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Nasir al-Din al-Asad

ナシール・アル＝ディーン・アル＝アサド

Nasir al-Din al-Asad

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1922-12-13 （Aqaba, Jordan）
Died
2015-05-21 （Amman, Jordan） age 93
Nationality
Jordanian
Languages
Arabic
Religion
Islam
Residence History
Aqaba → Amman → Cairo → Benghazi

Career

Occupations
Professor of Arabic literature, Researcher, Literary critic, University administrator, Diplomat, Minister of Higher Education
Active Years
1947-2015
Affiliations
University of Jordan (founder & first president), Institute of Arab Research and Studies (Arab League), Academies of the Arabic Language (Cairo, Damascus, Jordan), ALECSO (Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization), Jordanian Senate (member)
Memberships
Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo, Academy of the Arabic Language in Damascus, Jordan Academy of Arabic (founding member), Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco
Influenced By
Taha Hussein, Shawqi Daif (advisor), Ihsan Abbas
Influenced
Subsequent Jordanian and Palestinian literary scholars and critics, Generations of researchers in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry studies

Education

Arab College (Jerusalem)
Secondary education (graduated)
Degree: Secondary school diploma
Period: 1939–1943
Year of Graduation: 1943
Country: Palestine
Attended on scholarship; graduated with distinction.
Cairo University (formerly Fouad I University)
Faculty of Arts / Department of Arabic Language
Degree: Ph.D. (博士)
Period: 1944–1955
Year of Graduation: 1955
Country: Egypt
BA (1947), MA (1951), PhD (1955). Doctoral dissertation: Sources of Pre-Islamic Poetry and Their Historical Value.

Awards

Taha Hussein Prize
1947
Organization: Cairo University (associated award)
Result: 受賞
King Faisal International Prize for Arabic Literature
1982
Work: Sources of Pre-Islamic Poetry and Their Historical Value
Organization: King Faisal Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Award
1995
Organization: Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation
Result: 受賞
Jordanian State Appreciation Award in Literature
2003
Organization: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Result: 受賞
Naguib Mahfouz Medal / Award for an Arab Writer
2011
Organization: Egyptian Writers' Union
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Sources of Pre-Islamic Poetry and Their Historical Value

1956 Scholarly study (literary history)

A comprehensive examination of the sources of pre-Islamic poetry, arguing for the authenticity and historical value of much of the corpus and providing a methodical rebuttal to skeptical claims.

source criticismpre-Islamic Arabic poetryhistorical value

Modern Literary Trends in Palestine and Jordan

1957 Literary history & criticism

A pioneering historical-critical study that documents the development of modern literature in Palestine and Jordan.

modern literary historyregional culture

Slave Girls and Singing in the Pre-Islamic Era

1968 Historical & literary study

Studies the role of female singers and the musical arts in pre-Islamic society from historical and literary perspectives.

history of musicgender and culture

Islamic Visions in University Education and Scientific Research

1992 Educational thought

A book proposing ways to harmonize Islamic values with modern scientific development in higher education.

education policyIslam and modernity

Us and the Other: Conflict and Dialogue

1997 Essays & cultural studies

Essays analyzing relations between Arab-Islamic civilization and the West, advocating dialogue and mutual understanding.

civilizational studiescultural dialogue

Bibliography

  • Sources of Pre-Islamic Poetry and Their Historical Value (1956)
  • Modern Literary Trends in Palestine and Jordan (1957)
  • Modern Poetry in Palestine and Jordan (1961)
  • Slave Girls and Singing in the Pre-Islamic Era (1968)
  • Muhammad Ruhi al-Khalidi (1980)
  • Islamic Visions in University Education and Scientific Research (1992)
  • Us and the Other: Conflict and Dialogue (1997)
  • Investigations in Language and Literature (2012)

Translations by Author

  • Co-translation into Arabic of George Antonius' The Awakening of the Arab Nation

Style & Themes

Literary Style
rigorous, systematic scholarly styledeep fidelity to classical Arabicclear and restrained argumentation
Recurring Motifs
depictions of desert/Bedouin culturelanguage and national identityexamination of sources and historicity

Health

  • brief illness
    2015年5月（短期間）
    Died after a brief illness; had largely ceased public activity prior to death.

Legacy

Nasir al-Din al-Asad was a leading scholar in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry and modern Arab literary studies and a key figure in establishing higher education in Jordan. His work, noted for source criticism and rigorous methodology, left a lasting impact through publications and the donation of his personal library.

Museums

  • University of Jordan (Nasir al-Din al-Asad Memorial Hall) Amman, Jordan

Academic Societies

  • Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo
  • Academy of the Arabic Language in Damascus
  • Jordan Academy of Arabic

Archives

  • University of Jordan Library (donated personal collection of ~21,000 books and manuscripts)

In Popular Culture

  • Retrospectives and commemorations at academic conferences and events

Quotes

  • Language is the most important element of a nation’s personality.
    Source: Lecture/essay (precise source unspecified)

Trivia

  • Lived a quiet private life and donated about 21,000 books to the University of Jordan late in life.
  • His Sources of Pre-Islamic Poetry is regarded as a foundational work in the field.
  • Served in cultural and political roles as well as academia (Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Minister of Higher Education, first president of the University of Jordan).