Guide publications de Beït al-Hikma
Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts, Beït al-Hikma
1 Guide to Publications of Beit al-Hikma / Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts Beit al-Hikma: 2010 (Tunis: SOTEP graphic printing) 268 p. 21 cm - Hardcover. ISBN: 978-9973-49-113-8
Books available at the Academy, may also be purchased online and in several bookstores.
It was drawn from 2000 copies of this book in its first edition
© All rights reserved the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Literature and Art - Beit al-Hikma
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Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts, Beït al-Hikma
Established in 1983, the Beit Al-Hikma Foundation became in 1992 in conformity with the 116-92 act issued on 20 November 1992- “a public enterprise with industrial and commercial attributes, granted with civilian status and financially independent” and called« Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts, Beït Al-Hikma ». Historical background The present-day seat of the Tunisian Academy is symbolic on more than one account. During the Husseinite era, it was called “Zarrouk Palace” because it was founded by the General Ahmed Zarrouk whose name was closely associated with the ruthless crushing of the Ali Ben Ghedhahem revolt in 1864, in the Sahel and Aradh regions. From 1943 to 1957, this Palace was the official residence of Mohammed Lamine, the last Bey of Tunisia. It was in that prestigious architectural building that a reception was given for Jules Ferry, who was to impose the French protectorate on the Regency of Tunis. It was also in that same building that a major event in the history of modern Tunisia took place : the solemn proclamation, by the French President Pierre Mendès France, of Tunisia‟s home rule
After independence, the Palace became the property of the state. It lodged for some time the National Craft Office, the National Institute of Archaeology, and then became home for the National Foundation Beït Al- Hikma.
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Objectives and missions
According to the act setting up the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts Beit Al-Hikma, the main missions of this institution are :
a. to be the meeting place for distinguished scholars and enable them to promote research in different fields of activities of the mind and of science, as well as to exchange their knowledge, b. to contribute, in co-ordination with similar institutions in the world, to the enrichment of the Arabic language ; to attend to its good usage ; and to bring together and develop its potentialities so that it has an equal level with the sciences and the arts, c. to contribute to safeguarding the patrimony in the field of research and edition, d. to elaborate dictionaries and encyclopaedias and to translate works, e. to organise symposiums and conferences in the different fields relevant to the attribution of the Academy, f. to encourage the creation and distribution of works of the mind and the art, g. to give advice on questions relevant to its attributions that might be submitted by its supervising authority, as well as any other ministerial department and any other institution.
4 Preface
The guide books published by the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts Beit al-Hikma, do not just present the two hundred and seventy titles published by us from 1983 to 2010. It also includes an overview of their contents which will facilitate access to the mass of material made available, true to its mission as an institution that works for translation, the establishment of texts and studies, it did has ceased to develop an understanding of our heritage and to support creation. It thus supports research in various fields of intellectual activity and may inform the treasures of the Arab-Islamic civilization known or unknown. Thus, the Academy has undertaken since its creation, publishing books in different fields of knowledge: humanities, social sciences, medicine and the arts. It was not confined to the book as an essential tool for the dissemination and propagation of knowledge, it has made efforts to organize seminars and conferences on subjects as varied as relevant, timely and timeless. By organizing the "International Meeting of Carthage, she created a network, a coterie of international leaders, from around the world discuss important topics of concern to humanity. Among the topics discussed at these meetings we include, among others: To be free today, the rational and the irrational, What is life?, Violence. All these conferences have been archived and published. Our Academy has not reached the international prestige that is conferred by these eminent personalities of East and West, without the attention given by His Excellency President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, in our institution and which does We stopped providing his care, his affection and kindness. We take this occasion to present to the Head of State the assurances of our highest consideration and gratitude by expressing again our commitment to work with dedication and perseverance, the realization of our projects.
The President of the Academy Abdelwahab Bouhdiba
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Translation Series
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Book Title: The Tunisian Workers and the Rise of the Trade Union Movement Author: Tahar Haddad Translator: Abderrazak Halioui Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 180 Language: English Publication Date: 1985 Price: 3.500 TND
This book, first published in Arabic in 1927, is a historical document. It is also a testimony. Tahar Haddad begins the book as a historian, drawing a picture in broad lines of the political, economic and social spectrum of the Regency of Tunis on the eve of the French protectorate in 1881. Then after a minute account of the dockers‟ strike in Tunis and then in Bizerte, he deals with the circumstances surrounding the creation of the Tunisian General Confederation of Labour (TGCL), telling us about the dockers‟ demands, the reverberations of their action, the local media reports of the incidents, the colonial government‟s stance, the incidents themselves and the arrests made. He then details the propaganda activities undertaken by the members of this confederation, before moving on to the strike of Hammam-lif which was the pretext for the arrest of the main trade union leaders, their trial and their deportation. But Tahar Haddad was no ordinary historian; he did not adopt a neutral position under the hypocritical banner of pseudo "objectivity". He openly sided with the exploited Tunisian workers, the weaker side, against their exploiters, the capitalist companies and their allies (the colonial authorities, the police forces, and the politically accepted journalists and trade unionists, dubbed as "correct"…). In fact, he was a key witness to the birth of the trade union movement in Tunisia, playing a major role in its emergence and actively participating in its propaganda campaigns, having been elected member of the propaganda campaigning unit within the TGCL. He had always taken sides with his untiring chairman M'hamed Ali Al-Hammi. He was his loyal friend, his adviser, his close confidant and always his apologist. Concluding his book, Tahar Haddad says: "In any social and industrial action, the people must be enlightened as to the duties that are incumbent upon them to fulfill, and the hindering defeatist attitudes must be eradicated".
7 Book Title: The New Approach to Modern Physics Author: Arthur March Translated by: Ali Belhadj Topic: Science Size: 15x21 Number of pages: 154 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1986 Price: 3 TND
This book traces back the steps that classical physics had gone through, leading to the birth of modern physics, from Democritus, Aristotle, Galileo, Newton and D'Alenbert down to Einstein, Planck and Paoli. Quantum physics has evolved in an ascending way up to abstraction. It has therefore become vey hard to digest. It is not possible any more to describe the phenomena of the microscopic world concretely, because the concepts used in the description of the visible world are no longer applicable to the description of the microscopic elementary particles; hence the need for a new approach that has radically changed modern physics. But the fundamental question is: If the analysis of basic phenomena is impossible, does it imply that they are - at the microscopic level - due to a random, unpredictable phenomenon? In other words, has the law of causality become obsolete? The answer, for Arthur March, is that quantum mechanics recognizes the existence of causality, but it does not allow for certainties. We can only say that such and such phenomenon may possibly happen, according to the law of large numbers in the theory of probability. Modern physics is thus required to abandon the idea of certainty, because only the probabilities of the various possible phenomena are accessible to our calculations.
Number of legal deposit: 732/86
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Book Title : Songs of Life Author : Abu-L-Qasim AL-Shabbi Translators : Lena Jayyusi and Naomi Shihab Nye Prefaced by : Salma Khadra Jayyusi Topic : Literature Size : 16x24 Number of pages : 140 Language : English Publication date : 1987 Price : 4.500 D.T. Foreign countries : 6 €
It is the first time that the Tunisian poet Abul-Qacim Chabbi‟s collection of poems „songs of life‟ has been translated into English. There is no doubt that the man was a great poet, extremely talented, but hopelessly underprivileged. His environment, his education and his disease were the sources of his strength and weakness, his agony and serenity, the reasons for his revolt and the causes of his failure, all at the same time. Anxious, anguished, and rebellious, he was, wavering between the drive to destroy everything, as everything seemed inadequate and imperfect, and the need to save the remnants, to abide by the traditions. Indeed, he has been criticized for the tedious length of some of his poems, for the excessive and constant use of words relating to joy and sorrow, cheers and tears, and for the heart- rending abstraction or inappropriateness of some expressions. But still, he is a poet of rare talents, endowed with a sharp, constantly alert sensitivity, helped by a brilliant imagination continually building connections, creating metaphors, imposing forms of expression sometimes incomparable, a haunting rhythm, and a lively music. He had spent his life chasing a dazzling ideal, «a distant dawn», «a reshaped daybreak». He was not against his fellow poets, but in order to continue with the traditions of his predecessors and show that he was worthy of his contemporaries, he was constantly seeking originality, as was demonstrated by Prof. Ameur Ghedira. Dépôt légal N° : 118/87
9 Book Title: Memoirs Author: Abul-Qacim Chabbi Translators: Mongi Chemli and Mohamed Ben Ismail Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 132 Language: French Publication Date: 1988 Price: 3.900 TND / 5 €
In addition to his collection of poems "Songs of Life", the great poet of Tunisia, Abul-Qacim Chabbi (1909-1934), also left some prose writings, including his "Memoirs", of which this is a French translation. It is short and incomplete, covering a period that barely exceeds six weeks (January-February 1930). Despite its brevity, this journal abounds in cogitation, events, impressions and various appraisals. The autobiographical element is not present in a big way; it is rather similar to several other literary genres: memoirs, meditation or essay. The writer does not unveil his secrets: some sketches of celebrities, notably his law professor Mohamed Malqi, and his close friends, young men of letters, including Mustapha Khraïef, Zine Al-Abidine Senoussi, Mohamed Halioui ... Concerning himself, the poet reveals some facts about his character, his upbringing, and his commitment to his father, but he is rather “tongue-tied” regarding his mother and his "fiancée", whose name he does not even reveal. However, when it comes to the concerns of his mind, he is quite fluent. He is serious about his readings; his remarks on arts (including drama) just show how much he cares. These memoirs clearly portray his personality, that of a hypersensitive poet, but a man of heart and culture.
I.S.B.N: 9973-911-03-2
10 Book Title: The Language of Mathematics in Arabic Author: Mohamed Souissi Topic: Mathematics Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 602 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1989 Price: 11.600 TND
Like societies, language is a living thing, constantly developing, always dismissing those words that fall into disuse and enriching itself by making new acquisitions resulting from the newly- made scientific discoveries. Meanwhile, knowledge grows and taps abundant linguistic resources. In the scientific field, the scientist has no freedom to create and innovate, as he has to do with strictly defined concepts and binding laws; he also has to manage with a "finite jargon", not like a literary man who even has the freedom to coin new words and phrases. Regarding the Arabic language, researchers in the Mashreq have done quite substantial research. They have made strenuous efforts which unfortunately remain scattered. The Arabic language has had to break away from its long lethargy and catch up with the dazzling scientific and technical breakthroughs that have generated new terms profusely. This doctoral thesis, which Professor Souissi has first written in French and then translated it into Arabic, comes within this linguistic context. In the first part, there is an overview of the development of Arab sciences, especially mathematics. The second part includes a glossary of words drawn from manuscript sources dating back to the golden age of Arab mathematics; and he has also made use of old language thesauri, like "Lisan al-Arab" by Ibn Mandhur and "Maqa'is al-lugha" by Ibn Faris, etc ...) as well as modern dictionaries and textbooks used in the Mashreq. It is worth noting that the right-hand page is devoted to the Arabic text and the left-hand page to the French and English translations. The notes elucidate the mathematical concepts, the method used or the instrument involved.
I.S.B.N: 9973-911-10-5
11 Book Title: The Origins of Arabic Philosophy Author: Pierre Duhem Translator: Abu Yaareb Marzouki Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 430 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1989 Price: 8.500 TND
This book is the Arabic translation of the last three chapters of Volume IV of the grand treatise: "The world system", by Pierre Duhem, in which he dealt with the development of thought patterns in the West, along the Plato and Aristotle philosophical models. What is worth noting is the interest that results from the study, which is devoted right from the start to the situation and the position of monotheistic believers in front of this entire ancient heritage. This book will open up wide gates to Greek thought and its lexicon for the Arab readers, which is essential. They also have the opportunity to read the text in two complementary ways: The first is to learn something about the Greek thought and then plunge into it per se. The second is a more personalized reading in a more critical approach. Indeed, Duhem deals with and mentions the Latin versions of the works of Arab-Muslim authors. Accordingly, great efforts and serious work need to be made: it would aim to make judgments relating to the different works building on Latin versions, and especially on the doctrines of the "falasifa", by referring to the Arab texts themselves. The translator has provided a clear and concise Arabic text that would recall the classical style, making use of the same terminology used by the most outstanding, original "falasifa" and "moutakallimoun", renouncing to coining neologisms that could be misunderstood. In most delicate contexts, the Greek, Latin or French word is bracketed, followed by its Arabic equivalent.
I.S.B.N: 9973-911-21-0
12 Book Title: Semilasso in Africa Author: Pückler-Muskau Translated by: Mounir Fendri and Sahbi Thabti Topic: Travel Accounts Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 520 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1989 Price: 10.200 TND
The importance of travel accounts is undeniable. It is true that as historical documents, they may be valuable to varying degrees, but certainly they do cast further light on historical events. Among the famous travel accounts that have remained virtually unknown, we cannot ignore the travels of the German prince Pückler-Muskau (hiding under the pen name of Semilasso), published in 1836. This German aristocrat, turning into a writer, devotes three of the five volumes of his book to recounting the details of his stay in Tunisia, from April to November 1835. During that period, and following the death of Hassine Bey, the Regency of Tunis was undergoing some internal political turmoil, the hero, and at the same time the victim of which was the Minister Chakir Sahib at-Tabaa. The Regency also experienced some external trouble, following the landing of the Ottoman navy in Tripoli to oust the Karmanli dynasty. Pückler- Muskau recounted these events, which he had either closely watched or heard of through the consul of France and various other well-informed personalities. This honoured tourist had enjoyed the full support of the Bey, who had greatly helped him with his journey across the country. He visited Zaghouan, Kairouan, Sfax, the towns of the Sahel, then Sbeïtla, Kasserine, Kef and the villages of the Medjerda Valley, enduring the fatigue of a tough journey. He had experienced many important events and got caught in quite unexpected situations. All in all, anything that drew his attention at that time is certainly important for us today, even if he was basically interested in nature, horses and old buildings and not enough in the population, its problems and concerns.
I.S.B.N: 9973-911-27-X
13 Book Title: On transformational grammar Author: Maurice Gross Translator: Salah Kechaou Topic: Linguistics Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 230 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1989 Price: 5.500 TND Foreign countries : 7 €
Il s‟agit de quatre études de Maurice Gross traduites en arabe et intitulées : Méthodes en syntaxe ; La structure des phrases simples en français ; La formalisation des langues naturelles ; Syntaxe et localisation de l‟information. Les études faites jusqu‟à présent autorisent à avancer une hypothèse générale : l‟élément linguistique de base est non pas le mot mais, la phrase simple. Cette hypothèse est indispensable du point de vue sémantique, et elle est nécessaire pour rendre compte d‟un grand nombre de faits syntaxiques complexes. Les tables syntaxiques de M. Gross sont l‟application directe de cette théorie : une entrée lexicale de verbe, (une ligne matrice), correspond en fait à l‟ensemble des phrases simples que l‟on peut construire sur ce verbe et sur ses éventuels dérivés. Le lexique et la grammaire des phrases simples se sont révélés inséparables. C‟est cette théorie du lexique / grammaire qui aura permis l‟intégration de nombreux faits complexes. La généralité de cette théorie est confirmée par des études portant sur d‟autres langues, en particulier deux thèses faites sur la syntaxe de l‟arabe par Mohamed Chad du Maroc, Salah Kechaou de Tunisie et Amr Hilmi Ibrahim d‟Egypte. Elles ont montré qu‟un lexique / grammaire de l‟arabe pouvait être construit sur cette base. La théorie du lexique / grammaire permet d‟entrevoir aujourd‟hui des applications informatiques élaborées, comme la traduction automatique ou la communication homme/ machine en langue naturelle, (ou presque). En effet, la démonstration est faite que la description présentée ici est applicable à la couverture complète d‟une langue naturelle ou d‟un de ses sous - langages techniques. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-26-1
14 Book Title: The Hundred Poems of Japan Translated: From Japanese into French by Claudine Frey From French into Arabic by Mohsen Ben Hamida Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 210 Language:Arabic and Japanese Publication Date: 1990 Price: 6TND Foreign countries : 7 €
The hundred poems of Japan are very famous and enjoy a special position in all the Japanese anthologies, even the most modern, despite their antiquity, as the most recent poem in the collection, dates back to the first half of the thirteenth century. They are of exquisite beauty and extraordinary brevity; a poem most often consists of five verses, four words each. These poems were written by several emperors, princes, ministers, advisers and major dignitaries, men and women, of the imperial court, such as Hitomaro, who lived in the late seventh and early eighth centuries. A famous poet, he was a close advisor to the Emperor and the rival of the "official" poet, Yamabe No Akahito, often cited in poetry anthologies. We can’t ignore to mention Abe No Nakamaro, whose legend gave rise to conflicting chronicles. According to one of these, he was sent to China on a secret mission, at the age of sixteen, but he would only return at the age of 35. Yet according to another, he never returned, as the Emperor of China, having suspected him, left him to himself in a remote monastery until he perished. It is said that he would have bitten his arm and written his poem with his own blood. This poetry, all soothing, is full of sensitivity, cherishing nature and love, with rather disillusioned, romantic spells and fine allusions, in keeping with the traditions of poets of the Far East in general, and Japan in particular.
