Mannanah

In early January 1908, Khalil al-Sakakini wrote a letter to his friend Daoud Sidawi, complaining to him about the misery he was enduring in his American exile. He then turned to the situation of the Arab community in New York and its cultural and moral state: “The Syrian people [meaning the Levantines] here are, on the whole, very degenerate in their morals and principles. “Whenever I attend one of their gatherings, I am the center of attention; no young man dares to speak of women in my presence. How I wish they had a literary society where I could raise my voice and advocate for my principles regarding literature and cultural issues.”[1] He then adds:

“Poor souls! What would you think if Miss Mannanah appeared among them? I am not exaggerating when I say that even among American women, you would not find anyone who matches her in sophistication  and culture.”[2]

Who, then, is Mannanah, whose cultural sophistication al-Sakakini singled out as surpassing that of all the young women of Palestine?

Mannanah Sidawi was born in 1880 in the Old City to a Jerusalemite family of Melkite Catholicism She was baptized on 12 May1880, as Mariam Sidawi; “Mannanah” was the name her father affectionately gave her, and she adopted it in her nom de plume.[3] At a young age, she joined al-Aadaab al-Zaahira Society, which her brother Daoud Sidawi founded in Jerusalem in 1898. Among its prominent members were ‘Issa al-‘Issa, Faraj Faraj Allah, Aftim Shabbak, Shibli al-Jamal, Jamil al-Khalidi, and Khalil al-Sakakini.[4]

Manaanah and ‘Afifa Sidawi. Jerusalem, 1906. ‎Photograph by Khalil Ra‘ad. From the collection of ‎Mona Halabi.‎

Al-Aadaab Society viewed itself as part of the Arab cultural renaissance that took shape in the second half of the nineteenth century, and it called for “rejecting sectarianism, strengthening national brotherhood, promoting national education, and liberating women.”[5] One of the principal objectives of the society was to introduce a secular system of education that was free of missionary control. We also learn from ‘Abd al-Latif al-Tibawi that the al-Aadaab al-Zaahira Society evolved, following the sudden death of Daoud Sidawi in 1907, into al-Aadaab al-‘Arabiyya Society, and subsequently into al-‘Ulamaa’ Society.[6] In 1908, Mannanah became the principal of the Mam’uniyya School for Girls in the Old City, which had been established by the Governor of Syria, Jamal Pasha, thus becoming one of the pioneers of girls’ secondary education outside the framework of religious missionary schools.

We also learn from al-Sakakini’s memoirs that Mannanah was working to establish a “Young Women’s Association” in Jaffa and Jerusalem in collaboration with Hanneh al-‘Issa, the sister of journalist Hanna al-‘Issa, publisher of al-Asma‘i. As stated in al-Sakakini’s diary:

“Miss Hanneh [al-‘Issa] said: ‘Miss Mannanah and I have decided to establish a young women’s  association, and we will meet tomorrow to discuss it.’ So I told them, ‘I’d like to intrude on you by attending, in case I can help you with that.’”[7] 

It seems that al-Sakakini’s meddling was so excessive that we never heard anything more about this association!

We have no published material by Mannanah Sidawi other than the collection “Fataat al-Quds” [Jerusalem Maiden] which appeared in a serialialized form in al Asma‘i, the first cultural magazine to emerge in Palestine (1908–1910) following the adoption of the Ottoman constitution.

“Fataat al-Quds” reflects a rebellious feminist spirit that addresses the status of women in Palestine and takes bold stances for that period against the tyranny of oppression, ignorance, and exclusion suffered by young women in the cities of the Levant. It was written in the same romantic, some would say naïve, spirit that characterized the early work of Mannanah’s contemporary. Mai Ziadeh, even though we have no evidence that Mannanah was familiar with the work of Ziadeh.

It appears that al-Sakakini had encouraged Mannanah to write this emancipatory piece after his return from the United States and following the death of her brother Daoud, his close friend, from cholera in 1907; Daoud had become al-‘Issa’s co-editor on al-Asma‘i. In his diaries, he mentions that Mannanah handed him three drafts of “Fataat al-Quds.”[8]

In the preface to “Fataat al-Quds,” Hanna al-‘Issa wrote: 

““Fataat al-Quds” an essay comprising several installments, skillfully crafted by the distinguished writer Miss Mannanah Sidawi, sister of the late Daoud Sidawi, a man of nobility, virtue, and refinement, whose passing is deeply mourned. In it, the author seeks to encourage her fellow women to strive for progress and perfection and has divided it into installments to be published successively in the pages of al-Asma‘i.”[9] 

Despite this preface, only three installments of “Fataat al-Quds” were published in al-Asma‘i; the reason may be that al-‘Issa was forced to travel to Istanbul on an unexplained mission where he died suddenly, after which al-Asma‘i ceased publication.

