The Impact of the Antun Sa’adeh
School of Thought
Edmond Melhem
The Antun Sa’adeh school of thought presents a profound philosophy that captures the essence of the human psyche and personality, emphasizing innate ability, strength, and creativity. This philosophy teaches that a nation will continue to struggle for true independence and self-efficacy unless its psyche is liberated from external influences and control by foreign entities.
If we were to investigate the impacts of the Sa’adeh School on various aspects of life, it would take considerable time to enumerate them all. Therefore, I will simply state that the influence of the Social Nationalist School extends across thought, law, culture, philosophy, literature, theatre, music, and the arts. These influences are evident in hundreds of books, writings, publications, academic studies, and a plethora of literary and poetic activities, artistic and theatrical works, legal and constitutional projects, as well as educational and intellectual seminars on diverse topics aimed at advancing Syrian society.
The emergence of the Social Nationalist School significantly impacted the political landscape. Its influence was evident in political discourse, concepts, national and party slogans, media language and topics, and parliamentary candidates' programs. This impact has shaped our political life and events on the national stage since 1935, starting with the battles for independence against the Mandate, followed by military coups and revolutionary attempts, up to recent events including liberation battles and martyrdom operations against Zionist encroachment. Moreover, in the political arena, the Sa’adeh's influence extended beyond producing fighters for the party's ranks. It also cultivated individuals who pursued political careers outside the party. Many of these graduates attained positions of executive, legislative, and military authority, while others went on to establish or contribute to the foundation and leadership of various parties and organizations.
Sa’adeh took a deep interest in literature and the literary scene in Syria, viewing it as a cornerstone for the national renaissance he envisioned for his society. In his work, he felt compelled to critique and analyze the writings of prominent authors and poets of his time. He perceived their works as imitative, chaotic, lacking in creativity, servile, and espousing harmful doctrines that he believed were detrimental to society's wellbeing. Sa’adeh opposed these elements, considering them reflective of a mentality of decadence, depravity, and selfishness that needed to be addressed for the greater good. Sa’adeh not only waged a war against the nation's internal enemies—feudalists, capitalists, and selfish politicians—but also against reactionary writers and poets. These writers, rather than contributing to the renaissance of their people and leading them towards prosperity and progress, perpetuated chaos, humiliation, doubt, and decadence. Often through divisive rhetoric, they promoted egotism, selfishness, and personal glory.
Therefore, Sa’adeh advocated for literary renewal in Syria, urging Syrian writers and poets to embrace his new vision of life, the universe, and art. He believed this would lead to a new literature rooted in Syrian existence, reflecting its true aspirations and ideals. He envisioned a beautiful literature that reveals the nation’s history and truths, capturing its yearning for creativity, progress, and beauty. Literature should understand our lives, accompany us in our development, and serve as a guiding beacon rather than merely mirroring the chaos, passivity, and humiliation in our society.
This new literature, which Sa’adeh advocated to advance the entire nation, emphasizes the vitality and renewal that cultivate new visions leading us toward a beautiful and sublime life. To foster this literature, Sa’adeh appealed to all Syrian poets, stating:
Come, let us raise high a flaming torch before this nation that is stumbling in darkness, a torch that lights up our reality, our aspirations and our wholesome existence. Come, let us build for our nation places of love, wisdom, beauty and hope by making use of the history of our Syrian nation, its talent, the philosophy of its myths and its teachings that deal with the major topics of human existence. Come, let us adopt an outlook on life, the universe and art in light of which we can resurrect our great and beautiful reality from where it lies buried - a reality that does not see in love only rosy cheeks and breasts and graceful waistlines, nor see in youth mere lips pressed against lips, nor eyes burning with desire. Rather, let it be a reality that sees love as beautiful souls seeking sublime aims, for the sake of which they must endure vast hardships, made more bearable by a unity of souls in a unity of emotion and purpose. It is the sort of love where, when one mouth touches another, one soul is being poured into another and one soul tells the other: I am with you in victory or in martyrdom.
He added: “Come, let us understand our history and ourselves in the light of our own outlook on life, existence and art. In this way, we will produce an immortal literature worthy of world respect.”