I.S.B.N: 9973-911-40-5
15 Book Title: The Economic Development of Tunisia (1881-1920) Author: Mohamed Salah Mzali Translator: Hedi Timoumi Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 210 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 5.500 TND Foreign countries : 7 €
This scientific research was originally written in French by Mohamed Salah Mzali, who, little by little climbed the political ladder under the French colonial rule, reaching the position of head of the government in 1954, at a time when the Tunisian national movement was at its peak, while the French colonial system was practically crumbling. His name is generally associated with Paul Voizard, the French General Governor in Tunisia, and their suggested reform package, which was strongly rejected by the Tunisian people, considering it a step backward compared to the popular demands, pushing for total independence. But M.S Mzali is also known for his few works on humanities and social sciences and this doctoral thesis on "The Economic Development of Tunisia (1881-1920)". It is a very useful historical document as it contains valuable data on the beginnings of Tunisian capitalism. Under the French Protectorate, studies and research work dealt mainly with the economic activities of the French settlers, but hardly ever with the activities of Tunisian capitalists. The book is divided into 3 parts: - The environment (natural environment, resources, needs) - The human factor (races and characters) - Development (mining, manufacturing, potentials) Therefore, the importance of this study derives from the information it contains and the insight it brings into the economic factor, this "hidden god", in Lucien Goldman’s words, as it is a history maker without it publicly being seen as such.
I.S.B.N: 9973-911-42-3
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Book Title: The Egyptians. Rejoinder to a Pamphlet by the Duke of Harcourt Author: Kacem Amin Written by: Souad Triki Topic: Reformist Thought Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 140 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 3 TND Foreign countries : 4 €
Kasim Amin (1865-1908) is one of the pioneers of the reformist movement in Egypt, rising to fame especially for his struggle for the liberation of women. This book is a response to the Duke of Harcourt, who in his book about the Egyptians spoke of their eternal backwardness. For Kacem Amine, regardless of whether Egypt is now a backward country, it is unacceptable to affirm that it would never get over this situation. In fact, the Duke’s offending attitude against Egypt and the Egyptians fits into a general atmosphere of Islam phobia, nourished by the writings of Taine, of Renan and many others in Europe; and Kacem Amine retorts through this book, which he wrote in French, and which the Tunisian Academy has deemed fit to translate into Arabic, given its importance. In this book, Kacem Amine’s personality is revealed as a disciple of the great rationalist Imam Mohammad Abdou and the outstanding reformist theorist Jameleddine Afghani. In order to stand up to the hegemony and defiance of Europe, he sees only one way out: launching a relentless fight against intellectual apathy and ignorance, which had generated decadence in the Muslim world during that time. The only chance for winning the battle is to reform the political institutions and the legal system by promoting education, empowering women, and especially by a major economic expansion that will allow the Muslim nation to regain its bygone dynamism and power.
I.S.B.N: 9973-911-50-4
17 Book Title: Ewald‟s Missionary Travels from Tunis to Tripoli Author: Christian Ferdinand Ewald Translator: Mounir Fendri Topic: Travel Accounts Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 168 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1991 Price: 5 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
In this book, first published in German in 1837 by Christian Ferdinand Ewald, the author recounts his travels in Tunisia and Libya, where he went, not as a tourist, but as a missionary trying to convert Jews as well as Moslems into Christianity, himself being of Jewish origin. His compatriot Prince Puckle, who had been living in the Regency of Tunis during the same period and knew him quite well, says ironically that he had miserably failed to convert any person, despite the huge number of gospels that he had generously distributed. Coming from Algeria, Ewald arrived to Tunis in 1835.He then went to Tripoli, going on his way through Soliman, Nabeul, Hammamet, Hergla, Sousse, Monastir, Mahdia, El Jem, Sfax, Gabes and Djerba. After staying in Tripoli for two months, he returned to Tunis and later, he recounted all the experiences that he had had during his travels, and which abound with relevant records. For instance, he tells us about his stay in Gabes, with his host, the Maltese "philosopher"; he provides details on the civil war that had broken out in Tripoli; he also talks about being quarantined for security reasons on his return from Djerba,etc. At the royal palace in Bardo, Ewald attended the ceremony held on the occasion of the return of Minister Chakir Saheb at-Tabaa from Istanbul. He describes the pomp and splendour of the investiture ceremony during which the minister gave the Bey the caftan from the Ottoman Sultan. The wedding ceremony of Minister Shakir himself was a stunning celebration, with incredible splendour, which the missionary, clearly delighted, describes in full detail. However, what he says about the Islamic religion is tainted by utterly wrong ideas revealing that he is an overzealous, biased neophyte.
I.S.B.N: 9973-911-63-6
18 Book Title: The family of Pascual Duarte Author: Camilo José Cela Translators: Jomaa Sheikha and Mohamed Nejib Ben jemia Topic: Foreign Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 156 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1991 Price: 4.500 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
Camilo José Cela was born to a Spanish father and an English mother; he also had an Italian grandmother. After he had finished his studies and travelled widely, he had many jobs: journalist, poet, filmmaker, painter, bullfighter, etc ... Having travelled far and wide across Spain, he could discern the massive contradictions of Spanish society and its tumultuous history. Later, he was invited by British and American universities, where he lectured extensively, and in 1957 he was admitted to the Spanish Royal Academy. Camilo José Cela wrote abundantly (more than fifty titles) which were the subject of hundreds of studies and doctoral theses. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1989 for all his works, and particularly, for his novel "The Family of Pascual Duarte" written and published in 1942 and translated into several languages. This novel had a major impact on post war Spain, especially among writers during the second half of the twentieth century. It tells the story of Pascual Duarte, who is about to be executed for murder. Pascual shares his story about his family life and his homicidal past before he got into jail. He says the Fate is controlling his life and that whatever he does, it won't change. He is revealed as an intellectually rustic and unsophisticated character, sometimes rough, but infatuated with justice and deeply humane.
I.S.B.N: 9973-911-82-2
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Book Title : Sleepless Nights Author : Ali Douagi Translator : William Granara Topic : Literature Size : 16x24 Number of pages : 120 Language : English Publication date : 1991 Price : 4.500 D.T. Foreign countries : 6 €
Ali Douagi was born in Tunis in 1909. He was orphaned at the age of five and was brought up by a loving mother who sent him to the French-Arabic school; but he soon dropped out. He would lead an idle life, giving vent to his curiosity and spleen, a life he shared with the poet Mustafa Khraïf, the novelist Mohammed Laaribi, the singer Salah Khemissi and many other bohemian artists of Tunis, gravitating towards»Taht As-sour» coffee shop in Bab Souika. His sensitivity was constantly on the alert in an ever changing society, undergoing deep transformations. He could encapsulate the smallest details of the Western impact on Tunisian society. These changes and transformations are the subject of his short novels, mostly published in the magazine «Al-Mabahith» in the mid-forties. Fifteen of these have been compiled in the collection entitled «Sahirtu minhu al-Layali» (literally: I‟ve had sleepless nights because of him) and have been translated into English for the first time on the initiative of Beit al-Hikma. The reader will realize that no metaphysical digressions, nor any pedantic and ridiculous moralist attitudes, such as is the case in the Arab novel between the two Wars, will spoil this series of snapshots caught on camera. A sophisticated and whimsical artist, Douagi is undoubtedly the founder of the novel in Tunisia. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-72-5
20 Book Title: The Autobiography Author: Georges May Translators: Mohamed El Qadhi and Abdallah Soula Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 268 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1992 Price: 6 TND Foreign countries : 7 €
The contours of the autobiography as a literary genre have only been relatively well outlined during the past few years. However, several questions remain unanswered: Can the autobiography be classified? Is it characteristic of western cultures? Do people always write their autobiography at the end of their life? Is the author of an autobiography necessarily known to his readers before writing it? Why do people write about themselves? Is it to mend their ways, to refute false allegations, to take revenge or simply for self-esteem? Do they want to pit their strength against history? Or are they perhaps driven by fear of death or simply out of sheer boastfulness? After trying to answer these questions, going by sample autobiographies rather than principles, the author compares the autobiography to other literary genres associated to it, such as the memoir, the diary, and the novel. He concludes that the autobiography still has its own entity despite the diversity of its forms and the impossibility of sharply delineating its contours. Ultimately, it is this uncertainty which allows us to grasp the truth of this literary genre. By denying any delineation and disproving the predictions of pessimists who wanted to bury it, despite the sometimes exaggerated enthusiasm of its readers, the autobiography continues to attract the most diverse literary talents. It still delights its fans, inebriates them or rather, brings them back to reason. The book ends with an index of the most famous autobiographies in western literature.
I.S.B.N: 9973-911-94-6
21 Titre de l‟ouvrage : Tunisie, mon amour Auteur : Xi Pinro Traducteurs : Khedija et Farhat Dachraoui Thème : Littérature Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 120 Langues : arabe et chinoise Date de parution : 1992 Prix de vente : 2.500 D.T. Foreign countries : 4 €
Xi Pinro a, dès son jeune âge, écrit des poèmes alors qu‟il était encore élève. Puis il a fait paraître deux recueils de poésie dans les années 50 du dernier siècle. A l‟Université de Nankin, il a étudié la langue française, puis il a poursuivi ses études supérieures en France, à Grenoble. Devenu journaliste, puis directeur de l‟Agence chinoise d‟informations, il a exercé en Afrique centrale, en Egypte et en Tunisie. Lors de son second séjour dans notre pays, il a composé ces poèmes, en chinois et en français. Ses thèmes favoris – l‟amour, la nature, la vie – sont des thèmes éternels, et il s‟est surtout inspiré du patrimoine littéraire de son pays. Cependant, il avoue avoir été influencé aussi par Tagore, Hugo et Pouchkine. Le présent recueil est en quelque sorte un bouquet qu‟il a offert à la Tunisie, son amour, qui l‟a séduit par son «ciel bleu, son sourire, sa douceur, l‟éclat de ses couleurs et la splendeur de ses lumières».
Voici un de ses poèmes les plus caractéristiques : « Si la vie était… » Si la vie était sans amitié, Si la vie était sans entente, Nous nous sentirions étrangers Nous nous sentirions gelés Même dans les lieux les plus familiers. Même dans les lieux les plus animés.
Si la vie était sans espoir, Si la vie était sans liberté, Nous plongerions dans l‟obscurité Nous nous sentirions prisonniers Même par une journée ensoleillée. Même en plein paradis.
I.S.B.N : 9973-929-03-9
22 Book Title: A Journey to Sudan Author: Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Zayn al- Abidine Translators from Ottoman Turkish into French: Marcel Gray and Jean-Louis Bacqué - Grammont; from French into Arabic: Abdallah Maaouia Topic: Travels and Accounts Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 122 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1993 Price: 3 TND Foreign countries : 4 €
Professor Maaouia has come across this translation from Ottoman Turkish into French, itself translated from an Arabic version that has so far been missing. Its author, Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Zayn al-Abidine, is a Tunisian who might have travelled to Sudan around 1818, reportedly staying in Sennaar for nine months, and then would have settled in Kordofan where he would have got acquainted with an Ibrahim Asaardi who had been living there for three years. There, he would have witnessed the Egyptian invasion of Kordofan under the Daftardar, minister of finance and Mehmet Ali’s son-in-law. Then the two companions go to Darfur where they have incredible adventures that the author describes in thorough and exciting details. Among other exhilarating adventures they attend the death of a sultan and the crowning of his brother. Sheikh Zayn al-Abidine is an endearing personality; he is an adventurer who sets off on a risky journey in the hope of discovering hidden treasures. Like his contemporaries, he thinks that the Sudanese are wild people, but he is rather open to them. He gives a minute description of the manners and customs of the natives. His comments could be relevant for an ethnographic and ethnological study. Translating this book is somehow bringing it back to its original heritage. Yet, it should be submitted to a meticulous historical and critical analysis which would uncover the mysteries overshadowing this Sheikh and clear the doubts about the reality of this trip.
I.S.B.N: 9973-929-15-2
23 Book Title: The Tunisian Historians of the 17th, 18th, & 19thCenturies Author: Ahmad Abdesselem Translated by Ahmad Abdesselam and Abderrazak Halioui Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 602 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1993 price: 12 TND Foreign countries : 13 €
During the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries, Tunisia opened up to foreign influence as the conditions of life and the cultural context changed; and this accounts for the wide area of interest dealt with in this doctoral thesis, which would otherwise limit itself to chroniclers and biographical collections. The publications of the nineteenth century whose prime concern was political action are therefore involved; they illuminate the historian better than dry annals. Reference is especially made to "Safwat al-ïtibar" of Mohamed BeyramV, "Aqwam al-masalik" of Kheredine Attounsi and the whole works of the polygraph As-Sanusi. The book is divided into three parts: part I deals with the intellectual context and the education of the historians, part II with the writers and their works, and part III with the historians, their ideas and their methodology The works of the Tunisian historians of the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries reveal, in terms of content as well as conceptions, methods, language and style of their authors, the extent to which the collapse experienced by the country towards the end of the 16th century was devastating, affecting political and social structures as well as the economy, intellectual and cultural values. They equally reveal in more detail than is commonly believed the efforts made, during those three centuries, towards re-establishing a certain balance and averting decline. These efforts didn’t always fall through, but their relative success simply didn’t make it possible for Tunisia to match the western influence with the necessary defensive capabilities that only a strong and constantly reviving society can have. Hence the hesitation, confusion, strange complacency and stunning abandonment.
