Marun Al Naqqash

Born	Marun Mikhail Al Naqqash; 9 February 1817; Sidon, Ottoman Empire
Died	1 June 1855 (aged 38); Tarsus, Mersin
Occupation	Businessman
Language	Arabic
Genre	Play
Years active	1840s–1855
Notable works	Al-bakhīl
	Literature portal

Marun Al Naqqash (Arabic: مارون النقاش) (1855–1817) was a Sidon-born Maronite merchant who produced the first theatre play texts in Arabic language.

Early life and education

Al Naqqash was born in Sidon on 9 February 1817 into a Maronite family.^[1] In 1825 his family moved to Beirut where he studied Arabic language, literature in addition to law and foreign languages, including French, Italian and Turkish.^[1]^[2] He also involved in poetry, Oriental music and was educated as a bookkeeper.^[1]

Career and activities

Following the completion of his studies Al Naqqash began to work as a chief clerk at the customs department and became a member of the chamber of commerce in Beirut.

standard Arabic^[4] and in verse rather than in prose which made it ready for musical performance.^[1] It was staged in 1847.^[5] The Ottoman Sultan Abdulmejid was praised in the play.^[6]

Al Naqqash also established a theatre near to his Beirut home after granting a permission from the Ottomans where Al-bakhīl was performed in 1847.[3] Then he produced two original plays. The first one was Abu Al Hasan al-Mughaffal aw Harun Al Rashid (Arabic: Abu Al Hasan the Gullible or the Caliph Harun Al Rashid) which was an adaptation of the One Thousand and One Nights and was performed at his theatre in 1850.^[1]^[5] His last play was entitled Al Salit al-Hasud (Arabic: The Impudent and Jealous Young Man) which was staged in 1852.^[5]

The content of Al Naqqash's plays was patriotic and loyal to the Ottoman Empire.^[5] Al Naqaash also wrote political poems in which he praised the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid and the Egyptian governor.^[5]