally excluded from this collection many of his early poems which smacked of self- conceit and arrogance, which, he felt, would be more detrimental than beneficial to the rising generation. However, in memory of his glorious youth, he maintained in the collection a few specimen poems.

At the end of every Hijri year, Shawki regularly pursued the practise of publishing in serial parts, all his prose and poetry writings completed during the year, no matter how short or long.

Ahmed Shawki: Poet-Laurent

After a series of popular uprisings and civil resistance to British occupation of Egypt, the colonial power was forced to accept the principle of negotiation. The British announced their willingness to receive an Egyptian delegation in London. Shawki played a significant role in this situation. He wrote a supplication, no less exquisite than his poems, expressing the hopes and aspirations of the people. The supplication was recited simultaneously in the mosques and churches alike, following Friday prayers on June 4 , 1920 ( Ramadan 17, 1338 A.H) .The supplication was commonly Known then as the" Supplication of Global Prayer".

The reward received by Shawki was exile. He voluntarily chose Spain as a place of exile. All through the five years of his exile, he was singing the praise of his home country and Arab civilisation. It was during this period that he wrote his reputed Andalusian nostalgic poems expressing his deep longing for home. When he returned from exile, he was warmly and passionately welcomed by masses of people in Alexandria and later in Cairo. He was deeply impressed by this welcome. He became closer and closer to popular feelings and more concerned and involved in the causes and problems of the people. He thus truly deserved to be known as the "Poet of Arabism and Islam."

Upon the publication of the second edition of Shawki's collection "Al Shawkiyat", a celebration was held in his honour on April 2, 1927, where Shawki was proclaimed as Poet- Laureate. Delegations from various Arab and Islamic countries came to voice their pledge of allegiance. This came as a response to a call addressed by a committee representing the Arab nation, expounding the favourable impact of Shawki's poetic achievements on the rejuvenation of the Arabic language, which constitutes a strong common linking bond for all Arab countries .

The call also pointed out that Shawki's production of poetry has never been forced out, but rather came as a free and spontaneous expression of his own innermost feelings as affected by events in the Arab World. As an evidence, much of his poetry had been circulated far and wide and frequently recited by all Arabic-speaking people. He, thus, well deserved to be crowned as the prince of poetry and poets (Poet-Laureate).

Shawki's Last Day

Thursday, October, 13, 1932 was, at the outset, quite as regular as any other day in his life. He met his friends, had his lunch and then his siesta up to sunset. Later, he made an evening ride in the company of his manager and his literary secretary, who used to be always in his company during the poet's late years.

They drove to Heliopolis desert, where the poet took a walk in fresh air. He then went to Ismail Shereen Pasha's house, to enjoy the fun of the regular evening gathering of friends. As usual also, he had his dinner at Solicino Restaurant. To complete his day schedule, he proceeded to "Al Jihad House" at about 9 p.m.

As the newspaper owner's office room was full of visitors, he preferred to wait at the senior editor's room. The former took the visitors' leave and went out to see Shawki.

He noticed that he had a pale face and some light cough. Shawki then left for home, which he reached at 11p.m. At 3 a.m., the paging bell was roaring for help. Shawki's servant hurried to his master, who was suffering from a fit of asthma. As no hot water or camphor leaves were available, Shawki asked one of his treating physicians Dr. Presca or Dr. Gallad to be immediately called in. Feeling, however, that doom was knocking at his door, he asked his servant to send his love to his friends and soon passed away in the presence of his wife Khadija. The physician was soon in, but the poet's soul had faded away, leaving behind for the Arab Nation an immensely rich legacy of immortal poetry.

Shawki's Lyrics

Shawki wrote a large number of beautiful lyrics which were performed by several top singers such as Mohammed Abdel Wahhab, Abdo El Hamouli, Youssef El Manialawi, Malak and Umm Kalthoum. It is interesting to note that Shawki's lyrics written in colloquial Egyptian

Arabic are no less elegant and fascinating than his classical poems.

Selections of Shawki's Sayings

Shawki's prose writings, such as Aswaq Al Thahab "Gold Markets" contain many thoughtful statements which have been since then widely known as wise sayings. Following are examples of these sayings:

-He who oppresses with a rightful weapon will be oppressed with a wrongful weapon.

-When people brag, they lend to a cat a tiger's moustache.

-Doomed to perdition is a nation that by an individual survives and dies.

-Underwater, all depths are alike.

-Valour may require one be a coward for an hour.

-A woman- half learnt-looks prettier, a man-half ignorant-looks uglier.

-A wise man, while unforgetful of life is mindful of death.

-You may be cured of illness by protection, but cannot escape death until you have met it.

-He who delves deep in human souls, will never again rise.

-Brimful prisons are doomed to burst out.

-Right will never fade out in a nation as long as it has a single man alive.

An Anecdote from Shawki: During his exile in Spain, he took a bus together with his son Hussein, when a tall, heavily-built and apparently well-off man boarded the same bus. The man, with a gold chain hanging on his chest and a big cigar between his lips, soon fell asleep in a corner of the bus and went snoring boisterously. Then, a young pickpocket came on board. When he was about to pick the gold chain, he realised that Shawki was watching him. The pickpocket shook his head interrogatively as if asking permission from the poet to do so. Shawki nodded to him in acquiescence. Immediately the young thief picked the chain and left off.

As soon as the pickpocket got off, Shawki's son turned to him wondering: "Is it right to let the pickpocket lift the man's chain while asleep?"

Shawki said" How strange son! If you were assigned to distribute men's lots, who will you give the gold chain to? - Will you give it to an ugly giant or a smart young man?" The son replied, "To the smart young man."

Then Shawki commented simply, "O.K, he did take it."

Shawki's Works in First Edition

1.Al Shawkiyat (Shawki's poems) were issued in four parts: Part I was published in 1898, containing poems written between 1888 and 1898. Part III (Elegies) was published in 1936 and Part IV in 1943.

2.Ali Bey Al Kabeer (The Great), a play written by Shawki, while staying in Paris for study in 1893. The play was restructured and published in 1932. The new play was so different that it superseded the earlier version which never appeared in print again.

3.Athra' ul Hind (The Virgin of India), a novel published in 1897.

4.Del Whitman, a novel, published in 1899 and was never printed again. The novel was converted into a poetic drama that appeared under the name of Qambeez.

5.Ladias or the Last of Pharaos, a novel published in 1899.

6.Waraqat Al As (The Myrtle Leaf) published in 1904.

7.Nahg ul Burda, an eulogy to the prophet Muhammad, which is a variation on the theme of an earlier poem by Al Imam Al Bosairi, published in book form in 1910.

8.Masra' a Cleopatra (The Death of Cleopatra, poetic drama published in 1929.

9.Magnoon Layla (The Obsessed Lover of Layla or Layla's Maniac), a poetic drama published in 1931.

10.Qambeez, a poetic drama published in 1931.

11.States of the Arabs and Great Personalities of Islam, published in 1932. .

12.Ameerat Al Andalus (The Princess of Andalusia ), a poetic drama published in 1932.

13.Aswaq ulthahab ( Gold Markets), published in 1932.

14.Antara, a poetic drama published in 1932.

15.Al Sit Hoda ( Madam Hoda ) , a poetic drama, of which one scene was first published in 1933.

16.Shaytan Penta'our (Penta'our's Satan ) or Lubad Luqman wa Hudhud Solaiman ( The Seventh Vulture of Luqman and Soliman's Hoopoe), a poetic play that appeared in print only in 1953. 

17.Al Bakheela ( The Miserly Woman , first published in Al Doha Magazine, Qatar, then published by the Egyptian Book Organization.