I.S.B.N : 9973-929-11-X
24 Book Title: The Genesis of Oblivion Author: Mahmoud Messaadi Translator: Taoufik Baccar Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 47 Language: French Publication Date: 1993 Price: 1.700 TND Foreign countries : 3 €
In "The Genesis of Oblivion," the names of the characters are reminiscent of the ancient legend of the Glorious Days of the Arabs, a heroic period of paganism and courtesy. There is first Madyan, an idealistic doctor, draped in the mantle of dream and fantasy. His wife Layla, whose name brings back to mind the heroine of courtly love in Arab culture, is tender and receptive. Their maidservant Hind, (another pre-Islamic name) and the mysterious magician with the barbarian name of Ranjahad are the other two characters in this story. The central theme is the search for oblivion. Madyan is overwhelmed by the enduring memory of a beloved woman that death had stolen away from him. He wishes to join her despite his wife Layla, sensitive and especially jealous of a past she had not shared. He is also obsessed with death, much like the hero of "Death in Venice" by Thomas Mann. The characters of "The Genesis of Oblivion" are a pretext for elaborating on metaphysical issues, very little addressed so far in the contemporary Arab literature. The theme of oblivion, which is inherent to death, is dealt with artistically, but not without Messaadi providing the necessary props. It is therefore not a purely abstract metaphysical novel. Occasionally, there are captivating Mediterranean illustrations recalling a Matisse or a Van Gogh. We can see Madyan and Layla sitting at a table loaded with pulpy "Mediterranean"fruit. The hero is smitten with so much magnificence, colours, carnal, and humanity, thinking about the relentless worm (the death inside us) that nests in the heart these beautiful bodies. Abstract and concrete are united in this philosophical novel, a bit unreadable for the inexperienced reader, despite the clarity of this translation. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-09-8
25 Book Title: The Sadiki School and Sadiki Students Author: Ahmad Abdesselem Topic: Heritage / History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 98 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1994 Price: 2800 TND Foreign countries : 4 €
Nowadays, the Sadiki School is only one secondary school among many others in our country, but it has always been present in the hearts and minds of Tunisians; a position that is commensurate with its role in the making of modern Tunisia, the shaping of its values and the education of its elites and its leaders, since about two thirds of them are former Sadiki students. In this book, Professor A. Abdesselem accurately traces the history of this school from its foundation in 1875 until the present day. Reviewing the various events that have affected its history, he points out to the serious impact it has had to undergo - more than any other school - following the events experienced by our country in the last century. Among other things, he stresses the values so dear to our society and the culture that the Tunisian reformers advocated. Founding the Sadiki School, Kheredine had already elaborated a curriculum largely inspired from European curricula, which were, according to him, at the origin of the remarkable progress that Europe had achieved. But at the same time, he was careful not to neglect the contribution of traditional education. The interaction between national identity and modernity is at the core of the Tunisian culture in the eyes of the elite of our country, and the balance between these two components has always been a major concern, despite the political, economic and social changes. After all, what is most precious and enduring and what would resist to the vagaries of history is a spiritual and not a worldly order: it is the essence of our vision of the world and our relation to it, which emerged from the common experience of the Sadiki students. This is what they mean by saying: The Sadiki School is our home, it has a soul!. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-24-1
26 Book Title: The Tunisian Ulemas (Religious Scholars) (1873-1915) Author: Arnold H. Green Translators: Hafnaoui Amaïria and Asma Moalla Topic: Religion Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 429 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1995 Price: 12TND Foreign countries : 13 €
The wide spectrum of local situations and particular circumstances in the Middle Eastern countries accounts for the disparity of the Ulemas‟ stances regarding the two central issues that had marked the period between 1873 and 1915, namely secular reform and the emergence of nationalist movements. As far as the Tunisian Ulemas and their positions towards these two issues are concerned, we should bear in mind that most of the research work based on reforms drawing on the western experience and the beginnings of the nationalist movement in Tunisia, focused mainly on the political and constitutional developments and neglected the role of these Ulemas. They would only rarely and marginally participate in the historic events affecting their countries. Even when they were referred to, they were presented as a monolithic whole, with the majority‟s opinion being ascribed to them all. The great orientalist AH Green wanted to rectify this image, drawing a clear picture of the social dynamics leading to the making of these scholars, and the diversity of their attitudes towards the different currents of thought during the same period. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-35-7
27 Book Title: Grand Commentary of Aristotle‟s „On the Soul‟. Author: Ibn Rochd (Averroes) Latin Text established by FS Crawford and translated into Arabic by Brahim Gharbi Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 592 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1997 Price: 13.230 TND Foreign countries : 30 €
If Averroes‟ Grand Commentary of Aristotle‟s „On the Soul‟ has for the past centuries remained in the confines of the Latin language, then its translation into Arabic is meant to be the retrieval of one of the eternal works of philosophical thought in the Arab-Islamic civilization; especially that the publication of this translation coincides with the 8th centennial commemoration of Averroes‟ death by the Tunisian Academy Beit Al- Hikma. The Latin text was established by Pr. F.S Crawford, of Boston University and published under the aegis of the Medieval Academy of America, Massachusetts, and is reproduced here in its entirety. What Abul-Walid Muhammad Ibn Rochd was seeking is to defend the right of Reason to exercise its basic function against anyone who denied these rights (including Al-Ghazali). The three Commentaries of Aristotle that he had compiled take on their full implication within a general context of a deep and profound line of thinking seeking to digest, for its own sake, the best of the old philosophical heritage, but without the rational approach adversely affecting Faith. And this accounts for the dual philosophical value of Averroes‟ "Grand Commentary", when considered on its own. Firstly, it trains the reader‟s mind to absorb some of the central tenets of Aristotle‟s thought. Secondly, through this Commentary, which is to some extent a recreation of the original work, Averroes unveils the Greek philosopher‟s thought. Justice has then been done to the intrinsic originality of this literary genre and its peculiarity highlighted; we can see an active interaction involving Averroes and the original author. Therefore, what we actually have is the fruit of strenuous efforts leading to a personal reconstruction of the original work; what we would today call a rereading of Aristotle, with Averroes revealing his own potentialities as a great philosopher who had fully digested all the components of the Arab culture during his period.. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-42-1
28 Book Title: Lucius Apuleius An Anthology Collected and Commented by Ammar Mahjoubi Translated into Arabic by: Mohamed Larbi Abderrazak Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 84 Language: Arabic Publication date: 1998 Price: 2.500 TND Foreign countries : 4 €
Apuleius was a novelist of great renown in ancient Carthage. He rose to fame especially by his novel "Metamorphoses" or "The Golden Ass". It is the first time in the history of Latin literature that a prose novel achieves a major success no less important than its counterpart masterpieces in Greek literature. But the reputation of Apuleius is also due to his multi-faceted personality: He is a man with a solid background in both Greek and Latin cultures; he also translated Greek works, which allowed St Augustine, among others, to discover the treasures of Greek thought and Platonic philosophy towards the end of the fourth century; he studied Latin oratory and was an eloquent orator and talented lecturer; a pious man with mystic inclinations; a doctor who devoted himself for some time to magic (he was even accused of using magic to gain the attention-and fortune- of the wealthy widow he married);and finally a historian in perfect harmony with the Roman culture and civilization, during the 2ndcenturyA.D. The texts that constitute this anthology are excerpts from „Metamorphoses‟, a bawdy picaresque novel full of digressions and adventures; from "Florida" and "Apologia" (A Discourse on Magic), although in fact it has very little to do with magic (like the conference Apuleius gives at Carthage theatre, or his speech on his "Persian" waters thermal cure of „Hammam-lif‟) and finally from "De Deo Socratis" (On the God of Socrates), where we discover his sophist meditations. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-43-8
29 Book Title: The Origins of the National Movement in Tunisia (1904-1934) Author: Ali Mahjoubi Translator: Abdelhamid Chabbi Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 725 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1999 Price: 16.500 TND Foreign countries : 18 €
Under the trusteeship system, the colonialist regimes have so much fed on the exploitation of other peoples, for the great benefit of foreign capitalism and settlers, and Tunisia had not escaped the rule. That is why the French Protectorate inevitably ran up against the interests of the majority of the local population, leading to serious economic, social and political discrepancies, giving birth to the Tunisian national movement. At the dawn of the twentieth century, these contradictions simply sharpened with the concurrence of favourable factors, giving rise to a national awakening fed by a booming press. The period from 1904 to 1934, which is the subject of this Ph.D thesis, was marked by the activities of the Old destour party claiming self-rule and reforms within the Protectorate. After a setback due to the April 1922 crisis, and following a period of relative resurgence, the party‟s influence dwindled again from 1926 to 1930. The „wicked‟ laws of 1926 were followed by a hardening of nationalist claims. The last chapter of this work is devoted to the causes that led to the break-up of the Old destour, and these are: a deep economic stagnation, a slump in the prices of mining and farming products, growing difficulties in the Tunisian traditional craft industries sector and a significant drop in trade. The social consequences of this crisis had been disastrous, especially for the Tunisian rapidly growing population and had inevitably led to a toughening of the nationalist movement, culminating in the birth of the Neo-destour, following the 1934 Congress in Ksar Helal. I.S.B.N : 9973-92946-2
30 Book title: The Literary life in Ifriqiya under the Zirids (2volumes) Author: Chédly Bouyahia Translator: Mohamed Larbi Abderrazak Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V.1: 416, V.2: 383 Language: Arabic Publication date: 1999 Price: 17.500 TND Foreign countries : 19 €
The Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma has undertaken the translation of this important doctoral thesis (originally written in French by Professor Chédly Bouyahia), reflecting a firm conviction that any researcher, wanting to dig deep into the components of the Tunisian culture, must have major relevant reference texts and sources close at hand. The study covers a period of two centuries (972-1160), a period during which literature thrived and was marked by the production of some the most brilliant literary masterpieces in the history of our country, and the supremacy of what the author calls "the literary school of Quayrawan". And because monographs and relevant studies are virtually non-existent, the author has undertaken, in the first part of the book, to make an exhaustive inventory of the writers, including biographical notes and their works. He has devoted the second part to a typology of these writers and their different activities within the general context and the detailed, circumstantial aspects of the literary life at that time; while the third part is a systematic analysis leading to a synthesis of poetry and prose works, both in terms of aim, genre, or theme, and in terms of art form, style and general features. The book ends with an overview of the literary scene that characterized the literary school of Quayrawan. Eventually, the author admits that most of the time, he has expressed his own viewpoints regarding the literary value of the works he covered in his study, sometimes agreeing with the critics, whose opinions he quoted, and sometimes not, as he believes that literary criticism is in fact part of any literary study. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-50-0
31 Book Title: Aggressive Behaviour Author: Abdelwahab Mahjoub Translator: Noureddine Kridis Topic: Philosophy Size:16x24 Number of Pages: 160 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2001 Price: 8.500 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
In its endeavours to make up for the want of specialized scientific books in different fields in the Tunisian library, the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Literature and Arts, Beit Al- Hikma has proceeded to the republication of this book. Arabic publications on the psychology of the child and particularly the adolescent, but also on educational sciences, are still insufficient if not scarce; and as such, the publication of this book is a landmark in psychological research in Tunisia. Straightaway, the author makes a difference between impulsive aggressiveness and premeditated instrumental aggressiveness for a utilitarian goal, making it clear that he will only be concerned with the first type, warning against any attempts to explain aggressiveness in terms of subjective causality and drawing attention to the importance of social criteria such as role and status. In the first part of the book, Pr.Mahjoub itemizes the different types of aggressiveness according to the Freudian, Lorenzian and the Yale school paradigms. In the last part of the book, by far the most important, he goes on to analyze child aggressiveness in the light of the most recent psychological theories. There is also an annotated French –Arabic glossary along with a bibliography of relevant reference books, overwhelmingly English and American. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-74-8
32 Book title: Taha Hussein As depicted by his Contemporaries Accounts and studies translated into Arabic by Mongi Chemli and Omar al-Mokdad Jemni. Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 420 Language: Arabic Date of publication: 2001 Price: 12,500 TND. Foreign countries : 14 €
This book is an anthology of selected chunks originally written in French by authors who have closely witnessed the tumultuous life of Taha Hussein, his thought, cultural activism, struggle for his literary conceptions, ideas about civilization and methodological approach to history, and who have also watched his fight for the introduction of a modern educational system, based on "social justice", which itself should be founded on "political freedom". This is to say that we have to do with a bunch of reliable authors, who are fully aware that Taha Hussein had lived on the brink of the abyss, and that he had a turbulent life, as most of his works emanated out of the "heart of the battle", be it political or intellectual or both at the same time. It is worth adding that the selected texts were published in not easily accessible periodicals or in rare costly books. Besides, these texts are thematically classified: 1) Accounts on Taha Hussein, the Man and the Writer (Mu'nis Taha Hussein, Michel Tournier, Etiemble). 2) "The book of Days", Departure and Destination (Gaston Wiet, André Gide, Leïla Louca) 3) The Meeting of the East and West for Taha Hussein (Anouar Louca, Nada Tomiche) 4) The Koran and Islam Reflected in Taha Hussein‟s Mirror (Louis Gardet, Jacques Berque) 5) Taha Hussein, a Pioneer of Modern Arab "Humanism" (Mohamed Hassan Ezzayat, Raïf Georges Khoury) 6) Taha Hussein: Lessons learned from his biography and his itinerary (Chistian Lamourette, Raymond Francis)) I.S.B.N : 9973-929-70-5
33 Book Title: Ibn Sina and the Anatomy of the Brain Authors: Abdelkhalek Ben Rejeb and Najah Marnissi Topic:Medicine Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 216 Language: French Publication Date: 2002 Price: 9 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
Of all the basic sciences that have contributed to the development of medicine among Arabs, we can not ignore anatomy, which has for a long time been questioned. Several factors account for the fact that the scientific heritage, especially medical, of the Arab- Islamic civilization is widely scattered in different libraries across European countries, and in most cases, many books and manuscripts have been lost. Another reason is the absence of Arab researchers specialized in the study of Arab medical manuscripts in general and anatomy in particular. This work aims at arousing interest, curiosity and the spirit of scientific quest among researchers. It is not meant to be a historical presentation about our celebrated ancestors, or a dreamer gaze on the glories of the past. It is rather a methodological survey of often overlooked scientific facts about Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and his work on the anatomy of the brain, but also the work of his predecessors, i.e. Galen, Ar-Razi and Al-Majoussi, and successors, i.e. Ibn Nafis and especially Ibn Al-Qof. In order to make this research more readable, the authors have presented it in well- adapted modern medical language, emphasizing the positive and negative points regarding this issue. The authors first proceed with a brief historical overview, both general and specific, leading on to an account on the diseases of the nerve system, revealing a perfect knowledge by Muslim doctors of functional and descriptive anatomy. The last chapter is devoted to a controversial issue: that of anesthesia and resuscitation among Arab-Muslim doctors.