Self-Repression and a Call to Rebellion

Mannanah begins her contribution to al-Asma‘i by saluting the women of Jerusalem and their struggle on the occasion of the outbreak of the 1908 Constitutional Revolution (the “Revolution of Freedom”):

“Today, the shrouds of darkness have lifted from the eyes of your brethren. They have risen to demand their rights with courageous hearts and free minds, setting their hopes on a great future. With one voice, they cry out for freedom. And I join them with my feeble voice, saying: Long live freedom! Long live Jerusalem! There is no doubt that men now have an important role to play on the stage of freedom. But the most important role is entrusted to you, my dear sister. Do not be surprised by my words, and do not soften your voice with kindness and mockery, asking, ‘What is our role, we who are weak?’ Do not confuse your physical weakness with your moral weakness, for you possess a mind and intelligence that your Western sisters envy, and I do not blame you if you have not yet realized this. Your role does not require you to attend forums or deliver speeches. Rather, your role is to illuminate your darkened mind and refine your character, which has been corrupted by captivity and tyranny.” 

She then adds: 

“From the East the moon’s light dawns on us, and from the east the radiant rays of the sun shine forth; but there is no light in the East as long as you, my dear sister, remain ignorant and mired in servitude.”[10]

In the next instalment of “Fataat al-Quds,” Sidawi addresses the causes of the Palestinian women’s weakness and backwardness, and compares the freedom of movement enjoyed by young boys with the restrictions placed on young girls’ movement. 

“When a girl is confined to the house, she is pressured not to move or raise her voice, and on top of that subjected to constant abuse, which weakens both her body and her spirit, she is barely three years old when her mother sends her and her sister to school just to get rid of them, not to mention the state of girls’ schools and the teachers’ ignorance of education and pedagogy.” 

The significance of this observation becomes clear in light of Mannanah’s appointment as director of the Ma’muniyya School in 1910, two years after these observations were made, when she, according to al-Sakakini, she attempted to implement reforms to improve the conditions in girls’ schooling. 

Mannanah Sidawi, 1912, Principal of al- Ma’muniyya School for Girls, Old City of Jerusalem. Photo by M. Savides. From the collection of Mona Halabi

The rest of the article addresses the psychology of discrimination against girls within the family and their transformation at an early age into commodities in preparation for marriage. 

“But I blame the nescience that regards a girl as a misfortune, leading people to despise her ... a girl is born healthy and strong, but within a few years she weakens for the reasons we have mentioned; then they cast her into the vast arena of life, frail, weak, and ignorant, and she may even die a martyr weighted down by traditions and sere customs. They welcome her as a misfortunate event; she lives as an elevated idol; and she dies without anyone mourning her simply because she is a girl.”[11]

In the third episode, Mannanah addresses what she calls the causes and consequences of moral weakness as opposed to physical weakness. “A female child’s will and independence of thought die as a result of being raised on ‘blind obedience.’” The author also addresses what she calls “praise blackmail,” the phenomenon in which a girl is deceived through flattery. 

“If she knew the dire consequences lurking behind all of this, she would weep bitterly over her own plight; the result is that the girl practices self-suppression. She refrains from expressing her thoughts, even if they are correct and sound, for fear that those near or far will belittle her, and she becomes accustomed to remaining silent about everything. Thus, she belittles herself, her will weakens, and her moral strength dies; she resorts to cunning and recklessness to amuse herself and cares only about external matters.”[12] 

Mannanah concludes her third article by calling on young women to fight: “As for you, young woman, what do you have to rely on if you lack a strong will? The world is in a constant state of war, especially against you. How can you triumph if you strip yourself of this strength? You are prone to daydreaming, so you believe that your happiness and success depend on your beauty, your intelligence, or your talent. Allow me to tell you that this belief is weak and fundamentally flawed, and it poses a danger to your future.”[13]

Retrospectively Sidawi’s articles may be seen as being permeated by an idealistic naivety from a current perspective, yet in the context of contemporary writing of her period, they are characterized by a boldness that is almost unprecedented in women’s writings at the turn of the century.

