Fahmi al-Husseini
Encyclopedia
Fahmi Bey al-Husseini was the mayor of Gaza
, his hometown, from 1928 to 1939 while Palestine
was under the British Mandate.
and upon graduation returned to Gaza where he became a prominent lawyer. He was then assigned as a member of the Land Court of Nablus
but resigned soon after his appointment. He reentered work in his legal profession and subsequently was appointed Magistrate of Nablus. He was later appointed a member of the Central Council, and then resigned again to continue his work as a lawyer.
On December 1, 1923, he launched al-Haquq ("The Rights") magazine and was its editor-in-chief. Al-Husseini published the Sawt al-Haq ("Voice of the Truth") newspaper on October 6, 1927 and around the same period he translated into Arabic
the famous Hanafi
book on legal proceedings, Sharh Majallat al-Ahkam ("Commentaries on the Codified Hanafi Commercial Law", prepared in four volumes in Turkish
during the Ottoman
period by Allama Ali Haidar.
family, became a member of the Palestine Free Party from 1927, which defended all aspects of personal freedom. He was elected mayor of Gaza on May 5, 1928. In 1930, a number of Gaza notables, mostly members of the city's municipal council, complained to the high commissioner of Palestine about al-Husseini. They were angered at the decision to allow al-Husseini to maintain his legal practice while he served as Gaza's mayor, stating he was occupied with his own private business "to an extent as to neglect the interests of the town [Gaza] which is more needy of organization than any in this country." However, during his tenure, Gaza was extended to the coast (Rimal
district), the local hospital and market were completed, the streets were widened, and the city received electricity in 1938 in cooperation with the Palestinian Electricity Company. Al-Husseini also oversaw the establishment of the municipal hall of Gaza along Omar Mukhtar Street
. In addition to the latter street—which he named after the Libya
n revolutionary Omar Mukhtar
—he also named several other new streets in Gaza including Imam Shafi'i Street, Firas Street, and Jamal Fahmi Pasha Street.
In 1938, during the Arab revolt in Palestine, the British Mandate authorities had him arrested on charges of being a member of the anti-British leadership in Palestine. He, along with Mousa Sourani, was imprisoned in the Sarafand Jail
. Al-Husseini was stripped of his post as mayor by the British in 1939 and was replaced by Rushdi al-Shawa
. Al-Husseini died on December 25, 1940.
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, his hometown, from 1928 to 1939 while Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
was under the British Mandate.
Career in law
Al-Husseini studied law in IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
and upon graduation returned to Gaza where he became a prominent lawyer. He was then assigned as a member of the Land Court of Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
but resigned soon after his appointment. He reentered work in his legal profession and subsequently was appointed Magistrate of Nablus. He was later appointed a member of the Central Council, and then resigned again to continue his work as a lawyer.
On December 1, 1923, he launched al-Haquq ("The Rights") magazine and was its editor-in-chief. Al-Husseini published the Sawt al-Haq ("Voice of the Truth") newspaper on October 6, 1927 and around the same period he translated into Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
the famous Hanafi
Hanafi
The Hanafi school is one of the four Madhhab in jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. The Hanafi madhhab is named after the Persian scholar Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man ibn Thābit , a Tabi‘i whose legal views were preserved primarily by his two most important disciples, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani...
book on legal proceedings, Sharh Majallat al-Ahkam ("Commentaries on the Codified Hanafi Commercial Law", prepared in four volumes in Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
during the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
period by Allama Ali Haidar.
Mayor
Also in 1927, al-Husseini, a political ally of the NashashibiNashashibi
Nashashibi is the name of a prominent Palestinian family based in Jerusalem. Many of its members held senior positions in the government of Jerusalem. Raghib al-Nashashibi was Mayor of Jerusalem .- History :...
family, became a member of the Palestine Free Party from 1927, which defended all aspects of personal freedom. He was elected mayor of Gaza on May 5, 1928. In 1930, a number of Gaza notables, mostly members of the city's municipal council, complained to the high commissioner of Palestine about al-Husseini. They were angered at the decision to allow al-Husseini to maintain his legal practice while he served as Gaza's mayor, stating he was occupied with his own private business "to an extent as to neglect the interests of the town [Gaza] which is more needy of organization than any in this country." However, during his tenure, Gaza was extended to the coast (Rimal
Rimal
Rimal or Remal is a district in Gaza located from the city center. Situated along the coastline, it has been considered the most prosperous neighborhood in Gaza. The main street that runs through Gaza, Omar Mukhtar Street runs northwest-southeast in the district and the main coastal road, Ahmad...
district), the local hospital and market were completed, the streets were widened, and the city received electricity in 1938 in cooperation with the Palestinian Electricity Company. Al-Husseini also oversaw the establishment of the municipal hall of Gaza along Omar Mukhtar Street
Omar Mukhtar Street
Omar Mukhtar Street is Gaza City's main street, running from Palestine Square to the Port of Gaza in the Rimal district, separating the Old City's al-Daraj and Zaytoun quarters. Gaza's hotel strip is a part of Omar Mukhtar Street and most of Gaza's most important buildings are located along the...
. In addition to the latter street—which he named after the Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n revolutionary Omar Mukhtar
Omar Mukhtar
Omar Mukhtar , of the Mnifa, was born in the small village of Janzour, near Tobruk in eastern Barqa in Libya. Beginning in 1912, he organized and, for nearly twenty years, led native resistance to Italian colonization of Libya. The Italians captured and hanged him in 1931...
—he also named several other new streets in Gaza including Imam Shafi'i Street, Firas Street, and Jamal Fahmi Pasha Street.
In 1938, during the Arab revolt in Palestine, the British Mandate authorities had him arrested on charges of being a member of the anti-British leadership in Palestine. He, along with Mousa Sourani, was imprisoned in the Sarafand Jail
Sarafand al-Amar
Sarafand al-Amar was a Palestinian Arab village situated on the coastal plain of Palestine, about northwest of Ramla. It had a population of 1,950 in 1945 and a land area of 13,267 dunams...
. Al-Husseini was stripped of his post as mayor by the British in 1939 and was replaced by Rushdi al-Shawa
Rushdi al-Shawa
Rushdi Sa'id Shawwa was the mayor of Gaza from 1939 to 1952. He was born in his father’s house in the al-Turukman section of the Shuja'iyya neighborhood. His mother, Hafiza Sha’ath from Beersheba, came from a major tribe in that area...
. Al-Husseini died on December 25, 1940.