I.S.B.N: 9973-929-82-9
34 Book title: Keys to the twenty-first century A Collective Work: translated by H. Sahli, A. Halioui and S. Triki Topic: Culture / Science Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 704 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2003 Price: 24 TND Foreign countries : 25 €
Published in 2000 by the UNESCO, this book is the fruit of a joint undertaking by several scholars and specialists from all over the world. They have tried hard to provide answers to the questions facing humanity at the dawn of the twenty-first century, in a prospective and daring perspective.These are some of the most important questions that were debated: What will the future be like? What is the fate of the human species? Will biotechnology lead to a brave new world? What new diseases lie in wait for us in the next century? Will there be enough water for all? Will the developing countries be able to produce their own food? What about space exploration? Are we heading towards a clash of cultures or rather to a hybrid culture? What will be the new generations‟attitude towards their heritage? What will become of languages, especially the endangered ones? Will literature and the arts have a role in our life? What about the dominant passions in the twenty-first century? What are the new dimensions of education? Are we heading towards an ethereal society? What about human and children‟s rights? Will there be no racial segregation and no poverty? Will Africa be the cradle of a new civization? And finally, are we in fact ready to face the twenty-first century? I.S.B.N : 9973-929-87-X
35 Book Title: On Descriptive Writing Author: Philippe Hamon Translation: Souad Triki Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 536 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2003 Price: 26,500 TND Foreign countries : 28 €
Poetry for Ibn Rachiq, apart from a few exceptions, falls under the realm of description. And as such, it is almost impossible to delineate its contours or study it exhaustively. Roland Barthes and his contemporary disciples believe that description is often tedious; for them it is only subordinate to narration. In between these two positions, there are those who think that description has an essential and inevitable function. This is insofar as description is concerned. As regards descriptive writing, it embraces all the cultural environment in the descriptive process, including the writer‟s skills and the reader‟s appreciation, their mood and the interaction between them. What Philippe Hamon aimed at in this book is the elaboration of a poetic or semiotic means for description; perhaps building on Benveniste‟s view that description is closer to the semiotic rather than the semantic structure of texts; and this approach has been fundamental in making the difference between what is narrative and what is descriptive. And if in Abu Hayan At-Tawhidi‟s words „using language to talk about language is difficult and a dizzy turn as it is a source of ambiguity‟, so is P. Hamon‟s „description‟ of description; that is why he drew on a wide range of samples, starting from Homers but concentrating on the main French novelists and literary critics, in olden and modern times, from Du Bellay to H.de Balzac, Flaubert, E. Zola, G.de Maupassant, and on to Robbe Grillet, citing lengthy excerpts in both prose and poetry, as diverse as the diversity of the creatures on earth! . I.S.B.N : 9973-929-96-9
36 Book Title: The Etruscan Smile Author: José Luis Sampedro Translated into Arabic by: Mohamed Abdelkafi Topic: Foreign Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 412 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2003 Price: 26.500 TND Foreign countries : 25 €
In addition to the series "Panoramas of Western Literature," the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma has planned the translation of a world-renowned best-seller each year. In this case, it is the "Etruscan Smile" written by the famous Spanish novelist Jose Luis Sampedro. It was selected for the originality of its subject, its style and its far reaching dimensions. The novel is, in fact, based on a striking contrast between an old man, Bruno, and his grandson, Brunatino. Over a few months, the peevish old villager suddenly discovers that his grim world has turned into perfect bliss, which he has derived from the warmth of the reunion with his grandson. He then stops worrying about death and gives up the idea of seriously getting ready for it; on the contrary, he sticks to life more than ever before, overcome by new feelings he has never experienced. Childhood innocence then, has performed a miracle that old age and a life-time experience have failed to bring about. He becomes more humane, discovers real beauty, and all his old values (his cult of virility in particular), now seemed utterly ridiculous. The style of the novel too, is original: fast, pulsating narration, interspersed with flashes of poetry, unexpected turns of events, a profusion of proverbs, sayings and vernacular expressions from Calabria, in the far south of Italy, where old Bruno hails from. Commenting the novel in the foreword, a fervent admirer of J.L Sampedro has stressed his deep knowledge of human nature, which allows him to go " straight to the point: love, death, and suffering" and reveal "our weaknesses and the loneliness that lies in wait for us at the end of our journey ". Towards the end of the novel, the reader will probably, like Bruno, exclaim: "But life is so great after all!" I.S.B.N : 9973-929-99-3
37 Book Title: Being Fair (2 volumes) Author: Paul Ricoeur Translated by a panel of researchers (coordinator: Fathi Triki) Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V.1: 276, V.2: 388 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2003 Price: 38 TND (both volumes) Foreign countries : 40 €
The book opens on a quote by Aristotle: "What is equitable, while being right, is not so in accordance with the law; it is more like an improvement on what is right according to law. The reason is that any law is general, and that on a given case, it is not possible to talk about it accurately using general language ". The author then goes on to analyze the concept of responsibility, comments John Rawls' book"Theory of Justice", deals with the question of interpretation and / or argumentation, emphasizes the difference between punishment, rehabilitation and amnesty, and devotes a study to conscience and law… In the second part of the book, a chapter entitled "Studies" deals with justice and truth; another entitled "Readings" takes a critical look at the work of Otfried Hoffe: "Principles of law" or Pierre Bouretz‟s "Promises of the World: the Philosophy of Max Weber." A third chapter entitled "Exercises" deals with three levels of medical judgment or justice and revenge. There is finally the author‟s testimony at the court in the contaminated blood case that had shaken France during the 1990‟s. This book, unique in its depth, has been translated as a tribute to Paul Ricoeur, whose philosophy remains influential throughout the world, East and West. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-97-7
38 Book Title: Civilized, They Say Author: Georges Balandier Translator: Abderrazak Halioui Topic: Politics / Sociology Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 224 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2004 Price: 12 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
Georges Balandier is not a stranger among us, in fact he is one of the most eminent professors, who has trained generations of Tunisian sociologists at the Sorbonne university, or the university of Tunis, where he has travelled several times to teach, give lectures or chair Ph.D examining boards. He is, above all, a great scholar whose bold ideas have changed the opinions of many Western academics and researchers in Asia, Latin America or Africa. This Arabic version, the fruit of an initiative taken by the Tunisian Academy Beit al- Hikma, includes extensive chunks from his book "Civilized, they say," which is a topic- based collection of many papers, lectures or interwiews he has given. At the opening of the book, we read about the academic experience of Pr. Balandier in its broad lines. Then, it‟s the shock of Africa, revealing his eagerness to understand the changes shaping its destiny ; and as we progress through the book, our perception of politics is altered, and new dimensions for understanding modernity open up. And by applying his own tools to analyze the tensions that characterize our era, he coins the phrase of "overmodernity" ; and his trip to Japan was an opportunity to refine and adjust this concept. Besides, the book is peppered with numerous comments, judgements, readjustments and visionary premonitions following the 9/11 events I.S.B.N : 9973-49-005-6
39 Book Title: The culture of Coran Established,commented and presented byAbdelwahab Bouhdiba Topic: Islamic religion Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 96 Language: Arabic and French Date of publication: 2004 Price: 5 TND Foreign countries : 8 €
Professor Abdelwahab Bouhdiba drew a consequential manuscript from the files of his family: it is an " ijaza ", a teaching degree in orthoepy, granted to his grandfather, Sheik Omar Bouhdiba in 1762. This outstanding and unique document of its kind, plunges us headlong into the heart of the Moslem faith. Qayrawan, originally founded to shine forth and spread Islam, both suffered and benefitted from its own aura. Sheik Omar had lived in a city which, although it had lost its prestige, had remained hieratically draped in the memory of its imposing past. He had lived in the shades of Coran, transcending and scorning the backwash of history, with faith and the Coran emerging as the most fervent and intense real-life experience. Named Cadi (judge) in 1880, Sheik Omar exerted judicature only for two or three years, but the mandate was long enough, after all, for the local history to bear his stamp. Besides, it is commonly known that the cadis were perfectly respectable regulators of people‟s lives. Even kept on a lead by the central government, they were vested with the right to tell the truth, preserve orthodoxy and maintain good social manners by preaching decent behavior and reprimanding misconduct. Moreover, we shouldn‟t underestimate the role that „ilm-Al-qiraat‟ or orthoepy, played among the community of the believers; in fact, Sheik Omar devoted most of his life to this science. Reading the holy text, which amounts to the status of a noble art, was the supreme path for fervently and aesthetically preserving the Word of God; the "tajwid" is a perpetual descent of The Supreme. Our Sheik, who was awarded this „ijaza‟, attained the absolute bliss of being the enunciator of the divine words and finding himself at the other end of a continual and prestigious line tracing back to the Prophet. The Coran still remains a Homeland for every believer.
I.S.B.N : 9973-49-006-1
40 Book title: On the History of Sciences- Philosophical Studies Author: Roshdi Rashed Topic: Philosophy / Sciences Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 268 Language: Arabic and French Date of publication: 2005 Price: 12.500 TND Foreign countries : 13 €
This work consists of three studies by Professor Roshdi Rashed and we are suggesting a translation into Arabic by Pr.Hatem Zghal. The initiative was taken by his friends who, on many occasions, had the opportunity to work with him, either at the Tunisian Academy Beït Al-Hikma or the UNESCO chair of philosophy at the University of Tunis. To these three studies, an interview with the author and an exhaustive list of his works were added. The first study, entitled "The history of Sciences between Epistemology and History ", is an original philosophical and methodological proclamation and a kind of intellectual autobiography of the philosopher historian of sciences as for him, the moments of research prove to be like stages of true philosophical asceticism. The second study relates to the philosophy of mathematics during the classical era of Islam. He draws up a typology of the exchanges between mathematical sciences and philosophical thought and how they interacted. The third study, "Conditional probability and causality" shows the presence, in the thought itself of mathematicians, of a topic and a philosophical terminology relating to causality which is indeed central to the theory of probability. The Tunisian Academy has dedicated this work to Professor Roshdi Rashed as a tribute to his conclusive contribution to Arab and Islamic sciences and philosophy, without pretending to be an intermediary between him and his readers as we firmly believe that his works will introduce him better to his readers. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-223
41 Book Title: Operating on Continuity Established and translated by Marouane Ben Miled Topic: Mathematics Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 364 Language: Arabic and French Date of publication: 2005 Price: 20 TND Foreign countries : 30 €
The application of arithmetical operations to irrational quantities gave algebra an extension whose history had not been recorded with the required rigour and precision standards. It was necessary, for this end, to retrace the developments that had been achieved from Al-Mahani through to Al-Karaji and his successors, which in itself required collecting and collating texts, scattered in different libraries all around the world, then analyze them scientifically before establishing them in a single edition. Pr. Marouane Ben Miled had the courage to undertake this daring task, thanks to his background in mathematical logic and the history of mathematics, but also to his knowledge of the Arabic language. From those texts by Al Mahani, Ibn 'Isma, Al- Khazin, Al-Ahwazi, Ibn Al-Haytham, Al-Karaji and As-Samaw'al, for the most part not yet published, he was able to analyze the history of extending arithmetical operations to irrational quantities, which must be, from now on, attributed to the enduring contributions of Arab mathematicians from the ninth through to the twelfth centuries. Prof. Ben Miled has also established the first edition of Al-Mahani‟s commentary of Book X (ninth century) of Euclid‟s „Elements‟, and translated it into French. It is the oldest document on this subject that is still extant. The great Arab mathematician Roshdi Rashed thinks that this work meets the internationally required quality standards and has hailed it as a very good start for the new series of the history of sciences being published by the Tunisian Academy Beit al- Hikma, whose ambition is to spread the rational and universal dimension of the Arab- Islamic civilization and its contributions to the cultural heritage of Humanity. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-023-1
42 Book Title: Anthology of contemporary literature of German expression (2 volumes) Presentation and translation: Mounir Fendri Revision: Sahbi Thabet and Sadak Gsouma Topic: Foreign literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: T.1 428, T.2 435 Language: Arabic Date of publication: 2005 Price: 45 TND Foreign countries : 40 €
More than a simple anthology in the narrow sense of the term, this book is a work of scholarship and synthesis, a judicious selection of extracts taken primarily from the German narrative literature starting from the milestone year of 1945. As such, the remarkable contribution of Austria (Canetti, Handke, Jelinek) and of Switzerland (Max Frisch, Durrenmatt...), has been taken into consideration. Mounir Fendri has intended this anthology to be representative, both in terms of poetry (since a large chunk of volume 2 is devoted to it), drama (although modestly sampled), and narratives, extensively represented. There are first fully translated short stories (Borchert, Boll), along with later works (Wohmann, Schadlich) , or more classical works (G Grass, Walser, Lenz...), and at times less famous (Koppen, Ch.Hein...), thus making it possible for the layman to have access to masterpieces through short samples, since Professor Fendri has made sure to include, in the introduction to each writer, some bio- bibliographic details, linked to a wider contextual picture. We are in fact deeply indebted to Professor Fendri for the translation of the overwhelming majority of the forty extracts included in this book, about three quarters, actually, drawing the rest from other works that had already been published in Egypt and more particularly in Iraq. Moreover, he has enriched the book by adding an appendix containing all the translations that have been made since 1945, thus bolstering cooperation between the Arab Machreq and Maghreb at this level. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-018-6
43 Book title: What Will Become of Values? Translation: Zahida Derouich Jebour and Jean Jebour. Edited by: Abderrazak Halioui Topic: Politics Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 540 Language: Arabic Date of publication: 2005 Price: 23.500 TND Foreign countries : 25 €
In its endeavours to be involved in the making of a better world, a world full of justice, solidarity, and open to all; a world where freedom, equality, peace, non-discrimination, respect for creative diversity and recognition of the richness of all civilizations will prevail, the UNESCO has urged a think-tank in order to answer this fundamental question: what will become of values? Accordingly, it has assembled a panel of scientists, scholars, artists and decision-makers from various horizons, in a prospective and interdisciplinary spirit.
During the debates, several questions were raised: Is humanity heading towards the twilight, collision or hybridization of its values? What moral values will the twenty first century societies opt for? Will these be really serious or rather frivolous values? Will we be witnessing an aestheticism of values? Or perhaps a feminization of these? In addition to all that, will scientific progress, particularly in the field of genetic engineering, open up new possibilities in terms of genomics and eugenics? But in this case, what parapets can be set up in order to hold business interests at bay?
These questions, among many others, were thoroughly dealt with by eminent scientists and thinkers of world fame, mainly from the Arab and Moslem world. Professor Jerome Bindé, director of the futurology, philosophy and humanities department at the UNESCO has centered the debates around the broad topic: what will become of values? Published in 2004 under the same title, this book follows upon " Keys of the twenty first century ", previously translated into Arabic and published in 2003 by the Tunisian Academy, Beït Al-Hikma. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-026-1
44 Book Title: The Main Currents of Historical Thought and Philosophy of History in the West A Collection of Texts translated into Arabic under the direction of Hedi Timoumi Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 776 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Price: 30 TND. Foreign countries : 35 €
During the 2nd half of the twentieth century, several western thinkers and historians have undertaken the arduous task of studying and analyzing historical knowledge, wondering about the implications of human history in general. Driven by the constant quest for revival and relentless questioning, they have devoted themselves to scientific research, off the beaten track. There is no doubt these days that historians need to go beyond history in the narrow sense of the term and make use of „contiguous‟ sciences like economics, philosophy, psychology or sociology. On the initiative of the Tunisian Academy "Beit al-Hikma ", this book - which is intended to be comprehensive - is due to a group of Tunisian university researchers, who meant to portray, through the translation into Arabic, the various currents of historical thought and philosophy of history in the West during the 2nd half of the twentieth century. The different contributions, preceded by a general introduction relating to the immediate context, are intended to be as representative as possible of the different intellectual trends outlined, and include many explanatory annotations. The main currents selected include: Marxism (Godelier, Texier), historicism (Marrou, Aron), structuralism (Levi-Strauss, Foucault) and the different philosophies of history (Toynbee, Braudel, Fukuyama and Huntington) .I.S.B.N : 9973-490-50-6
45 Book Title: Kheredine Pacha‟s Memoirs Established and Translated by Mohamed Larbi Senoussi Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 352 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Price: 12 TND Foreign countries : 20 €
When it was first published, "Aqwam al-masalik" was, right away, quite popular among the well-read audience in Tunisia and other Muslim countries, including Turkey. But the Tunisian historian wouldn‟t find much in "Aqwam al-masalik" concerning political history and events. Except for the short passages in which he outlines the developments in European countries and the succession of their monarchs, this book, despite its "ideological" importance, cannot be classified as a historiography book. Accordingly, what Kheredine himself had written in French under the title: “To my children, memories of my private and political life” is an irreplaceable source of information. These "Memoirs" were published in 1934 by Mzali and Pignon, and republished in 1971, but have now become either inaccessible or out of print. Their translation into Arabic by “Beit al-Hikma” will enable new generations of readers and researchers to reformulate better and clearer ideas about the political role played by Kheredine and the differences between his own views and those of his step-father, the all powerful Minister Mustapha Khaznadar. During his short viziership in Istanbul, Kheredine had to face countless difficulties, on which he had elaborated at length in these “Memoirs”, namely those relating to diplomatic affairs, minorities, the European provinces of the Empire and Egypt. Accordingly, the ideas of the great reformist minister come to the foreground through this important autobiographical source.