Sa’adeh directed writers and poets to the profound, original Syrian myths, expressing a deep interest in reviving and contemplating their contents. He had several reasons for this focus: Firstly, these myths reflect the grandeur of Syrian perception and their profound thoughts on life's issues and their manifestations. Secondly, Sa’adeh aimed to create a philosophical continuity between ancient Syrian heritage and modern Syrian creativity. Advocating for spiritual independence, he stressed the importance of returning to our rich heritage to draw from its cultural influences and invaluable spiritual treasures, thereby achieving the psychological, literary, and artistic renewal we ardently desire. Sa’adeh directed writers and poets to the profound, original Syrian myths, expressing a deep interest in reviving and contemplating their contents. He had several reasons for this focus: Firstly, these myths reflect the grandeur of Syrian perception and their profound thoughts on life's fundamental issues and their manifestations. Secondly, Sa’adeh aimed to create a philosophical continuity between ancient Syrian heritage and modern Syrian creativity. Advocating for spiritual independence, he stressed the importance of returning to our rich heritage to draw from its cultural influences and invaluable spiritual treasures, thereby achieving the psychological, literary, and artistic renewal we ardently desire. Sa’adeh stated: “Our enlightened men of letters should take a pilgrimage to the abode of the Syrian gods, and return carrying with them a literature that enables us to discover the verities of our psyche as embedded in life's greater truths, verities that our ancient systems of thought had grappled with in our myths, verities that occupy a place in human thought and emotions transcending all other thoughts and emotions.”
A large number of Syrian writers and poets responded to Sa’adeh's call after they grasped the significant issues raised by his new perspective on various aspects of life, particularly in morals, virtues, and ideals. They joined his movement, and their literary and poetic works reflected this fresh outlook on life, the universe, and art. This perspective invigorated a new wave of creativity and became a source of inspiration for those writers, poets, storytellers, and artists who engaged it and comprehended its crucial themes. The impact of this new vision was evident in the "Tamuzi Poetry" movement, a modernist literary circle that included many prominent Syro-Lebanese poets. In this regard, Nadhir Azamah remarks: “Most of the Tamuzi poets, aside from Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and Badr Shaker Al-Sayyab, were affiliated with the Social Nationalist Movement or had connections to it. Dr. Khalil Hawi, Adonis, and Youssef Al-Khal, who were leading figures of the Tamuzi movement, were not only party members but also held significant cultural and intellectual responsibilities within it. In other words, they were deeply acquainted with Antun Sa’adeh's writings and theories on innovation in poetry specifically, as well as in literature and thought more broadly.”
The poet Adonis, known for his publications in al-Jeel al-Jadeed and al-Binaa’ in Damascus, affirms that nearly four decades after leaving the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, he owes his literary career to Antun Sa’adeh. He acknowledges that the book “The Intellectual Struggle in Syrian Literature” had a profound impact on his thoughts and poetic work. Adonis states that this book significantly influenced his ideas and poetic approach and also greatly impacted an entire generation of poets such as Said Akl, Salah Labaki, Youssef Al-Khal, Fouad Suleiman, and Khalil Hawi. Moreover, it inspired numerous poetic and critical discussions within the literary magazine “Shi’r” and the debates it sparked.
In another discussion, Adonis highlights the Renaissance's influence in his poem "Tamuz" and other poetical works featured in Shi’r magazine. He states: "There is no convergence between my poem and that of Khalil Hawi. This distinction arises because both poems originate from the same ideological sources initiated by Antun Sa’adeh in our country, which were later adopted by Western poets before Khalil Hawi and myself. It is well-known that Antun Sa’adeh urged poets from his homeland to return to their myths and incorporate them into their creations, as discussed in his book The Intellectual Struggle in Syrian Literature."
But the poets of the Tamuzi movement were not the only ones who responded to Sa’adeh’s call for a new literature that reflects the aspirations and goals of the Syrian psyche. Before and after them, many poets and writers engaged with the Social Nationalist Movement, contributing new literature both in theory and in practice. Regarding this, Nadhir Azamah points out: “There are poets like Orkhan Maysar, Muhammad al-Maghout, Fayez Khaddour, Kamal Khair Bey, Ghassan Matar, and before them, Abdullah al-Qubrasi and Muhammad Youssef Hammoud. These poets are true treasures, and young critics must pay careful attention to these unseen mines, awaiting study and illumination. It can be said that the Sa’adeh’s renewal movement, its dynamism, and its history centered around the founder’s thought left distinctive intellectual and poetic imprints in their poetry.”
