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Al-Ahram Weekly 9 - 15 March 2000 Issue No. 472 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 9 - 15 March 2000 Issue No. 472
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Our father, Hefni Nassef Bek, was a judge in Tahta. There were two private schools, for the government schools had not been established there yet. The heads of these two schools were Rifa'a Pasha El-Tahtawi and Abdel-Hadi Bek, both friends of my father. He did not want to anger either of them, so he distributed us equally between the two.
'I remember my sister...'
In the 21 December 1949 issue of Al-Musawwar magazine, on the 30th anniversary of Malak Hefni Nassef's death, her brother Magdeddin remembered Egypt's first female poet and novelist, better known by her nom de plume, Bahithat Al-Badia. To mark Women's Day, Al-Ahram Weekly offers a translation of the article
On 24 November 1925, at the Ezbekiya Garden Theatre, an event was held in commemoration of the late Malak Hefni Nassef, one of the founders of the Egyptian women's movement. The Theatre's seats were filled with ministers, scholars, and progressive women of the elite. The event began with a Qur'an reading, then Khalil Mutran read a speech written by Mrs Huda Sha'rawi, in which she presented three demands: 1) equality of women and men in education; 2) legal reform to bring marital relations in line with the spirit of religious legislation; 3) equality between men and women with respect to representation and legislation. Khalil Mutran then recited a poem of his composition. Magdeddin Nassef followed, with a speech about the women's movement in Egypt, in which he explained the accomplishments of his sister, Bahithat Al-Badia, and the efforts of Mrs Huda Sha'rawi. Miss Nabawiya Moussa recited a poem, after which Miss Mai [Ziyadeh] gave a speech. The event was concluded with the approval of the following demands: 1) to protect the family from [men's right to] free divorce and polygamy; 2) to oblige men who have divorced their wife to pay alimony, wherever they may be; 3) to speed up measures toward compulsory education for girls; 4) to enable qualified women to sit for higher education examinations; 5) to set aside a hall at the University named in honour of Bahithat Al-Badia for women's and social lectures.
(photograph by Badr the Photographer, Al-Ataba Al-Khadraa, Cairo)
From Al-Musawwar magazine, Friday 4 November 1925
Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Focus Books Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Malak divided her time between doing household chores and memorising poetry, both classical and modern, from the seven Mu'allaqat to the verses of Shawqi, Hafez, and Hefni Nassef. She would memorise poetry by chanting it, as the camel-driver sings to urge the caravan forward. I remember we memorised one of the Mu'allaqat in less than a week.
Malak was especially passionate about the stories of great heroes like Washington, Garibaldi and Robespierre, but she loved the heroines like Jeanne d'Arc even more.
When Malak passed her final exam -- the Normale, as it was called at the time -- a man came to ask for her hand. He was one of those whose history was bound up with that of Egypt in later years, one of those who had a great impact on the nationalist movement. The Ministry [of Education] only awarded diplomas to their recipients after they had spent two years teaching, so Malak decided to wait for her certificate rather than marry this great man. Some time later, Sheikh Abdel-Karim Soliman came forward to ask for her hand on behalf of Abdel-Sattar El-Basil. My father wanted to wait until he knew more about this man's conduct and character, but Sheikh Abdel-Karim said: "Don't worry -- I have carried out a few experiments and he has shown himself to be both a true Arab and as modern as any European."
Malak was pleased with this description and accepted the offer of marriage. She moved to Fayoum with her husband, where she lived in the desert for 11 years. There she wrote articles, composed poetry and gave lectures.
Bahithat Al-Badia ['She Who Seeks in the Desert', Malak Hefni Nassef's pen name] was one of the first to promote her country: she would invite European and American ladies to go and visit her in Fayoum, and they greatly admired this desert dweller who was no less courteous, refined or hospitable than any European or American.
Charlotte Cameron, a member of the Royal Geographical Society, wrote her wonderful book after visiting Bahithat Al-Badia. In it she presented a warm defence of Muslim women. Elizabeth Cooper, the American, also wrote a book about Egyptian women, which she dedicated to 'Malak El-Basil'.
But Bahithat Al-Badia did not stop there. She corresponded with an Indian princess about the importance of women's education and liberation, and visited Turkey many times to meet the leaders of the women's movement there, desiring to serve the cause of women.
In furthering this cause, Malak was not satisfied with lecturing at the Egyptian University to women who attended in full face-veil; she also communicated with the royal family to convince its members to educate their daughters, and to choose the Saniya school rather than the foreign establishments. I remember that the year she stopped teaching to get married, more than 70 students followed in her footsteps!
When the Egyptian Conference was convened in Heliopolis, headed by Riad Pasha, Malak found that half the nation was not represented, women's rights had not been studied, and the necessary reforms in this respect were not on anyone's mind. She sent her demands, which the participants received very well: in fact, they were accepted unanimously.
Malak was in close contact with the press, which had offered her a forum for expression in her capacity as Egypt's first woman writer. She also had great relations with the noble Hoda Sha'rawi, with whom she had formed a women's association during the first World War.
Miss Mai [Ziyadeh] once wrote an article titled 'My Lost Hour'. Bahithat Al-Badia replied with an article in which she wrote that she had found it. They continued to communicate in the pages of the newspapers for a long time thereafter. Malak was undergoing treatment in Helwan and Mai came to visit her there. Their friendship remained very firm.