I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-064-3
46 Book Title: Children‟s Theatre Author: Yves Bonnefoy Translator: Mohamed Ben Salah Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 101 Language: French and Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Price: 15 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
The great French writer, Yves Bonnefoy, thinks that the texts included in his book "Children‟s Theatre" are not, as we might be tempted to believe, merely stories, that is the evocation of events that would have happened in a person's life supposedly real, and imagined as such in our ordinary world. The characters mentioned are rather apparitions that have imposed themselves on him, the embodiment of the child who has disappeared under the accumulated layers of his adult life. But who is this child? He is that spirit haunting all those who are enamoured of poetry, as it is at this age, at the threshold of teenage, that we are spontaneously and deeply sensitive to the full presence of beings and things. “I will never forget you”, Yves Bonnefoy says, “O child, roaming around, not knowing his final destination. I can sense your presence through every single word that I write, even when my dream words are holding bright dewy spheres at the tip of their yarns stretched out by a light breeze, as if the day had dawned again on earth. I will recognize you among the hidden secrets of all the paintings that I cherish. I can hear you stumble on the rocky background of the few books that I read, that I can read, with your feverish face, that I would like to hold in my hands; at times almost reaching to your forehead, your questioning looks, but then, it‟s all these signs that simply vanish, and along with them, the day, the night, and even the world, even the wind.” (America, pp. 44-46). I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-067-4
47 Book Title: Arab Chrestomathy Authors: A. I. Silvestre de Sacy Topic: Literature / Civilization Size: 18x25 Number of Pages: 957 Language: French and Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Coédition avec Presses Universitaires de France Prix de vente : 75 D.T. Foreign countries : 39 €
First published about two centuries ago, this book has certainly helped establish an acquaintance with the Arab-Muslim world in Europe and elsewhere. Beyond its scientific value, it allows us to go back in time and discover the way a discipline had evolved into a real science, practically through the devotion of one distinguished man: Silvestre de Sacy. Rediscovering the texts that make up the “Arab Chrestomathy”, offers an opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary role that translation plays, and on the ethical foundations of Silvestre de Sacy‟s typical approach.
Actually, the erudition he displays in this book does not testify only to an academic and educational achievement, but also to a command of the Arabic language, even in its subtlest details, and the volition to convey, through translation, the most significant aspect of this language: the poetic tenor in the writing of history. As such, "Arab Chrestomathy" derives its force not only from its relevance and scientific rigor, but also and most importantly from this genuinely humane attitude which, all through the deciphering and translation of this manuscript, is supported by a desire to understand the other as revealed through language, imagination, religion, history and literature. We can only admire such a modern attitude, in which the pursuit of knowledge is inseparable from the quest for the other and not the conquest of the other. I.S.B.N : 978-2-13-057157-5
48 Book Title: Kitab Mizan al-Hikma (The Book of the Balance of Wisdom) Author: Abd al-Rahman al-Khazini Edited, translated and commented by Faiza Laridhi Bancel Topic: Physics Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 584 Language :Arabic and French Publication Date: 2008 Price: 31 DT
"Kitab Mizan al-Hikma", written in1121 by al-Khazini, is one of the few works on Arab statics that have come down to us. Apart from his own works, the author also relates the theoretical writings of about a dozen Greek and Arab mathematicians whose writings have long been lost (namely those of Euclid, Archimedes, and Pappus among the Greeks, and Qurra Ibn Thabit, al-Razi , Ibn al-Haytham, al-Biruni, Umar-al Khayyam and others among the Arabs). Al-Khazini gives us valuable information on the knowledge of Arab scientists in the field of balance and centers of gravity, hydrostatics and specific densities, the science of metals and mechanical engineering. He certainly needed the writings of his predecessors to design and build his balance of wisdom, which is a hydrostatic balance of five plates, designed to distinguish pure metals from alloys in a precise way, and genuine precious stones from fake ones, by comparing their specific densities. Accordingly, this treatise on its own outlines much of the history of statics, from the Euclidean period down to the twelfth century.
Faiza Laridhi has made the first critical edition and the first complete translation of the theoretical part of this treatise. By analyzing these texts and collating them with the Greek tradition and some other texts that have come down to us on Arab statics, she offers us a considerable insight into the history of this science. For Professor Roshdi Rashed, "this book is a première." It is "an authentic, thorough and critical edition ... and a faithful, well-done French translation."
I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-068-1
49 Book Title: The Human Side of Prophet Muhammad Author: Jaafar Majed Translator: Mohamed Kameleddine Gaha Topic:Religion Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 300 Language: French Date of Publication: 2010 Price: 13 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
Originally written in Arabic by the late Jaafar Majed, this book was first published in 1991 but quickly sold out, and a new edition came out shortly afterwards. If the Tunisian Academy has undertaken the translation of this "essay", more literary than scholarly, it is mostly because it addresses some of the central issues of our modern rocky times. Amid all the fuss and turmoil around the Prophet Muhammad, it is incumbent upon the Tunisian Academy to clear the picture and reveal the true face of the Man in his family environment, recalling the major events that marked his childhood and adolescence and highlight his great respect for Women, who played an important role in his life. One of the chapters is devoted to his qualities as a military commander and especially as a true statesman. He showed great care in choosing his men, educating them and training them for the highest official positions. Another chapter deals with him as a fervent apostle of monotheism, the creed which cleared religion of the fetishistic aspects during that time and stresses his humane qualities and compassion for the miseries of the weak and deprived people. The Prophet was also a restrained and abstemious man, a bitter enemy of all luxury and squandering of the believers‟ community resources. Therefore, all through the book, Prophet Muhammad is established as an exemplary man for the Muslim youth, now bewildered by conflicting ideological currents. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-094-0
50 Book Title: Translated Texts from "Al- Mabahith" Magazine A Collective Work Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Language: Arabic and French Number of Pages: 244 Date of Publication: 2010 Price: 11,000 TND Foreign countries : 12 €
On the death of Mohamed Bachrouch, founder of the magazine “al-Mabahith”, it is Professor Mahmoud Messaadi, who in 1944, takes over the direction and editorship of this magazine. Imbued with a strong culture and infused with a fervent activism, Messaadi could manage to bring together a group of young teachers from various disciplines. Being fully aware of the necessity of safeguarding their cultural heritage, they are wedded to their native language - classical Arabic - dethroned by French and even considered a "dead language" by extremist colonialists. Nonetheless, these young intellectuals are attracted by the literature of French expression in particular, as evidenced by the numerous translations published in this journal. Accordingly, A. Bakir publishes a full version of “L‟Ecole des Mères” by Marivaux. He also introduces the readers of "Al-Mabahith" to "Prometheus Bound" by Aeschylus. The poet S. Mazigh translated in verse some famous poems by Hugo and Baudelaire, and H. Laabidi translated some by Racine and Musset ... Some translations by Pr. Mohamed Souissi (Beaumarchais, Buffon, and Fromentin) are unpublished. Other more recent translations (Taine, Jaures ...) are made by Pr. Mohamed Yaalaoui. We can still sense the spirit of the magazine "Al-Mabahith", which has always combined classicism and modernism, and for which culture, for it to be authentic, must still be open to the outside world ISBN : 978-9973-49-104-6
51 Book Title: Pathology in the Arab-Islamic Medicine Authors: Abdelkhalek Ben Rejeb and Najat Ghazouani Topic: Medicine Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 232 Language: French Date of Publication: 2010 Price: 14,000 TND Foreign countries : 20 €
Arab-Islamic medicine, of Arabic expression in its beginnings, and of Persian, Turkish or Urdu expression subsequently, was as much based on the original foundations of Arab culture as on the Greek, Persian or Indian heritage, and ever more or less reassessed through the ethical and moral values emanating from Islam. This work is based on the major Arab-Islamic medical “surveys”: “The Canon of Medicine” by Ibn Sina (Avicenna), “al-Maliki” by al-Majoussi (Haly Abbes), "al-Hawi" by ar-Razi (Rhazes), "Attaysir" by Zohr Ibn (Avenzor), "al-Kullyat" by Ibn Rushd (Averroes), "at- Taarif" by Abu al-Qacim az-Zahraoui (Abulcassis) and “Zad al- Musafir” (the Viaticum) by Ibn Al-Jazzar (Algizar).
Therefore, the texts, widely cited in this book, have been taken from firsthand works. These are eloquent texts and prove - if need be - that what characterized the Arab- Islamic medicine, as Sedillot admits in his "History of the Arabs," is “the truly scientific spirit by which Arab-Muslim scientists were guided in their work ... not to concede that anything is true unless supported by empirical evidence: such were the teachings of the Masters. In the ninth century, the Arabs already abode by this method; a fecund method which would, long afterwards, fall into the hands of modern scientists and be the instrument of their most sensational discoveries. ISBN : 978-9973-49-103-9
52 Book Title: Contemporary Aesthetics Coordination and Presentation: Rachida Triki Topic: Aesthetics and Philosophy Size: 15.5 X 23.5 Language: Arabic Number of Pages: 568 Date of Publication: 2010 Price: 35,000 DT Foreign countries : 30 €
This book is an anthology of texts gleaned from the works of different philosophers. The aim is to come to a definition of modern aesthetics, which is indeed a branch of philosophy that deals with perceptions, the senses, and the beautiful; or exclusively relates to the concept of art in all its forms (music, poetry, and painting). Aesthetics may be a metaphysical dimension of truth, seeking to unveil the source of all physical beauty. It may also be a theory of the beautiful, which is meant to be a normative science alongside logic and morality. By translating extracts from J. Derrida, H. Yans, T. Adorno, Foucault, A. Boudhiba and others, Rachida Triki and her team want to elucidate the connections between two concepts pertaining to human activity, namely art and philosophy.
ISBN : 978-9973-49-107-7
53 Titre de l‟ouvrage : Anthologie de la littérature contemporaine d‟expression espagnole (2 Tomes) Coordination et Présentation : Raja Yassine Bahri Thème : Littérature étrangère Dimensions : 16x24 Langue : arabe Nombre de pages : T1 (poésie): 386 T2 (théâtre et essai): 428 Date de parution : 2010 Prix de vente : 42 D.T. (les 2 volumes) Foreign countries : 40 €
Cette anthologie fort intéressante, retrace l‟histoire de la littérature espagnole de 1898 à nos jours, en mettant l‟accent sur les auteurs incontournables et sur leurs œuvres – clés. Madame Bahri et son équipe reproduisent soigneusement, à travers les textes, les différentes étapes connues par cette littérature, et donnent un aperçu général sur les générations représentant la littérature espagnole contemporaine, (générations de 1898, de 1914 et de 1927). La dernière décennie du 19ème siècle en Espagne a connu une activité littéraire prospère. En effet, les auteurs de la génération de 1898 ( Miguel Unamuno, Galicien Ramon, Antonio Machado...) étaient déterminés à réévaluer la vie culturelle du pays. Ceux des deux générations de 1914 et 1927 contribuaient activement à la vie culturelle espagnole jusqu‟à ce que la guerre civile détruise toute activité créative dans la Péninsule, forçant de nombreux intellectuels à l‟exil ou au silence (Féderico Garcia Lorca, José Ortéga...). Une importance particulière est donnée, dans cette anthologie, à la littérature des quatre dernières décennies et à ses spécificités hispaniques. Cette vie littéraire florissante a montré à quel point la vitalité de l‟Espagne était une des plus fortes dans la diversité de ses expressions castillane, basque, catalane ou galicienne. ISBN : Tome 1 : 978-9973-49-115-2 - Tome 2 : 978-9973-49-116-9
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55 Book Title: Treatise on Geometry (Ashkal at- Ta'sis) Author: Samarkandi Commentator: Qadi Zadeh Established by: Mohamed Souissi Topic: Mathematics Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 186 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1984 Price: 3 TND Foreign countries : 4 €
This book is the result of combined efforts by several scientists from various eras and different countries, but all sharing the same passion for geometry. These are „the father of Geometry‟ Euclid the Greek, Samarkandi the Uzbek, Qadi Zadeh the Turk and Mohamed Souissi the Tunisian. First Euclid (about 330-275 BC), who taught in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy 1st. He was the author of "Elements", considered as the basis of plane geometry. He had the merit of gathering the geometric knowledge of his era, properly arranging it in a logically coherent framework and adding his own reason-why deductions. Then Chamseddine Samarkandi (d. around 600 H / 1203 AD). He is the author of this Treatise on geometry, which contains 36 propositions from Euclid‟s "Elements", which he classified in a different order which is, according to him, "lighter and more subtle." As for Moussa Qadi Zadeh (d. around 931 H / 1525 AD), he was a well-known mathematician, astronomer and philosopher to whom we are indebted for the meticulous commentary of this treatise. He didn‟t fail to give its own opinion on certain issues, as evidenced by this example: The famous Muslim mathematician Nasir Eddine at- Tusi (thirteenth century AD.) criticized, in his geometry letters, the commonly known Euclidian postulates, especially the fifth (the parallel postulate). In this regard, the commentator Qadi Zadeh said:" I have read Nasir Eddine‟s demonstration on this issue... and I find it error-free." And finally Pr. Mohamed Souissi, who has established the text of this book from several manuscripts, including the one in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, and written a bio-bibliography of both author and commentator, an Arabic / French glossary of the geometry terminology used, and an index of proper names.
56 Book Title: Anthology of Contemporary Literature of Spanish Expression (2 Volumes) Coordination and Presentation: Raja Bahri Yassine Translation: Maymuna Khabou, Abdel Hedi Saadoun (poetry)/ Mohamed Aouini (Drama and Essays)
Revision: Mohamed Mokhtar Labidi Topic: Foreign Literature Size: 16 X 24 Language: Arabic Number of pages: Publication Date:2010 Price: 42 D.T Foreign countries : 4 €
This highly typical anthology traces back the history of Spanish literature from 1898 to the present, focusing on the most famous authors and their masterpieces. Through many authentic samples, Mrs. Bahri and her team scrupulously reproduce the various stages of Spanish literature and provide an overview of the writers whose works are an illustration of this literature and its milestone dates (1898, 1914 and 1927) by portraying the different literary genres in which poets, novelists and essayists excelled. Particular emphasis is given to the literature of the past four decades and its Hispanic characteristics. This thriving literary life showed the extent to which the vitality of Spain was one of the strongest because of the diversity of its forms of expression: Castilian, Basque, Catalan or Galician.
57 Book Title: Pages from the History of two Mauritanian Emirates Author: Muhammad Fal-Alaoui Prepared by: Ahmad Ould Al-Hassan Topic: History Size: 15x23 Number of pages: 108 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1986 Price: 2 TND. Foreign countries : 4 €
This book is primarily intended for historians and researchers, but it could equally be quite useful for all those who are interested in the history of the Arab world, and particularly that of Mauritania. The author, Muhammad Fal Al- Alaoui (1849-1930), was a Maliki „Faqih‟ (a scholastic theologian), a Sufi and a doctor. In this book, devoted to the history of two emirates in southern Mauritania, Brakna and Trarza, he does not simply content himself with writing annals as his predecessors did. Not only does he go by written sources (such as "Virtues of the Zaouias"(religious shrines among Moslems) of Sheikh Muhammad al-yadali, "Historical Poem" of Babaccar Ibn Hidijab, etc, but he also draws upon his connections with the heads of tribes and emirs whom he personally knew. He even recounts some events that he himself had experienced towards the end of the nineteenth century. He begins by telling the story of the invasion of the Chinguitti Sahara by the Banu Hassan Arab tribes at the beginning of the fourteenth century, and then he recounts the major events in the two emirates and details the internecine rivalries and inter-tribal warfare that had ultimately made it easy for the French colonization to get permanently established in Mauritania. The original book also includes several indexes (proper names, names of tribes, clans, places etc ...) and the genealogical trees of the Brakna and Trarza emirs. The book is also enhanced by historical, social and religious comments by Professor Ahmad Ould al-Hassan clans, de lieux etc…), et les arbres généalogiques des émirs Brakna et Trarza. Le texte original est en outre enrichi par des commentaires d‟ordre historique, social et religieux, dus au Professeur Ahmad Ould Al-Hassan.
