Muhammad Farid Bek
- Died
- 1338 AH
- Born in
- Cairo
Muhammad Farid Bek (1284–1338 AH / 1868–1919 CE) was an Egyptian nationalist leader, jurist, and historian of Turkish descent who led the National Party (al-Hizb al-Watani) during the British occupation of Egypt .
Early Life and Legal Career
Muhammad Farid was born in Cairo to a prominent family of Turkish origin; his father was Ahmad Farid Pasha . He was educated in Cairo at the School of Languages (Madrasat al-Alsun) and the School of Law (Madrasat al-Huquq) . Following his legal training, he served as a deputy public prosecutor before the indigenous courts and at the Court of Appeal before establishing a private legal practice . He was also elected a member of the Geographical Society in Cairo . Alongside his legal career, he produced historical studies, including al-Bahja al-Tawfiqiyya fi Tarikh Mu'assis al-A'ila al-Khidiwiyya (The Tawfiqian Delight in the History of the Founder of the Khedivial Family) and his comprehensive chronicle Tarikh al-Dawla al-Aliyya al-Uthmaniyya (History of the Sublime Ottoman State) .
Political Leadership and Exile
Farid eventually left the legal profession to dedicate himself entirely to political activism and public service . He worked closely with Mustafa Kamil, accompanying him on numerous diplomatic and political journeys across Europe to rally support for Egyptian independence . Following Mustafa Kamil's death in 1908, Farid was elected president of the National Party in accordance with his predecessor's recommendation .
His outspoken resistance to British rule led to political prosecution and imprisonment . Facing intense political pressure, he was forced into exile in March 1912 . In exile, he continued his campaign across Europe, North Africa, and the Ottoman Empire, visiting places such as Andalusia, Italy, Trieste, Norway, Tunis, Algeria, Tripoli, Morocco, Malta, and Istanbul . He documented his earlier journeys through the western Mediterranean in Min Misr ila Misr (From Egypt to Egypt) . In December 1912, while residing in Geneva, he founded the Association for the Progress of Islam (Jam'iyyat Taraqqi al-Islam) with other Eastern figures to foster solidarity among Muslim peoples . Farid spent virtually his entire personal fortune financing the nationalist movement abroad .
Death
Farid died in exile in Berlin on 15 November 1919 (1338 AH; another report records 15 June 1920) . His remains were later repatriated to Egypt, arriving in Alexandria before being transferred to Cairo, where he was interred on 8 June 1920 in a massive public funeral attended by statesmen, scholars, and dignitaries, and commemorated in an elegy by the poet Hafiz Ibrahim .
Answer updated
List of Works
Tarikh al-Dawla al-Aliyya al-Uthmaniyya is a comprehensive Arabic historical chronicle that covers the history of the Ottoman Empire from its inception down to the late nineteenth century. It traces the empire's chronological development, beginning with the early caliphates and Sultan Osman I in 699 AH (1300 CE) through the aftermath of the Treaty of Berlin in 1878 CE.