Sa’adeh inspired writers and poets with the spirit of renewal, creativity, and life. He offered them a fresh intellectual and emotional perspective on life, death, the universe, and art—a vision essential for innovation in literature. This innovation arises not solely from literature itself but from a transformation in thought, feeling, and outlook on life. Rabia Abi Fadel encapsulates Sa’adeh's influence succinctly: “He appeared as a man who elevated the illiterate into realms of knowledge, nurtured talent until it flourished in every direction, and inspired determination, awareness, and pride across generations. We witnessed him enriching literature with the essence of heritage, the fire of myths, and the aspiration for a new life in a revitalized society led by a new individual towards a deeper spirituality. He initiated a nationalist movement embracing Arabism and humanity, grounded in authenticity, identity, and a belief where politics was the starting point and thought and construction were the end goals. He urged poets, artists, writers, and researchers to innovate rather than ruminate, to create instead of merely quoting, to adopt a serious stance on life and existence while steering clear of superficiality, selfishness, and disregard for the truth.”
The lawyer and writer Abdullah Qubersi states, “Before the Sa’adeh school of thought, our ideas lacked focus and structure. We were whimsical, without standards or a fresh perspective on literature.”
Nadhir Azamah adds: “With Sa’adeh’s influence, we learned to transcend through living practice, in life as well as in thought and poetry. We embodied this in new expressions drawn from the heart or the depths of the soul, illuminated by the sudden light of creativity and freedom.”
He added: “Antun Sa’adeh did not prescribe a specific poetic form nor did he confine us to any particular artistic school. He did not impose restrictions on our meters and rhymes, nor did he limit our freedom and choice. Instead, he gave us the golden keys that unlocked all closed doors and deciphered the hieroglyphs and mysteries filling the memories of past innovators. These innovators mistakenly believed innovation lay solely in form, leading to their downfall. They sought to demonstrate their poetic vitality by crafting what they thought were new phrases, endlessly refining them. They spent their days and nights chasing after metaphorical golden spiders and colorful flies, under the false notion that life and poetry were separate entities—much like emptying bones of marrow and skulls of brains, only to then speak about balance, harmony, and strength.”
As for Rabia Abi Fadel, in his admirable book on the influence of Sa’adeh on contemporary writers, he illustrates how the Social Nationalist Movement fostered writers and poets, encouraged their talents, and helped launch their fame. Abi Fadel lists several prominent writers, poets, artists, and intellectuals who thrived under this movement in the 1940s and 1950s, including Salah Labaki, Saliba Al-Duwaihy, George Masroua, Karim Ezzqul, Ali Ahmed Saeed (Adonis), Kamal Khair Bey, William Saab, Khalil Hawi, Hisham Sharabi, Nadir Al-Azma, Ghassan Tueni, Nawaf Hardan, Rushdi Maalouf, Muhammad Al-Maghout, Abdullah Qubrisi, Muhammad Youssef Hammoud, Fouad Suleiman, Emil Mubarak, Muhammad Shamil, Said Akl, and Said Taqi Al-Din who stated: “I renounced my selfishness and joined a movement greater than myself.” To these notable names, Abi Fadel adds a group of renowned poets of spoken language and colloquial poetry who joined the party: Elijah Abu Shadid, Ajaj Al-Muhtar, Adib Haddad (Abu Melhem), William Saab, Hania Daher, and Youssef Rouhana.
The Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the Lebanese University, Dr. Wajih Fanous, delivered a speech at a seminar on the literature of the late Muhammad Youssef Hammoud. In his address, he highlighted the influence of Sa’adeh's civilizational call, stating: “Antun Sa’adeh was not just a political leader; he embodied a civilizational vision that touched all aspects of human existence, including politics and literature. Sa’adeh never overlooked literary matters; he had principles, ideas, and opinions deeply rooted in his broader civilizational perspective. Thus, I consider Sa’adeh one of the foremost theorists of literature in our country. Firstly, because he viewed literature as a means to achieve life’s purpose; and secondly, because his followers endeavored to practice literary action through the lens of his vision. Among these followers was Muhammad Youssef Hammoud.”