58 Book title: The Little Book of Salvation (Al- fawz Al-Asghar) Author: Miskawayh (Abu Ali Ahmad) Prepared by: Salah Udhayma Translated by: Roger Arnaldez Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 282 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1987 Price: 5 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
Consistently with its endeavours to revive the Arab-Islamic philosophical heritage, the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma has established the "Little Book of Salvation" by Miskawayh and translated it into French. The translation may well be considered a rebirth for this book, insofar as it opens up new opportunities for its expansion. Admittedly, this book wouldn‟t compare with the famous "Epistles" by the Brethren of Purity (Ikhwan As-Safa), but it clearly differs from the latter in many respects, namely conciseness and lucidity; we can also easily discern Miskawayh‟s more dynamic pattern of thought and a deeper digestion of the ideas of Plato and Aristotle, reflecting a tendency to fit Islam into a wider system of rational practices common to all humanity. On the other hand, it is commonly known that the tenth century in the East was marked by social and political unrest, but especially religious self-doubt. What would become of the Moslem nation? How to implant its fundamental tenets? Miskawayh managed to authenticate the validity of the Prophecy. The three issues he tackles are symptomatic: The Existence of God and His Unity; the Soul with regard to God and the material world, and its gradual ascent towards its Creator through knowledge; and towards the end of this Journey, Miskawayh marks the position of the Prophetic Revelation and its connection with the ultimate position that could be attained through philosophical wisdom. The numerous and detailed footnotes and comments enable the reader to reappraise Miskawayh and consider him as a philosopher who rightly compares with the Greek philosophers and the "falasifa" of his time.
59 Book Title: Seven Manuscript Letters by Heinrich Barth Prepared and Translated by Mounir Fendri Topic: Travel Accounts Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 96 Language: Arabic and German Publication Date: 1987 Price: 2TND Foreign countries : 3 €
Professor Mounir Fendri has come across a set of seven manuscript letters, at the University Library of Hamburg, written by Heinrich Barth (1821-1865) during his stay in the Regency of Tunis, between November 1845 and April 1846. Barth is one of those Western explorers who "discovered" the African continent and helped divulge its secrets to his fellow Germans. He began his visit to our country by touring Tunis and its outskirts, and then he headed for Sfax, going through the Cap Bon and the Sahel. A second journey led him to el-Kef, through the Medjerda valley. But the insurgency of the Frechiche tribes forced him to cut short his trip to Sbeïtla, and head for Tripoli via Gabes and Jerba instead. In these letters - previously unpublished – he recounts his wanderings to his parents to the slightest detail, giving geographical features and historical information and confiding his sensations on the social, economic and political situation in the Regency of Tunis. The documentary value of these letters is indisputable, as evidenced by this excerpt from the 3rd letter (December 1845): "The country is distressingly poverty-stricken, because of the Bey‟s relentless and foolish efforts to equip his army with sophisticated weapons, along the French model. Several villages are emptied of their inhabitants; fields which used to produce tobacco have turned into wasteland, ever since this product became monopolized by the state; ports are paralysed. It is all the more distressing that the people here are really peaceful and extremely kind. "
Dépôt légal N° : 140/87
60 Book Title: Commentary on the Hadith of the Prophet as Reported by Imam Muslim (3 volumes) Author: Imam Al-Mazir Prepared by: Mohamed Chédli Enneïfar Topic: Islamic Religion Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V1: 591, V2: 531, V3: 537 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1987/1988/1991 Price: 28.600 TND (3 volumes)) Foreign countries : 33 €
Imam Al-Mazir had lived at a time of turmoil marked by the breakup of the Sanhajite dynasty and the spread of fratricidal strife between Sunnis and Shiites. Like the other Maghreb faqihs, he had always favoured the collection of the Prophet‟s Hadith as reported by Imam Muslim to that of Imam Bukhari, as the former fitted in better with his teaching methods. At the initiative of "Beit al-Hikma", the great Tunisian scholar M.C Enneïfar established this commentary, the first ever to have been devoted to the collection of the Hadith as reported by Imam Muslim. In fact, Al-Maziri had never meant to write it; but attending a reading of this collection during the month of Ramadan 499/1104, he commented it orally. His disciples were rushed, under his dictation, into taking notes as accurately as possible, then, they submitted these notes to him later on. He reread those notes and made some corrections; and that was the origin of this book, revealing Al-Maziri as an Ashaarite, a faqih and a lexicographer. 1. He is an Ashaarite in his defense of the Sunni tenets of Al-Ashaari and his followers. However, his more rationalist opponents, the Mu‟tazila, are not abused in this book. 2. He is a Faqih in his perpetual quest for ijtihad in his fatwas, where he most often seems rather concerned with the interests of the Muslim community, especially during the troubled fratricidal strife periods. 3. And finally he is a lexicographer in his solid knowledge of the literature on the subject during his lifetime and even earlier. Therefore, he could elucidate those hadiths which had for a long time been vague, because of some uncommon words used by the Prophet. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-07-5
61 Book Title: The Collected Poems of the Andalusian Poet Abdulkarim Al-Qaysi Prepared by: Jomaa Chikha Hadi and Mohamed Trabelsi Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 532 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1988 Price: 9.500 TND Foreign countries : 11 €
The last Andalusian poet, Abdulkarim Al-Qaysi, had lived in the ninth century of the Hegira / fifteenth century AD, a period that corresponds to the second blooming phase that the intellectual and literary life had experienced, before the fall of Granada in 897/1492. His work is the latest collection of Andalusian poetry that had come down to us in its entirety. The only manuscript copy, along with copies of other texts, is kept in the archives of the National Library in Rabat. With its 3,200 lines, this collection is interesting on many different levels. It is firstly a valuable document for the specialist in the history of Arabic literature in Muslim Spain and an additional corpus for the literary and stylistic analysis of Arabic Andalusian poetry in the ninth / fifteenth centuries. It is true that this collection includes some poorly-written poems, but there are also parts and passages of unquestionable value, especially when the poet describes his agonizing detention and the fall of the last cities and strongholds of the Nasrite dynasty. It is also an inexhaustible source of information on the Andalusian life in its different aspects: political, social and scientific. There is even information on daily life patterns. All things considered, the work of Al-Qaysi is still particularly interesting for the biographical elements it contains, as for the first time we get to know about the most important details of the author‟s life himself, his connections and his qualities as a poet.. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-067
62 Book Title: Unfolding the Secrets of the Use of Dust Letters Author: Abul-Hassan Ali Qalsadi Established and Translated by Mohammed Souissi Topic: Mathematics Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 184 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1988 Price: 5.400 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
Born in Andalusia in the early ninth century of the Hegira (15th century AD), Qalsadi came to Grenada to study. Then he decided to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, stopping en route in major cities across the Maghreb and Egypt, meeting with luminaries from the world of letters and science and taking advantage of their knowledge. Once back in Granada, he settled there and devoted himself to teaching and writing books on arithmetic and algebra, astronomy, Islamic inheritance jurisprudence, grammar, Malikite Law, hadith, etc. He died in Beja, Ifriqya (modern day Tunisia) in 1486. His book "Kashf al-asrar an ilm huruf al-ghubar" is a bowdlerised précis on arithmetic and algebra, specially devised for beginners, in which more or less esoteric comments and lengthy explanations are removed, stating only practical methods. His approach is clear and simple, using a large number of exercises of various types and dealing with them exhaustively in order to illustrate the rules he has laid down. The "Kashf" is a basically argumentative book, in which the writer most often resorts to a conversational style, directly involving the reader and the student in working out the mathematical operations, and having a tendency to cut these short and using symbols.. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-00-8
63 Book Title: The Theory of Parallels Among Muslim Mathematicians Prepared by Khalil Jaouich Topic: Mathematics Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 258 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1988 Price: 6 TND Foreign countries : 7 €
In the third century BC, the Greek mathematician Euclid stated proposition 29, in Book I of his "Elements", which can only be solved through the fifth postulate by the same Euclid, expressing the fact that, „through a point not on a given straight line, one and only one line can be drawn that never meets the given line‟. But right from the first century BC, some Greek mathematicians, like Posidonius and Geminus started questioning this postulate. In Islamic countries, some mathematicians (like Ibn al-Haytham, alias al-Hazen) found this postulate not so obvious and suggested ignoring it. Others, like Nasir Eddine at-Toussi, affirmed that it was impossible to accept this postulate unless it was provable. Following the decline of Islamic civilization, many western geometers suspected that it might be provable, but all attempts to do this, dating back to the 17th century, have failed. By the mid-19th century, it was shown that no such proof exists, and that non- Euclidean geometries can be constructed, where the parallel postulate is false while the others remain true, leading to two alternatives to the parallel postulate in non-Euclidian geometries, namely in hyperbolic (or Lobachevskian) geometry and elliptic (or Riemannian) geometry. In this book, Professor Khalil Jaouich has brought together most of the documents devoted to this issue by Muslim mathematicians (namely those texts written by Nayrazi, Jawhari, Thabit ibn Qurra, Ibn al-Haytham, Omar Khayyam, at-Toussi, Ibn Abi al-Qacim, al-Abhari and al-Maghribi). I.S.B.N : 9973-911-05-9
64 Book Title: A Compendium of Uncommon Words (3 volumes) Author: Abu Ubayd Al-Qasim Ibn Sallam Prepared by: Mohamed Mokhtar Laabidi Topic: Lexicography Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 1145 (for the three volumes) Language: Arabic Publication Dates: 1989, 1990, 1997 Price: 23.800 TND (3 volumes) Foreign countries : 28 €
The earliest manuscripts containing the uncommon words in Arabic and attributed to Al-Asmaï and his contemporaries at the beginning of the third century of the Hegira had been lost. It is in the Library of Tunis that one of the oldest and even most exhaustive copies of "Al Gharib al-Musannaf" has been discovered. Its author, Ibn Abu Ubayd Sallam, a curious and amateur compiler, died in the year 224 of the Hegira(838AD). This piece of work consists of several "kitabs" (books), which are earlier thematic monographs, such as the "book of horses", "the book of armour", etc… and it would be used as a reference from the fourth century of the Hegira, serving as a source for major lexicons, such as "As-Sihah" by Al-Jawhari or "Al Mukhassas" by Ibn Sidah. However, we cannot consider it as a lexicon, but rather as a compendium, somewhere in between thematic monographs and dictionaries per se. In other words, it is in fact a step forward in the "lexicography" of the Arabic language. We might be tempted to believe that uncommon words fall into disuse, and must therefore be banned as obsolete, but in fact they serve as a kind of "historical fish- tank" for lexicographers to delve inside so as to meet the growing need for new terms. Going through this book, the reader is genuinely surprised at the semantic value of certain words, contextually presented by Ibn Sallam, citing them in various quotes, particularly from poetry. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-12-1
65 Book Title: Biography of Bayram V Established by: Ali Chenoufi Topic: Reformist Thought Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 280 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1989 Price: 6 TND Foreign countries : 7 €
The publication of this biography of the reformist Sheikh Muhammad Bayram V is based primarily on two extracts from the "Safwat" (Remarkable Aspects of Cities and Nations of the World). The first text, written by the author himself, includes very brief details relating to his youth days and his journey to Europe for medical treatment. The second text is a biography of the author written by his eldest son. It is more comprehensive and tells us about the various vicissitudes of the life of the father, his travels and his correspondence with senior personalities of the time: princes, ministers, scholars, literary figures and poets. The appendix includes six important documents: 1 - The unpublished letters sent by Bayram V to senior dignitaries of the Bey government (1863-1873). 2 - The article written by the author and published in the newspaper “Ar- Ra'id at-Tunisi” in 1873, welcoming the appointment of General Khereddine as Prime Minister. 3 – An outline of the correspondence between the author and General Khereddine (1877- 1880). 4 – An outline of the correspondence between General Hussein and Khereddine containing information on Bayram V. 5 - The letter sent by Massicault, the French General Governor in Tunisia, to the French Foreign Minister, about the echo, in Tunis, of the news of the death of BayramV in Egypt. 6 – An introduction by Muhammad as-Sanussi presenting the "Safwat" to the "al- Hadhira" newspaper readership in January 1895. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-22-9
66 Book Title: A Treatise on Hunting and Falconry Prepared by: Mansour Abdelhafidh Topic: Scientific Heritage Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 244 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1989 Price: 5.500 TND Foreign countries : 7 €
The passion of the Caliphs, Sultans and Emirs for hunting has been recounted by several chroniclers and historians, including Ibn Khaldun, who devotes a whole chapter of his monumental "Kitab al-Ibar" to the Hafside sultan Al-Mustansir (1249- 1276). He relates the story of a huge hunting ground in the region of Bizerte, which was fenced, and where the Sultan would go accompanied by members of the royal family, skilled hunters and falconers. They would unleash Arab greyhounds "sloughis", cheetahs and falcons after the quarries, until these were cornered inside. What we also have at our disposal relating to the Hafside period, among other things, is the original manuscript of "Kitab al-Mansuri fil-bayzara", (On Hunting, by al- Mansouri), specially written for al-Mustansir. The book is an anthology of works on hunting and falconry, consisting of many chapters, including fifteen which are devoted to the characteristics of greyhounds, considered to be superior to birds of prey. Here are some chapter titles: - On the period when the dogs are on heat and their observable qualities and defects - On training greyhounds for hunting - On the symptoms and treatment of greyhound eye diseases - On the treatment of greyhound sore throats and stomach aches, and limbs and joints malfunctioning - On the qualities of cheetahs and how to treat them, etc ... Therefore this book offers abundant and rich modern scientific research matter. It recounts various, authentic aspects relating to the Islamic civilization. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-20-2
67 Book Title: The Pilgrim‟s Guide (2 volumes) Author: Ibn Farhun Prepared by: Mohamed Abu Al-Ajfane Topic: Islam Size: 16x24 Number of pages: Two Volumes: 758 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1989/1990 Price: 17.500 TND (Both volumes) Foreign countries : 21 €
The author of this book, Ibn Farhun (d. 799H / 1397 AD), was of Tunisian origin. Man of great piety and a well-versed scholar in Maliki "fiqh"(jurisprudence), grammar and theology, he also had a solid knowledge of case law, inheritance matters and legal documents. He also authored numerous books on fiqh, theology and medicine. This book, entitled "Irshad as-Salik ila afaal al-manasik" is for believers of all conditions. It teaches them the main ritual provisions and obligations relating to pilgrimage: ablutions, spiritual purification, sacrifices and other acts related to devoutness. In fact, a whole literature of Maliki inspiration, for a long time ignored, has been devoted to this subject. There are descriptions of all the ceremonies for the benefit of those who intend to go on pilgrimage, which aim at honing their desire to visit holy sites. It details the good manners that the pilgrim must acquire. There is also very useful information on the history and geography of Mecca and Medina. It is therefore both a guide and an aide-memoire for the major pilgrimage and the minor pilgrimage, called "Umra", which can be carried out any time all the year round. All the ritual obligations are described in detail and backed by "fatwas" derived from Imam Malek‟s religious treatises and key Maliki theologians. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-13-X / I.S.B.N : 9973-911-14-8
68 Book Title: Ibn al-Baytar (d. 646 H / 1248 AD): A Commentary of Pedanius Dioscorides‟ "Materia Medica" Established by: Ibrahim Ben Mrad Topic: Medicine Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 432 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1990 Price: 9 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
The popularity of Ibn al-Baytar these days rests primarily on the translation of his "Kitab al-Jami' li mufradat al-adwiya wal-aghdhia", which was made by Lucien Leclerc and published in Paris. As to the Arabic text of the "Kitab al-Jami" published in Bulaq in Egypt in 1874 in a very negligent edition, it has remained to this day the only published work for the pharmacologist and botanist of Malaga. No text of Ibn al-Baytar has therefore ever been scientifically established, which may be accounted for by the fact that his writings are teeming with neologisms, loan words and quotes from Greek authors. Editing such texts requires both scientific and linguistic knowledge, which remains a bit scanty in the Arabophone world. All the commonly known works of Ibn al-Baytar have to do with medical pharmacology, mostly simple medicines. Apart from "Kitab al-Jami", his "Tafsir" (Commentary) of Dioscorides‟ "Materia Medica" also deals with simple medicines, but in their linguistic aspect. It is indeed a bilingual (Greek / Arabic) dictionary, which gives Arabic and sometimes Latin and Berber equivalents of Greek words meaning simple medicines. Written in Egypt towards 623H/1226AD, after the author had completed his long journey of scientific exploration, the "Tafsir" crowns a few centuries of research on the terminology of "Materia Medica". Thanks to his voyage of exploration, Ibn al-Baytar managed to acquire a deep knowledge of the lexical resources of botany in the different regions where he went botanizing, from Andalusia to Persia. It is into these resources that he delved for his loans, the most frequent being those from the Maghreb, Egypt, Syria and Iraq.
