Damascus, Once the World Leading Centre of Astronomy
In the 14th century, Syria had two of the most notable astronomers who contributed to the world of astronomy and the Syrian Muslim community. Al Khalili came up with tables
July 3, 2024
Categories
Soraya Tarzi: Soraya Tarzi: The Forgotten Queen of Afghanistan
This article tells the story of Soraya Tarzi, the first Queen of Afghanistan and a pioneer of civil rights. She was born in Damascus to a progressive father and a Syrian mother. She married Prince Amanullah Khan, who became the King of Afghanistan in 1919. Together, they introduced many reforms to modernize Afghan society, such as education for girls, women’s rights, and separation of religion and state. However, they faced resistance from conservative forces and had to leave the country in 1929. Soraya died in exile in 1968, but her legacy lives on.
In light of the current events in Afghanistan, one historical figure has become more relevant: Soraya Tarzi (1899-1968). She was the 1st Queen consort of Afghanistan in the early 1900s, becoming one of the world’s most influential women as she championed civil rights. Tarzi was born in Damascus to a progressive intellectual father exiled from Afghanistan, Sardar Mahmud Beg Tarzi of Pashtun ancestry & mother, Asma Rasmya Al Fattal of Aleppo. Her family later returned to Afghanistan & Prince Amanullah Khan sympathized with Mahmud Tarzi’s ideas. He married Soraya in 1913 when she was 14.
Amanullah Khan & Sorya Tarzi rose to power as King & Queen in 1919. The King led Afghanistan’s War of Independence against the British that same year. They separated religion from politics & greatly reformed Afghan society. Queen Soraya was the 1st Muslim consort in history to appear alongside her husband at official events, something unusual. She opened the 1st school for girls in the country in Kabul in 1921 & the couple took over policies like statewide access to education for girls, promotion of science & journalism, optional wearing of veils, female suffrage, creation of a telephone system & paving of roads. Tarzi also founded the 1st Afghan women’s magazine called Irshad-e-Niswan & a women’s organization Anjuman-i Himayat-i-Niswan, which reported mistreatment by male relatives.
In 1926 King Amanullah Khan appointed Queen Soraya as Minister of Education & she delivered a speech celebrating Afghanistan’s independence anniversary, stating, “Independence belongs to all of us. Women should also take their past as women did in the early years of our nation and Islam. We should all attempt to arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible.”
Their incredible ambitions did not sit well with the country’s conservatives & in 1929 King Amanullah Khan abdicated to prevent a civil war & went into exile. Soraya lived to observe some of the reforms she led come into effect in the 60s during Afghanistan’s modern golden era but died in exile in Rome in 1968 & was buried in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
