Sami Makarem
Encyclopedia
Sami Makarem (born April 14, 1931) is a Druze
Lebanese
scholar, writer
, poet
and artist
; he was born in the village of Aitat in Aley
district and is best known for his academic contributions in the fields of Islamic studies
, Sufism
, and Islamic history.
He obtained his Bachelor's degree
in literature and philosophy in 1954 and his Master's degree
in Arabic literature
in 1957 from the American University of Beirut
and 1963 he achieved his PhD
in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan
, where he taught Arabic language and was specializing in Islamic Batini
Studies.
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
scholar, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
; he was born in the village of Aitat in Aley
Aley
Aley is a picturesque town in Mount Lebanon. It is located 17 km uphill from Beirut, just south of the summer resort of Bhamdoun and north of the strategic town of Souk El Gharb.-Demographics:...
district and is best known for his academic contributions in the fields of Islamic studies
Islamic studies
In a Muslim context, Islamic studies can be an umbrella term for all virtually all of academia, both originally researched and as defined by the Islamization of knowledge...
, Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
, and Islamic history.
He obtained his Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in literature and philosophy in 1954 and his Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Arabic literature
Arabic literature
Arabic literature is the writing produced, both prose and poetry, by writers in the Arabic language. The Arabic word used for literature is adab which is derived from a meaning of etiquette, and implies politeness, culture and enrichment....
in 1957 from the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
and 1963 he achieved his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, where he taught Arabic language and was specializing in Islamic Batini
Batiniyya
Batiniyya is a pejorative term to refer to those groups, such as Alevism, Ismailism, and often Sufism, which distinguish between an inner, esoteric level of meaning in the Qur'an, in addition to the outer, exoteric level of meaning Zahiri...
Studies.
Career
- In July 1963, he returned to Lebanon, to teach Islamic Thought at the Lebanese UniversityLebanese UniversityThe Lebanese University is the only public institution for higher learning in Lebanon. Founded in 1951, it has 17 faculties as of 2006 and serves various cultural, religious, and social groups of students and teachers....
. In 1964, he was appointed assistant professor at the American University of Beirut (AUB), teaching Arabic Literature and Islamic Thought.
- In 1970, he was promoted to the rank of associate professor at the American University of Beirut (AUB), and then he was promoted to the rank of full professor to teach Arabic Literature, Islamic Thought and Sufism. In addition, he held twice the position of Head of the Department of Arabic Literature and Near Eastern Languages: from 1975 until 1978 and from 1993 until 1996. He acted as a part time professor at the Lebanese University from 1977 until 1981. Also, he was director of the Center of Middle Eastern Studies at the American University in Beirut, from 1975 until 1978.
Works
Professor Sami Makarem wrote over twenty five books mainly concerning the Islamic history and studies, Lebanese history and the Druze faith, in addition to a great number of articles in different specialized periodicals, and hundreds of art works.Books
- Al-Shi'r al-'Arabi fi Lubnan Bayn al-Harbayn al-'Alamiyyatayn (Arab Poetry in Lebanon between the Two World Wars), 1957
- Ash-Shafiya, an Ismaili Poem Attributed to Shihabeddin Abu Firas (Edition and Translation into English with Notes and Introduction by Sami Makarem),1966
- Shiraz Madinat al-Awliya' wash-Shou'ara, a Translation of A. Arberry's Shiraz Persian City of Saints and Poets, 1966
- Adwa' 'ala Maslak at-Tawhid (Lights on the Druze Faith), 1966
- Al-Islam fi Mafhum al-Muwahhidin (Islam in the Druze Understanding), 1970
- The Doctrine of the Ismailis, 1972
- The Druze Faith, 1974, Second Edition 1979, Third Edition 2006
- The Political Doctrine of the Ismailis; The Imamate, 1979
- Al-Hallaj,1989, New Edition, 2004
- Ashiqaat Allah (The loving "Saints" of God), 1994
- Ash-Shaykh 'Ali Faris Waliyy min al-Qarn ath-Thamin 'Ashar (Shaykh Ali Faris, An eighteenth-century Druze saint) 1998
- Lubnan fi 'ahd al-Umara' at- Tanukhiyyin (Lebanon Under the Tanukhid Emirs), 2000
- Al Taqiyya fil Islam (Dissimulation in Islam), 2004
- Al-'Irfan fi Maslak at-Tawhid (Mysticism in the Druze Faith), 2006
Poetry
In addition to his academic contributions in the fields of Islamic studies, Sufism, Islamic history, and his artistic contribution, he published three works of poetry:- Mir'at 'ala Jabal Qaf (A mirror on Mount Qaf) (1996),
- Daw' fi Madinat ad-Dabab (A Light over the city of Mist) (1999)
- Qasa'ed Hubb 'ala shati' Mir'at (Love poems on the shores of a Mirror) (2004).