I.S.B.N : 9973-011-46-6
69 Book Title: The Minister Khereddine and his Contemporaries Documents Collected and Prefaced by Ali Chennoufi Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 405 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1990 Price: 8.500 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
On the occasion of General Khereddine centenary, this book provides researchers with the following documents (in French): - A Biography of General Khereddine (1822-1890). - An obituary of General Khereddine written by the French ambassador in Turkey, on February 3, 1890. - Biographical information about Mustapha Khaznadar. - An article in the Belgian newspaper "Political and Literary Debates" dated 12 July 1861, about the Tunisian Constitution. - Two memos by John Campenon, Superintendant of the Bardo Military College. - Two memos by Francis Villet, vice-chairman of the International Finance Commission. - Correspondence between the Consul General of Denmark in Tunis and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen. - Correspondence relating to Grand Vizier General Khereddine, between the French Minister of Foreign Affairs in Paris, the French ambassador to Constantinople and the Consul General of France in Cairo. We know that Khereddine chaired the International Finance Commission, after the economic and financial crisis had worsened and would later lead the Regency of Tunis, on its knees, to the European financial speculators. The commission‟s aim was to cut down on public debt and spending and promote the country‟s resources, under the supervision of the Regency‟s creditor representatives, mostly French. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-54-7
70 Book Title: Letters from General Hussein to Kheredine Attounsi. (3 volumes) Text Collected and Prepared by Ahmad Abdesselem Topic: Politics / Reformist Thought Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V1: 242, V2: 196, V3: 199 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1991/1992 Price: 15.500 TND (3 volumes) Foreign countries : 20 €
Among the personal archives of Kheredine, the letters addressed to him by General Hussein are the most voluminous file: 319 miscellaneous letters, dealing with various political and administrative affairs, but also with their personal relationships, opinions and feelings, reflecting the strong friendship that had united them all through their lives. We know that General Hussein was the most outstanding Tunisian reformer, second only to Kheredine, and that he was put in charge of the most delicate missions because of his exceptional intelligence and negotiating talents. Mayor of the first municipality of Tunis in 1858, he was also appointed minister of education, then minister of public works when Kheredine was prime minister. But in 1878, following the fall of Kheredine‟s government it, he was forced into exile. He settled in Italy and was soon joined by his friend Sheikh Salem Bouhajeb. Towards the end of his life he experienced some material discomfort, and his relationship with Kheredine eventually slackened off because of family disputes. After his death, and on Kheredine‟s intervention to the Ottoman government, his remains were transported aboard a warship to Istanbul where he was buried. These letters from Hussein to Kheredine tell us so much about the political and economic situation in the Regency of Tunis on the eve of the French Protectorate. We learn a lot, practically on a daily basis, about the concerns of Tunisian reformers and the controversies aroused by the policy of massive borrowing at exorbitant interest rates practiced by the government of Khaznadar. We also discover General Hussein‟s brisk pen, often using vernacular phrases or foreign words, not so much worrying about stylistic flaws.
I.S.B.N : 9973-911-71-7
71 Book Title: The Origins of the Popular Uprising of 1864 Documents from the National Archives / Prepared and presented by Taoufik Bachrouch Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 442 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1991 Price: 9.500 TND Foreign countries : 11 €
Great efforts have been made in Tunisia to publish manuscript documents, but in the case of the historical archives, they have hardly gone beyond the hands of specialists, making them, as a result, inaccessible to many self-educated readers. There is no doubt that the publication of the archives would open up new perspectives for History in the cultural sense of the term, i.e. as a patrimony within the reach of the general public. In fact, it is not necessary that the historical document be exclusively processed by a professional historian. Sometimes, it is even more relevant to give voice to eyewitnesses, narrators and activists who have experienced and recounted events which are more or less important and, accordingly, have written history without realizing it. This is an avant-garde approach to History nowadays, consolidating the quiet and exciting interaction with the document; an interaction similar to that previously established with the manuscript. Professor T. Bachrouch has disinterred a certain number of historical records from the Tunisian National Archives, which have for a long time remained unpublished. The first of these documents relates to the insurgency led by Ali Ben Ghedhahem in 1864. It‟s about a hundred and thirty years since this popular uprising had erupted, but it still raises two critical issues: the transition from a traditional society to a modern society; and the characteristics of Tunisian society in the aftermath of the proclamation of the "Fundamental Covenant". This volume does not include all the records relating to the insurgency of 1864, but only those relating to the first stages, extending from April to June 1864 and which might be called the Bedouin Spring of deepTunisia. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-66-0
72 Book Title: Abdelaziz Thaalbi and his Role in the Tunisian National Movement (1892-1944) Authors: Ahmed Milad and Mohamed Ben Driss Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 480 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1991 Price: 10.500 TND Foreign countries : 12 €
This book is an introduction to the work of Sheikh Abdelaziz Thaalbi. Given the scope and richness of this work, extending over more than half a century and covering events in both the Maghreb and Mashreq, the authors preferred to stick to those documents relating to Tunisia. They divide the book into 4 parts, in accordance with the political journey of Thaalbi: Part I: The reformist activities of Sheikh Thaalbi from its early beginnings up to 1919. This period was mainly marked by his trial (1904), the publication of "The Liberal Spirit of the Coran" (1906), collaboration with the modernists (including Ali Bach Hamba), the foundation of the" Muslim League" and putting forward an embryo idea of a Maghreb Union. Part II: The foundation of the Destour Party (1920) and attempts at implanting it throughout the country. Sheikh Thaalbi focuses his claims on independence, but was forced into exile after the failure of his attempts. Part III: Defending the Arab and Muslim causes (Congress on the Caliphate in Cairo in 1926, Islamic Congress of Al-Quds in 1931 ...) Part IV: Once back in Tunisia (1937), Sheikh Thaalbi attempts to reunite the national movement, split into the Political Bureau (Neo-Destour) and the Executive Committee. This attempt fails because both sides would remain adamant about their positions. Until his death in 1944, Sheikh Thaalbi had worked for a civilizational and liberating modernism. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he did not confine himself to the Islamic model of thought. On several occasions he had incorporated progressive ideas into his political thinking. His ultimate goal had always been the mobilization of all Arabs and all Muslims towards their union which, in his opinion, was the only way out of colonial hegemony I.S.B.N : 9973-911-69-5
73 Book Title: Itineraries and Kingdoms (al- Masalik wal-Mamalik) (2volumes) Author: Abu Ubaïd Al-Bakri Established by Adrian Van Leeuven and Andrew Ferré Topic: Travels and Accounts Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V.1: 525, V.2: 510 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1992 Price:20TND (both volumes) Foreign countries : 30 €
Abu Ubaïd Al-Bakri had lived in Andalusia in the fifth century of the Hegira (eleventh century AD) and had never travelled abroad, not even inside Andalusia, as he had spent his life in a restricted area, travelling to Huelva, Seville, Cordoba and Almeria, which he had visited on an invitation from its Emir, certainly because he was a famous literary man. There he was tutored by Al-Udhri whose teachings most probably had an influence on al- Bakri‟s interests and studies. Al-Udhri was a geographer and as such, he would have led his disciple into this direction, and al-Bakri might have written his geography book "al-Masalik wal- Mamalik" during this period. The book teems with geographical details, as well as historical, ethnographic and economic facts, all in a continual alternation of descriptions of different countries, routes, people, cities, anecdotes, tales and flashbacks to historical events in such a way that the reader's interest and attention are constantly on the alert. It may well be classed as one of the “wonders of the world” (aja‟ib) or as a treatise on cosmography. It is worth noting that Al-Bakri never tells us about what he had personally seen, he had no actual experience of the countries that he describes, unlike his great predecessors of the classical era in the East like Ibn Hawqal, Al-Istakhri and Mas'udi. He must have been drawing on the written documents that were certainly available to him, thus helping to preserve passages from works which would otherwise have been lost, particularly"al-Aalaq al-Nafisa" by Ibn Rusteh, which is one of the most important sources of inspiration for his "Masalik.I.S.B.N : 9973-10-107-3
74 Book title: The Secrets of Quinine Author: Hassine Khodja Text presented and established by Karray Kossentini Topic: Medicine Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 86 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1993 Price: 2 TND Foreign countries : 3 €
Quinine had been a popular treatment of malaria in Europe ever since the second half of the seventeenth century, but some doctors were reluctant to prescribe it on a large scale, and its use was even restricted, to some extent. In the Regency of Tunis, on the contrary, the use of quinine quickly became widespread through the initiative taken by a dignitary close to the royal family, Hadj Hassine Khodja, who was the first to benefit from this substance for his own health, and then quickly spread it among his circle, thus contributing to the eradication of a serious plague that periodically ravaged the local population. It was in 1690 that Hassine Khodja went to France for a cure, where he inquired about the recent medical discoveries and went to see several specialists. On his return to Tunisia, he delivered quinine barks to patients suffering from malaria. Soon after, he wrote this booklet in which he described the disease, its treatment and the ways of preventing it. He even set up some behavioural and food hygiene rules for convalescing patients. The man didn‟t hide the source he delved into: a detailed letter he received from Dr. Ansano, probably a doctor of Italian origin. He always refers to him as "The author of the original words ..." or "We need, according to the author ...." He modestly affirms that he did no more than translating into Arabic what was written in a foreign language. But in fact, he revamped the original source and didn‟t content himself with a literal translation. This booklet was well received by the intellectuals of the time, as evidenced by the many letters of thanks and praise he received.. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-08-X
75 Book Title: Provisions for the Traveller and Nourishment for the Sedentary (also known under „Viaticum Peregrinorum‟) (2 volumes) Author : Ahmad Ibn Al-Jazzar (Latinized :Algizar) Text Established by M. Souissi, R. Jazi, J. Chikha, F. Asli. Topic: Medicine Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: V.1: 385, V.2: 390 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 1999 Price: 16,500 TND (for both volumes) Foreign countries : 18 €
The re-edition of "Provisions for the Traveller" by the Tunisian Academy Beit al- Hikma has a twofold aim: First, make the full version of the book in its seven treatises (maqalat) accessible to the Arab reader then provide for some kind of interaction with the physician and pharmacist Ahmad Ibn Al-Jazzar, who was also an eminent man of letters and one of the most brilliant representatives of the famous School of Qayrawan(Dar Al-Hikma). Introducing his work, Ibn Al-Jazzar says : "In each chapter (bab), I have defined the disease and shown how it can be diagnosed and treated. I have also specified its nature and location, its immediate causes and apparent symptoms that prove its existence… and then I have mentioned , as a result of this, the therapeutic manipulations relating to all the medicinal components for its treatment according to strict medical methodology". This description clearly shows that we are dealing with a true encyclopedic medical treatise of prime importance,and the book, the most famous among the works of Ibn Al-Jazzar, was the focal point for the meeting of several cultures and civilizations, as it had been translated into many languages, in olden and modern times, which explains the extent to which it has been so widespread in most countries. The establishment of this book, quite so laborious a task as it is, would not have materialized without the relentless efforts and sacrifices made by the collaborators of Beit al-Hikma. We are also indebted to them for an annotated glossary of medicinal plants (Arabic - french - English, and sometimes latin),which will prove to be very helpful for the appreciation of the book. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-048-9
76 Book Title: Noticeable Aspects of Cities and Nations of the World (6 volumes) Author: Mohamed Beyram V Topic: Travel Accounts Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V.1: 312, V.2: 544, V.3: 396, V.4: 500, V.5: 448, V.6: 231 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 1999 Price: 47.500 TND (six volumes) Foreign countries : 60 €
The Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma already published this book in 1989, on the centennial anniversary commemoration of its author, and this is a second edition. The first volume is devoted to a detailed biography of Mohamed Beyram V; the second to "Tunisia"; the third to "The State of Peoples of the Earth"; the fourth to "Islamic Countries"; the fifth to" Christian Countries" and the sixth to different indexes. The book on Tunisia is more than a simple account of travels; it gradually grows into a real encyclopedia, opening up broad prospects for research. Mohamed Beyram V was undoubtedly part of the inner circle of reformers close to the great Minister Kheredine Pasha. But he was rather more fascinated by and open to scientific progress and modernity than say, an Ibn Abi Dhiaf. He was also more aware of the colonialist designs and the importance of economic, social and cultural issues. Visiting the Christian countries, the author watches, his eye not missing any detail, he compares the situation of these States to the situation in the Muslim world and by the way, highlights the influence of the political system and its liberalism on social progress and economic prosperity. He also stresses the positive influence of a good judicial structure and a developed educational system.
