Taha Hussein

Taha Hussein was a famous writer from Egypt.

He could not see because of an illness. He learned by listening to others. He even went to school in France.

He married a woman named Suzanne. She helped him by reading books to him. He became a teacher at a big school. He also helped make school free for everyone. He wrote more than sixty books. He was a very important leader for learning.

Taha Hussein was a famous writer from Egypt. He was born in a small village. When he was two, he became blind. He learned by listening to many voices. This helped him study hard. He went to a university in France. There, he met Suzanne Bresseau. She read books to him. They got married.

Taha returned to Egypt to teach. He was a leader in the Arab world. Many called him "The Dean of Arabic Literature." He wrote more than sixty books. He also wrote many articles. One famous book was about his own life. It was called *The Days*. As a leader, he helped many children. He was the Minister of Education. He wanted school to be free for all people. He helped start new universities in Egypt. He also helped change many old schools into new colleges. He was a very important man for learning.

Taha Hussein was a very important writer from Egypt. Many people called him "The Dean of Arabic Literature." He was a leading figure in the Arab Renaissance. This was a time of new ideas in the Arab world. He was even nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature twenty-one times.

His life shows how much one person can achieve through learning.

His journey with learning began in a small village called Izbet el Kilo. He was the seventh child in a family of thirteen. When he was only two years old, he became blind. This happened because of a mistake by a doctor. He learned by listening to others at a school called a kuttab. Later, he studied at El Azhar University. Even though he was poor and blind, he won a place at Cairo University in 1908.

In 1914, he earned a PhD for his work on a poet named Abu al-ʿAlaʾ al-Maʿarri. He later traveled to France to study even more. He went to the University of Montpellier to learn history and literature. He also studied at the Sorbonne University. Because he could not see, he hired Suzanne Bresseau to read to him. They eventually married each other.

In 1917, he earned a second PhD in France for his work on a historian named Ibn Khaldun.

When he returned to Egypt in 1919, he became a professor. He taught history and Arabic literature at Cairo University. He also helped lead the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo. One of his biggest jobs was helping to finish a great dictionary.

In 1926, he wrote a famous book called *On Pre-Islamic Poetry*. This book made him very famous but also caused some trouble. Some people were angry with his ideas, and he even lost his job for a short time.

As a leader, Taha Hussein worked hard to help all people learn. In 1950, he became the Minister of Education. He believed that education should be free for everyone. He helped turn many old schools into new colleges for medicine and farming. He also helped start several new universities.

He wrote more than sixty books and many articles. His most famous book is his autobiography called *The Days*. He remains a symbol of learning and national pride in Egypt.

Taha Hussein was a central figure in 20th-century Egyptian intellectual life. He was a writer, a scholar, and a leader of the Arab Renaissance. This era was a period of cultural and social rebirth in the Arab world. Many people referred to him by the title "The Dean of Arabic Literature." His massive influence was recognized globally when he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature twenty-one times.

His early life was marked by both struggle and intense determination. Born in 1889 in the village of Izbet el Kilo, he was the seventh of thirteen children. At age two, he lost his sight due to ophthalmia caused by medical malpractice. He began his education at a kuttab, a traditional school. He later studied religion and Arabic literature at El Azhar University. Despite facing poverty and blindness, he secured a place at the secular Cairo University in 1908. In 1914, he earned his first PhD with a thesis on the philosopher Abu al-ʿAlaʾ al-Maʿarri.

To further his studies, Hussein traveled to France to attend the University of Montpellier. There, he studied history, literature, French, and Latin. He noted that he had to learn through his ears rather than his fingers. After earning an MA, he moved to the Sorbonne University to continue his academic journey. Because he was blind, he hired Suzanne Bresseau to read to him. They eventually married and returned to Egypt together in 1919.

In 1917, he earned a second PhD from the Sorbonne by studying the historian Ibn Khaldun.

Upon his return to Egypt, Hussein built a distinguished academic career. He served as a professor of history, Arabic literature, and Semitic languages at Cairo University. He also held a leadership role at the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo. In this position, he oversaw the completion of Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, also known as The Great Dictionary. He eventually became the president of the academy and the founding Rector of the University of Alexandria.

In 1926, Hussein published a controversial work titled *On Pre-Islamic Poetry*. In this book, he questioned the authenticity of many early Arabic poems. He argued that tribal rivalries might have led to the falsification of these texts. This publication caused significant tension with religious scholars at Al Azhar. While he was accused of insulting Islam and lost his university post in 1931, a public prosecutor ruled his work was academic research. His book was briefly banned but was re-published in 1927 with slight changes.

As a political thinker, Hussein was a strong proponent of Egyptian nationalism. He often disagreed with pan-Arabism, which sought unity across all Arab nations. In his 1936 book, *The Future of Culture in Egypt*, he argued that Arabic was not the primary daily language for most Egyptians. He believed Egyptians were largely descendants of Ancient Egyptians rather than Arabs. He also used his platform to criticize Nazi Germany, comparing their society to a hive of insects lacking freedom. He urged the Egyptian government to take a stand against Germany during the war.

Hussein's impact on the state was profound when he became the Minister of Education in 1950. He championed the idea that education should be a free right for every citizen. During his tenure, he transformed many Quranic schools into primary schools. He also helped convert high schools into specialized colleges for medicine and agriculture. He is credited with establishing several new universities and leading the Cultural Heritage department.

His literary output was immense, consisting of more than sixty books and 1,300 articles. He is widely known in the West for his autobiography, *Al-Ayyam*, which translates to *The Days*. Throughout his life, he received many high honors from various nations. These included the Grand Collar of the Order of the Nile from Egypt and the Grand Officier of the Legion of Honour from France.

His legacy remains a cornerstone of modern Arab intellectual history.