Raouf Al Ayoubi
Raouf Al Ayoubi (1883 – 1957) was a prominent official in the Ottoman Empire, serving in several Palestinian cities before becoming governor of Hama during World War I. He later held the position of Minister of the Interior during the Great Syrian Revolt.
Raouf Al Ayoubi | |
|---|---|
رؤوف الأيوبي | |
 Raouf Al Ayoubi with his Master Freemason decorations in 1924 | |
| Minister of Interior | |
| In office 2 December 1926 – 8 February 1928 | |
| Preceded by | Wathiq Moayad al-Azm |
| Succeeded by | Said Mahasin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1883 Damascus, Ottoman Syria |
| Died | 1957 Damascus, Syria |
| Nationality | Ottoman (until 1918), Syrian |
Early Life and Career
changeRaouf Al Ayoubi was born in Damascus. He studied Government Administration at the Royal Institute in Istanbul and graduated in 1900. Following his studies, he worked as a teacher at the Royal School in Beirut and held various administrative role. Eventually, he ventured into the printing business, operating in Tiberias, Palestine, and later in Nazareth, Jaffa, and Jenin. At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, he was appointed governor of Hama.
Joining the Arab Revolution
changeWith the collapse of Faisal's government in the summer of 1920 and the establishment of the French mandate in Syria and Lebanon, armed uprisings erupted throughout the country, particularly along the northern coast. In 1925, the Great Syrian Revolt was initiated from Jabal al-Druze, led by Sultan al-Atrash. To accommodate various political factions, a national unity government was formed, headed by Ahmed Nami, the brother-in-law of Sultan Abdulhamid II. Nami pursued Housni al-Barazi, whom he blamed for weakening the revolutionary efforts in Ghouta, and placed his trust in Moayad al-Azm, a former Ottoman ambassador to Madrid. However, as the revolt continued unabated, Nami was replaced by Al-Ayoubi on December 2, 1926.
Al-Ayoubi engaged in negotiations with the revolution leaders, proposing a general amnesty in exchange for a ceasefire and a commitment to a political process that would lead to a new constitution for Syria. He also discussed Syria's potential membership in the League of Nations, envisioning a transformation of the mandate into a treaty between Syria and France, set to expire three decades later.
After all proposals were rejected, Al-Ayoubi opted for a security-focused approach, issuing several death sentences at the request of the French authorities, including those for Sultan al-Atrash, Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar, and other revolutionary leaders. During his tenure, he effectively brought an end to the Great Syrian Revolt, which had begun to wane by late 1927. The Nami government resigned on February 8, 1928, and Taj al-Din al-Hasani was appointed to lead the new government, in which the Ministry of the Interior was given to Judge Saeed Mahasin over Al-Ayoubi.
Minister of Interior
changeDuring the Great Syrian Revolution, a national unity government was formed under Ahmed Nami. Al Ayoubi became Minister of Interior on December 2, 1926, after the resignation of Wathiq Moayad al-Azm. He offered a general amnesty and a new constitution to end the revolution, but these offers were rejected. As a result, he took a more forceful approach, including executing several revolution leaders. His efforts helped subdue the revolution by the end of 1927.[3] His term ended on February 8, 1928, when Ahmed Nami's government resigned and Taj al-Din al-Hasani was appointed to lead the new government.[4][5]
Freemasonry
changeAl-Ayoubi was a member of the Freemasons with other notable Syrian political figures.
On December 18, 1922, the Grand Orient de France issued him a certificate confirming his status as one of the founding members of the Syria Lodge established a year earlier in Damascus. .[6]
He died in Damascus in 1957.
References
change- ↑ Al-Hakim, Yousef (1980). سورية والعهد الفيصلي (in Arabic). Dar Al-Nahar Publishing.
- ↑ "Yale University Library". findit.library.yale.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ↑ Babil, Nassuh (1987). صحافة وسياسية في سورية (in Arabic). Beirut: Dar Riad Najib Al Rayes.
- ↑ "Bulletin mensuel: des actes administratifs du Haut Commissariat" (in French). Le Numéro. 20 February 1928.
- ↑ texte, Haut-commissariat de la République française en Syrie et au Liban Auteur du; texte, France libre Délégation générale au Levant Auteur du; texte, France combattante Délégation générale au Levant Auteur du (1928-02-20). "Bulletin officiel des actes administratifs du Haut-commissariat / Haut-commissariat de la République française en Syrie et au Liban". Gallica. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ↑ "رؤوف الأيوبي" (in Arabic). damapedia.com.
Sources
change
- Al-Hakim, Yousef (1980). سورية والعهد الفيصلي (in Arabic). Dar Al-Nahar Publishing.
- Babil, Nassuh (1987). صحافة وسياسية في سورية (in Arabic). Beirut: Dar Riad Najib Al Rayes.
- Moubayed, Sami (2016). شرق الجامع الأموي: الماسونية الدمشقية 1868-1965 (in Arabic). Beirut: Dar Riad Najib Al Rayes.
- Qadama, Ahmad (1956). معالم وأعلام في بلاد العرب (in Arabic). Damascus.
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