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Muhammad Mahdi al-Jawahiri | |
|---|---|
 Statue of al-Jawahiri in Najaf | |
| Native name | Arabic: محمد مهدي الجواهري |
| Born | July 26, 1899 Najaf, Ottoman Empire (Present Day Iraq) |
| Died | July 27, 1997 (aged 98) Damascus, Syria |
| Occupation | poet |
| Nationality | Iraqi |
| Genre | Arabic Poetry |
| Notable works | Diwan al-Jawahiri |
| Spouse | Amna al-Jawahiri |
| Relatives | Abd al-Aziz al-Jawahiri (brother) Abd al-Husayn al-Jawahiri (father) |
Muhammad Mahdi al-Jawahiri (Arabic: محمد مهدي الجواهري) (26 July 1899 – 27 July 1997) was an Iraqi poet.[1] Considered by many as one of the best and greatest Arabian poets in the 20th century, he was also nicknamed The Greatest Arabian Poet,[2] and is considered a leading classical Iraqi poet[3] and one of the big three neo-classical poets of Iraq alongside al-Rusafi, and al-Zahawi.[4] Notable for his Neo-classical, traditional, and political-themed way of writing, his poems can be read in his collections such as Diwan al-Jawahiri, Return Post, and To Sleeplessness, and was honored by many governments, including Saddam Hussein's government.[3][5]
Al-Jawahiri was born in the Iraqi city of Najaf into a family known for its literary interests. After publishing his first poem in 1921, he started to work in journalism and as a teacher in Baghdad. Despite harsh criticism towards the Hashemite monarchy, he maintained a good relationship with the royal family and maintained several positions in the royal court, and the Ministry of Education. Through his poetry, he became one of the most socially and politically influential people of his time.[3]
- ^ Adel Darwish, 'Obituary: Mohammed Al-Jawahri', The Independent, 11 August 1997. Online (subscription only) at HighBeam.
- ^ "Al Jawahiri life".
- ^ a b c Dougherty, Beth K.; Ghareeb, Edmund A. (2013-11-07). Historical Dictionary of Iraq. Scarecrow Press. p. 340. ISBN 978-0-8108-7942-3.
- ^ Caiani 2013, p. 40-41.
- ^ DeYoung 1998, p. 38.