Shakir Shuqayr al-Batluni
- Died
- 1314 AH
- Born in
- -
Shakir Shuqayr al-Batluni (1266–1314 AH / 1850–1896 CE) was a Lebanese man of letters, journalist, poet, and educator active during the Nahda period, known for his anthologies and pedagogical manuals such as Nafh al-Azhar fi Muntakhabat al-Ash'ar (The Diffusing Fragrance of Flowers in Selected Poems) .
Biography and Career
His full lineage was Shakir ibn Mughamis ibn Mahfuz ibn Salih Shuqayr . He was born in Choueifat (al-Shuwayfat) in Mount Lebanon and also resided in Beirut, with biographical sources recording the nisbas al-Hasbani and al-Batluni in connection with his name .
Throughout his career, he worked extensively in education and the press across the Levant. He taught in numerous Syrian schools and contributed articles and editorial work to various regional periodicals . He also collaborated closely with Butrus al-Bustani and the Bustani family in compiling the monumental Arabic encyclopedia Da'irat al-Ma'arif, drafting numerous substantive entries and chapters for the work . In recognition of his scholarly standing, he was elected a member of the Oriental Scientific Society (al-Majma' al-'Ilmi al-Sharqi) .
In 1895, he traveled to Egypt, where he founded the periodical al-Kinana . After publishing ten issues, he was forced to cease its publication because the Egyptian climate had an adverse effect on his health . He returned to his hometown of Choueifat, where his condition deteriorated until his death in October 1896 (1314 AH) .
Literary Standing
Biographers characterized him as a naturally gifted, quick-witted poet and versatile prose writer whose output spanned narrative fiction, linguistic criticism, and educational treatises . In addition to penning around thirty narrative stories and translating works from French, he authored practical pedagogical guides on Arabic rhetoric and writing, including Asalib al-'Arab fi Sina'at al-Insha' (The Methods of the Arabs in the Art of Composition) .
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List of Works
Nafh al-Azhar fi Muntakhabat al-Ashar (The Diffusing Fragrance of Flowers in Selected Poems) is an anthology of Arabic poetry organized thematically into designated chapters. It brings together selected verse from both earlier and nineteenth-century poets, encompassing various poetic themes including descriptions of nature and flowers as well as panegyric and occasional verse.