Mannanah Sidawi’s essays were discontinued when al-Asm‘ai ceased publication after its author traveled to Istanbul, presumably to defend the Arab Orthodox cause; the fate of the remaining essays remains unknown to this day.

The reader senses in Mannanah Sidawi’s writing a radical feminist spirit that goes beyond the moralistic approach characteristic of the early feminist contributions by figures such as Huda al-Sha‘rawi and Mary Tu‘meh. Her work is also characterized by a psychological interpretation of the mechanisms of oppression, similar to what we find in early 20^th-century European feminist literature. Perhaps the closest Arabic writings in this vein are found in May Ziadeh’s letters during her ordeal in Cairo and Beirut. [14]

Mannanah’s Children and Grandchildren Choose Their Own Faith 

We follow Mannanah’s intellectual life through the pages of al-Sakakini’s diaries, where she appears in five of the eight volumes. Most significant among these is her account of her romance and marriage to her friend ‘Adel Jabr, who, though secular in belief, belonged to a notable Muslim family. This was followed by her conflict with the Ottoman educational authorities when she was appointed as a teacher and later as principal of the most important girls’ school in Palestine at the time (al-Ma’muniyya), and her dispute with Muhammad al-Saleh, owner of Dar al-Ma‘arif, for reasons that remain unclear. Al-Sakakini speculates that Mannanah objected to the appointment of a new teacher who was a relative of al Saleh. Ostensibly al-Saleh objected to Mannaneh’s teaching style in his school.[15]

Perhaps one of Mannanah’s most pioneering and controversial initiatives was her decision to grant her children and grandchildren the freedom to choose their religious affiliation. She did so in agreement with her husband, ‘Adel Jabr. Together, they took a stance that is virtually unique in the history of the Arab world: allowing their three children to choose their religious affiliation upon reaching adulthood. They also secured a promise from their children that they would preserve this legacy for their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.[16] And what was the result? The children of the first generation, as well as the sons and daughters of the second and third generations, chose Christianity and Islam, respectively, with the exception of one of Mananah’s daughters, who chose neither and married a Muslim.[17]

Sources

1. Al-Sakakini’s Diaries, Vol. 1, Jan. 1, 1908, p. 48. ‎[In Arabic]‎

2. Ibid., p. 85.

3. Interview with Mannanah’s granddaughter, M. Hajjar, July 21, 2024.

4. Ya‘qub al-Awdat, Intellectual and Literary Figures in Palestine, 3^rd ed. (Jerusalem, 1992), p. 275.

يعقوب العودات، أعلام الفكر والأدب في فلسطين، الطبعة الثالثة 1992 (القدس)، صفحة 275.

5. Ibid.

6. ‘Abd al-Latif al-Tibawi, The Arabic Language Academy, Vol. 2, No. 5 (1968), p. 870.

عبد اللطيف الطيباوي، مجمع اللغة العربية، المجلد 2 عدد 5 1968، الصفحة 870‏.

7. Al-Sakakini’s Diaries, Vol. 1, p. 333.

8. See al-Sakakini’s Diaries, Vol. 1, pp. 324, 332, 340, Nov. 22, 1908.

9. Al-Asma‘i, Issue 5, Nov. 15, 1908.

10. Mannanah Sidawi, “Fataat al-Quds,” in Al-Asma‘i, Nov. 1, 1908.

11. Mannanah Sidawi, “Fataat al-Quds,” in Al-Asma‘i, First Year, Nov. 15, 1908.

12. “Fataat al-Quds: The Curse of Population Growth,” in Al-Asma‘i, Issue 8, First Year, Dec. 15, 1908.

13. Al-Asma‘i, Issue 8, Dec. 15, 1908.

14. See Jamil Jaber,  Mai of Hayatiha al Mudtaribah (Mai [Ziadeh] in her conflicted life). Dar al Jadid, Beirtut 2000. (added later ST)

15. See al-Sakakini’s Diaries, Vol. 2, p. 1912.

16. Interview with Mannanah’s granddaughter, M. Hajjar, July 21, 2024; source cited previously.

17. Ibid.