Jamil Sidqi al Zahawi

Jamil Sidqi al-Zahawi was an Iraqi poet, philosopher, professor, and critic. He was born in Baghdad, Iraq, to a wealthy and influential family. His father was the Mufti of Iraq and a member of the Ottoman parliament. He received a traditional education in Islamic sciences, literature, and jurisprudence, but also developed an interest in Western philosophy and science. He was influenced by the works of Darwin, Spencer, Huxley, and Nietzsche, and adopted a skeptical and rationalist approach to religion and society. He was a pioneer of modern Arabic poetry, introducing free verse, symbolism, and social criticism. He wrote more than 20 books of poetry, prose, and philosophy, and was known for his controversial views on women's rights, democracy, nationalism, and secularism. He was persecuted by the Ottoman authorities and the conservative religious establishment for his outspoken opinions, and was exiled several times. He returned to Baghdad in 1918 and became a professor of Islamic philosophy at the Royal University. He died in January 1936, and his funeral was attended by thousands of people. He is regarded as one of the most influential Arab intellectuals of the twentieth century.