Day after day, the profound influence and power of social nationalist thought become more apparent, as we come across the confessions of poets, writers, novelists, musicians, and intellectuals who have been influenced by its ideology and impacted by Sa’adeh's legacy on their thinking trajectories. If we try to list all these individuals or recount their confessions, we would need many pages. Therefore, we will suffice with some key testimonies.
Musician Tawfiq Al-Basha says: “The social nationalist school has enlightened me about my present reality and its historical context. Consequently, all my works reflect this perspective.”
A multitude of notable musicians, playwrights, artists, journalists, and researchers were part of the same group as the esteemed musician Tawfiq Al-Basha. This included the talented musician Zaki Nassif; musicians Halim Al-Roumi, Muhammad Ali Fattouh; artist Ziad Boutros; Michel Nabaa; Jamil Malaeb; Amin Al-Basha; Halim Jurdak; Elias Al-Dairi; Sania Saleh; Halim Barakat; Khalida Al-Saeed; Elias Massouh; Fouad Rifka; Khaled Zahr; Muhammad Al-Baalbaki; Muhammad Shamil; Pierre Jamjian; Anis Al-Sayegh; Hannibal Atiyah; Youssef Salama; George Abdel Masih; Jean Dayeh; Haider Haj Ismail (Aboud Aboud); Asad Al-Ashqar; Youssef Al-Ashqar; Henry Hamati, among others.
Returning to the musician Zaki Nassif, it is known that he was a member of the SSNP and composed a collection of songs and anthems celebrating its ideals. Anyone who examines the lyrics written by Zaki Nassif can easily discern the influence of Sa’adeh’s philosophy and his new perspective on their content and themes. In an interview with writer Muhammad Abi Samra, published in the an-Nahar supplement, Zaki Nassif spoke about his national allegiance, stating: “I embraced nationalism when it was revered among educated rural people, and my belief in it remains steadfast. National affiliation is not a fleeting connection but a lifelong commitment. An individual becomes a constructive and effective member of their nation, country, and society by appreciating the land's material and spiritual value. Without this awareness, one remains marginal and disconnected.”
Theatrical novelist Issam Mahfouz highlights that the play "Cadmus" by Said Akl, one of the most exquisite poetic plays in modern literature, owes its creation to Sa’adeh’s guidance during the early days of the nationalist movement. Mahfouz notes that Sa’adeh’s influence extends to "The Outcast" by Said Taqi al-Din in 1951, marking the first Arabic play to be considered the beginning of committed theatre. Issam Mahfouz continues, highlighting Sa’adeh's influence: “It encompassed some productions of the Beirut Theater Atelier, established under the supervision of Nidal Al-Ashqar and Roger Assaf. Notably, the play ‘Majdaloun,’ written by Henri Hamati for the Atelier, featured an anthem with lyrics I composed, inspired by a phrase from Che Guevara and set to music by Walid Gholmieh. Additionally, we can reference other works such as ‘The Curtain’ by Reda Qabrit and Michel Nabaa, along with Adonis's short poetic plays in ‘Leaves in the Wind,’ and contributions from Nadhir Nabaa and others.”
In conclusion, Sa’adeh’s refreshed perspective on life, the universe, and art has significantly influenced various fields, inspiring intellectual, cultural, literary, and artistic endeavors. His movement, the Social Nationalist Movement, has played a pioneering role in stimulating political and cultural action and in the nationalist struggle both in the homeland and the diaspora. Sa’adeh's impact was so profound that Rabia Abi Fadel remarked: “It has become impossible for literary historians and critics to ignore the role of this great pioneer in transforming our lives and directing literature towards celebrating heritage while building the nation’s future and dignity.” The actions of the Social Nationalist School and its impact on Syrian life prompted the late Mustafa Abdul Satir to say, “This school continues to be a major focus for colonial and Zionist groups in our region, as well as among expatriate communities who have adopted this assertive and combative ideology.”