I.S.B.N : 9973-929-54-3
77 Book Title: The Best Routes to Understanding the Conditions of Kingdoms (Aqwam Almasalek fi Maarifati Ahwal Al Mamalek) (2 volumes) Language: Arabic Author: Kheiredine Attounsi Topic: Travels and Accounts Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V.1: 544, V.2: 524 Date of publication: 2000 Price: 22 TND (for both volumes) Foreign countries : 24 €
This is the third unabridged edition of "Aqwam al- masalek", following the original edition published in Tunis in 1867 and the second edition published by Beit al-Hikma in 1990. The new edition of this book meets both scientific and academic goals, as it contains a detailed and historically contextualized biography of Kheiredine, along with a note testifying to his impact on political discourse and the art of accounting travels in the 19th century. Following the preface, the book is divided into two parts; each subdivided into chapters where there are accounts of his travels in different countries, and especially European countries. There‟s also a select bibliography of his works with deeper insight on his reformist ideas and the political upheavals in his period in the light of the most recent research. There is also an annotated subject index (containing coranic verses, hadiths of the Prophet, proper names, poems, place names, titles of books referred to by the author and a glossary). A close look at the experience of Kheiredine clearly reveals that he was a stout advocate of reformism and modernization in the social, political and economic aspects of life in Tunisia. However, we know that he could not implement his liberal ideas and his innovative political views because of the manoeuvres and hostility of the traditionalists. But the merit of the book lies in reaching out to a large audience of academics and politicians not only in Tunisia but also in many other Islamic countries, which shows that Tunisia was a forerunner of reformism. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-61-6
78 Book Title: History of the Cadis of Qayrawan Author: Mohamed Joudi Al-Qayrawani Topic: Islamic religion Size: 16x24 number of pages: 232 Language: Arabic Date of publication: 2004 Price: 10.500 TND Foreign countries : 12 €
The cadis (or judges) play an essential role in Islamic societies as it consists in settling disputes arising between people, thus cutting short all sorts of injustice and the disruptive influence that might result from it, according to a definition made by Ibn Khaldun. In Tunisia, it was famous religious scholars and "faqihs" who took it upon themselves to fulfill this function. They established a significant oral jurisprudence which was later collected in MS documents by their disciples. It is a collection of these sentences, codified but scattered in bio-bibliographical works, which the Tunisian library had been lacking. The credit is due to Sheik Mohamed Joudi, grand mufti of Kairouan, for compiling these sentences and, by the same occasion, relating the history of the cadis of Kairouan, from the Moslem conquest to the 1940‟s. And it is Professor Anas Allani who has established, revised and supplemented the original manuscript of this work. In the first chapter, devoted to Sheik Joudi, we read about the minute details concerning his training and career. We also read about the appointment of cadis, the way they exercise law, the cadi‟s seal and the Malekite jurisprudence. The second chapter, a chronological account of the 133 Qairawani cadis, includes details concerning their training, careers and works. There is also a valuable supplement to the book including some indexes (containing verses from the Coran, hadiths of the Prophet, bio- bibliographical references), etc... I.S.B.N : 9973-49-008-7
79 Book Title: A linguistic, Literary and Historical Study of the Navy Author: Mohamed Chadli Enneïfar Topic: Literature / History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 248 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Price: 12 TND. Foreign countries : 15 €
It is the great Tunisian historian Hassan Hosni Abdulwaheb who had the idea, after the Second World War, to carry out a study of the navy which, in the West, had played a major role in the colonization of several countries in Africa, Asia and America. In the East, the Arab-Muslim maritime war fleet had had an equally important role, as revealed by several studies, including that of Mohamed Yassine Hamawi entitled "History of the Arab Navy". So H.H Abdulwahab talked about the subject to his friend, Sheikh Mohamed Chadli Enneïfar, who was enthusiastic about the idea. Drawing on several linguistic sources, he studied the origin and meaning of the word "ustul" (battle fleet, merchant fleet, etc ...); and in the collections of the poets Al- Buhturi, Al-Iyadi and Ibn Hani, he drew some interesting information and conducted comparative studies. He then outlined the history of the maritime fleet during the period of the first Caliphs of Islam, then during the Umayyad, Aghlabite, Fatimid, sanhajite and Almohade dynasties. He also devoted several chapters to the maritime fleet in the West, Turkey and Persia, to the shipyards in Ifriqya and Morocco, to the most famous admirals in the navy and merchant fleets in Muslim countries, describing in detail various types of ships, their different parts, equipment and accessories. ISBN : 9973-490-49-0
80 Book title: Treatise of perfumes and essences Author: Ahmad Ibn Al-Jazzar Established by: Radhi Jazi and Farouk Asli Topic: Medicine / culture
Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 188
Language: Arabic and French
Date of publication: 2007 Price: 13 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
The "Treatise of perfumes and essences" has for a long time been thought to have disappeared. But professors R. Jazi and F Asli, both eminent specialists in the Tunisian medical heritage in general, and in the works of the famous Quairawani physician and pharmacist Ibn Al-Jazzar in particular, could manage to have access to the MS book at the Sulaymanya Library in Istanbul, which has made it possible for them to establish this text along the strictest scientific norms. In the introduction, Ibn Al-Jazzar points out that perfumes are greatly beneficial for health ; They have, he says, " a healthy effect on the functioning of the head, the heart and the liver, which are essential organs for the life of a human being and for longevity... They also affect a person‟s spirit positively, arouse good mood and vitalize the body ". Then the author states an original theory about the perception and appreciation of scents. He gives several formulas of mixtures that he had prepared himself or that had been described by earlier authors, like Jean Mesué, whom he quotes on several occasions. He points out that he had tried all those preparations and found them "efficient". He devotes a whole chapter to the basic ingredients of all perfumes. Other chapters deal with scented powders, aromatics, oils, incenses, odorous powders, ointments, etc... They are in fact kind of perfume-drugs with therapeutic indications. This work of Ibn Al-Jazzar is then extremely fascinating at the historical, scientific and civilizational levels. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-038-4
81 Book Title: Collection of Poems by Mohamed al-Faiez Prepared by: Abderrahman Kablouti Reviewed by: Majed Jaafar Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 212 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Price: 10 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
This book appears as part of the festivities celebrating Quairwan as a cultural Islamic capital for the year 2009. The first part includes a biography of the Quairwani poet Mohammed al-Faiez (1902-1953), written by Abderrahman Kablouti, in which he traces the poet‟s intellectual training, his role as an educator and his literary activities. He then describes the political, social and cultural scene in Quairwan at the beginning of the 20th century and scrutinizes the major themes addressed by the poet. The second part includes the collection itself (the „diwan‟), which consists of 78 poems, stanzas and couplets of Andalusian inspiration (muashahat), and classified according to theme. The book is also enriched by several indexes, bibliographic references and footnotes. In this collection, Mohamed al-Faiez proves to be a staunch supporter of the “Nahdha”, (the Renaissance) and an ardent nationalist, calling his countrymen to free themselves from the yoke of colonialism. A Lyricist, he expressed his feelings and exhilaration in a romantic tone. He had also written many poems in memory of illustrious political and cultural personalities in Tunisia and the Arab world, and other poems extolling his hometown, Quairwan, its age-old civilization and its immortal Islamic values. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-053-7
82 Book Title: The Treatise of Pediatrics by Ibn Al-Jazzar Established by: Mohamed Habib Al-Hila Topic: Medicine Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 192 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Price: 9 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
Part of the festivities celebrating Quairwan as an Islamic cultural capital for the year 2009, this is the third edition, revised and updated of "Kitab Siyasat as-Sibyan wa Tadbiruhum" (Treatise of Pediatrics), by Ibn al-Jazzar (Latinized Algizar). It follows the publication (in 1985) and the republication, (in 1999), of "Viaticum" (Zad al- Musafir), the most famous work of Ahmad Ibn Al-Jazzar; and the most recent edition (in2007) of his "Kitab fi-Funun at-Tib wal-Itr" (Treatise of Perfumes and Essences) by "Beit Al-Hikma." The book contains 22 chapters. The first six chapters deal with the health of infants; the following fifteen chapters address the issue of childhood diseases and how to cure them, while the last chapter outlines the principles of a sound education for children. This treatise, like many others, demonstrates the originality and dynamism of the Medical School of Quairwan, of which Ibn al-Jazzar was one of the most outstanding representatives, alongside Imran Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Ishaq Sulayman. The book also contains bibliographic references and a trilingual glossary (Arabic, French, and Latin) of pharmaceutical and medical terms and references to these by the most famous Arab authors (like Ibn Sina and Ibn al-Baytar, etc.). I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-054-4
83 Book Title: Ali-al Husari al-Qayrawani Authors: M'hamed Marzouki and Jilani Ben Hadj Yahia Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 556 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Price: 17 TND Foreign countries : 25 €
Part of the celebratios of Kairouan as a capital of Islamic culture, the Tunisian Academy “Beit al-Hikma” publishes this second edition, revised and updated, of the book devoted to Ali al-Husari, of which the first edition is practically out of print. There is first a study relating to the intellectual, political and literary scene in Kairouan, in the fifth century AH (eleventh century AD) during the Sanhajite dynasty and a biography of the great poet, al-Husari, who had his moment of glory in Andalusia and had, along with Ibn Rachiq and Ibn Sharaf, greatly contributed to the fame of the “Literary School” of Kairouan. Next there is all the works of Al-Husari: Epistles, various poetry volumes including his magnum opus “Ya laylu as-sab”, and especially the collection of elegies (including about 3,000 lines) written to the memory of his son, Abdelghani, who died at the age of nine, following a nosebleed. These poems, where al-Husari expresses his deep suffering, are of dramatic beauty and solemnly sincere. The book also includes several indexes of great value, and bibliographic reference updates. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-056-8
84 Book Title: The Collected Poems of Mohamed Chadli Atallah Revised by: Abderrahman KABLOUTI Introduced by : Jaafar Majed Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 616 Language : Arabic Publication Date : 2008 Price : 25DT Foreign countries : 20 €
This collection of poems by the great Kairawani poet Mohamed Chadli Atallah (1899- 1991) has been the subject of a second edition, revised and updated, as part of the celebrations by Beit al-Hikma, of Kairawan as an Islamic cultural capital. We rediscover the poet‟s passionate love for his country, lauding its heroic struggle following the tragic events that marked the end of the First World War. Most importantly, this collection reflects a strong political, social and civilizational militant attitude. The reader will not find it easy to distinguish a fervent crave for a new society from a strong desire to revive the true values of olden days, or the country's liberation from colonial rule. It also reflects a great piety: you can feel the poet‟s relentless adherence to his childhood religious education. He became an Imam and talented orator; he used to chant the Koran during the evenings of Ramadan, showing an intense faith. During religious feasts and pilgrimage, he composed poems in praise of Allah and Mohammed to be recited at the tomb of the prophet by those willing to undertake this holy mission. And finally, this collection is a mark of the poet‟s humane dimension. Mohamed Chadli Atallah is an unaffected personality when it comes to his relationship with the others and the universe. In this regard, his short poems dedicated to his closest friends are genuine tokens of kindness and loyalty and far more touching than some of his traditional "qacidas" (poems). I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-069-8
85 Book Title: Medicine for the Poor Author: Ahmad Ibn Al-Jazzar Prepared by: Radhi Jazi and Farouk Omar Asli Topic: Medicine Size: 16x24 Topic: Medicine Number of pages: 436 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2009 Price: 19 D.T Foreign countries : 20 €
On the occasion of the celebrations of Kairawan as a capital of Islamic culture for the year 2009, the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma is publishing yet another book by the famous Kairawani physician Ibn Al-Jazzar, whose works it has already published in part. In the introduction to this book the author states: “Having noticed that many paupers and destitute people do not have the necessary means to treat themselves and buy medicines ... I have undertaken to establish an exhaustive list of diseases, along with their causes, symptoms and relevant treatment through accessible and affordable medicines. This will make it possible for doctors to treat the majority of the sick and needy patients easily through the medication I have listed here”. Ibn al-Jazzar himself had tried out these drugs and made sure of their effectiveness. However, he did not simply draw on his own his personal observations, as he also relied on the authority of some Greek practitioners of great renown such as Galen and Dioscorides. Accordingly, what we are dealing with is a true forerunner who had considered genuine ways of cutting down on health care costs, just as we are doing these days having recourse to generic medication. Moreover, modern medicine has ascertained that medicines prescribed by Ibn Al-Jazzar, although accessible to the poorest, are nonetheless effective. Finally, it is worth noting that most of the terminology in this teratise is still commonly used in the modern materia medica. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-076-6
86 Book Title: The Book of Answers Author: Abu al-Qacim Ibn Adhoum Prepared by: Mohamed Habib Al-Hila Topic: Islamic Heritage Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 4100 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2009 Price: 231TND Foreign countries : 300 €
The book contains the answers given by the author, Abu al-Qacim Ibn Adhoum to the various queries from those to be tried, while he was holding the role of mufti in Tunis, from 982/1574 to 1009/1601, date of his death. In these responses the Mufti, Ibn Adhoum, mentions the name(s) of the person(s) seeking his advice, or in some ways involved in the trials pending. He provides details on families, tribes, cities, neighbourhoods and buildings, along with details of the religious and administrative functions, the trade guilds, as well as socio-cultural indications (clothing, food ... etc). The social and political problems that Tunisia had undergone, following the defeat of the Spanish occupation and the settlement of the Ottoman rule, are well portrayed through the Mufti‟s answers, which constitute an important reference for specialists of Islamic fiqh (jurisprudence). They also serve as a historical document (covering a period of 27 years) and bridging a gap of more than a century (between Zarkashi and his"Tarikh ad-Dawlatayn"and Ibn Abi Dinar and his" Mu'nis"). Professor Al-Hila has long been fully devoted to the establishment of this book, along a most rigorous line and a keen desire to highlight its dual and undeniable historical and jurisprudential dimension. I.S.B.N : 9973-490-09-4
87 Book Title: Treatise of Medicine for the Elderly and their Lifestyle Author: Ahmed Ibn Al-Jazzar Prepared by: Radhi Jazi and Omar Farouk Asli
Topic: Medicine
Size: 16x24
Number of Pages:136
Language: Arabic
Publication Date: 2009 Price: 10 D.T Foreign countries : 12 €
This book appears as part of the celebrations, in 2009, of Kairawan as a capital of Islamic culture. It follows many other works by the most famous Kairawani physician Ibn Al- Jazzar, already published by the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma, over the past few years. In the introduction to this book, the author states that he had compiled “the principles and teachings of his predecessors relating to the healthcare of the elderly, so as to improve a healthy longevity for them, until the end of their lives, according to their physiological state”. In prescribing some drugs, Ibn Al-Jazzar refers to the findings of his own personal experience, which he carried out at the age of sixty, an age which - according to him - marks the beginning of old age. He also lists several rules for personal hygiene, which he had detailed in an earlier book: "Al 'Udda li-Toul al-Mudda" (The Necessary Arrangements for Longevity). This book, now lost, was mentioned by Ibn Abi Usaybiaa in his “Uyun al- Anba”. Among these personal hygiene rules, we can mention the following: choosing a healthy environment, eating and drinking moderately and at fixed times, not staying up late, because that weakens the body, practicing a daily moderate physical exercise, combining gymnastics and sweet music, living “in harmony with nature”, and trying to avoid stress and anger as much as possible and cultivate “the virtues of the soul” ... It is obvious that these rules are still quite practical, more than a thousand years after the death of Ibn Al-Jazzar. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-082-7
88 Book Title: Collection of poems by Mohamed Boucharbia Prepared by: Habib Ben Fdhila Revised by: Jaafar Majed Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2009 Price: TND Foreign countries : 20 €
On the occasion of the celebrations of Kairawan as an Islamic cultural capital, Kairawani contemporary poets are being honoured. Besides the poetry of Chedli Atallah, Mohamed al-Faïez and Mohamed Halioui, here is a collection of poems by Mohamed Boucharbia (1903-1952). Those who were closely acquainted with the poet spoke of his deep sensitivity and indomitable will and pride. Never ever satisfied, he always complained bitterly of his poor social condition and his multiple disappointments. Browsing through his poems, you can easily feel the same kind of dissatisfaction through his sharp criticism of the local authorities (accusing them of being at the origin of the misfortune of his hometown), of his environment and even of his parents. After a hard childhood he had spent toiling away, he joined the Zaytuna Mosque School, where he shared a life of deprivation and frustration with other students, at a time of rampant colonial rule with an iron grip on the country. The student revolts against the system were in full swing. Everywhere there were insistent claims for a thorough reform of the school curricula, considered to be retrograde and anachronistic. During these protests, Boucharbia was one of the most eloquent and scathing speakers; an attitude most often reflected in his poems. According to Sheikh Fadhel Ben Achour, a perceptive connoisseur of the Zaytouna circles, Boucharbia was very close to the most disputant students. Later on, he became a professor at the Zaytuna, but his candid attitude and intransigent stance still not abating. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-081-0
89 Titre de l‟ouvrage : « Al-Umda » (Traité de poétique) Auteur : Abu Ali Hassan Ibn Rachiq Texte établi par : taoufik Ennaïfer, Mokhtar laâbidi et Jamel Hamada Thème : Littérature Dimensions :16x24 Nombre de pages : 1250 (les 3 tomes) Langue : arabe Date de parution : 2009 Prix de vente : 58 D.T. (les 3 tomes) Foreign countries : 50 € On the occasion of the celebrations of Kairawan as an Islamic cultural capital, the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma has undertaken the republication of Ibn Rachiq‟s masterpiece, since none of the previous editions is satisfactory, as affirmed by Professor Chedli Bouyahia. To this day,"Al-Umda" remains one of the "fundamentals" of Arabic poetry. The Arabs have always conceived of poetry as an "art" - either polished or spontaneous - more than simply an inspiration. For Ibn Rachiq, the "Modernists" are as much successful as the "Traditionalists" in this art, superior to prose, both in form and content. Its value depends on that of its components (vocabulary, measurement, ideas and rhyme) as well as the culture, intelligence and dexterity of the poet, who must be able to deal with all types of poetry with the same ease and adapt his poetry to the topic, circumstances and the general public tastes. The book concludes with some facts on the lives of Arabs and all sorts of knowledge proper to developing the talent of the poet. The various, abundant and largely commented quotations give this book on poetics its aspect of "adab", an aspect that adorns it usefully. The reasoned and motivated judgments accompanying the arguments throughout "Al-Umda" make of Ibn Rachiq one of the greatest Arab literary critics. Moreover, besides the canonical status of the "adab" genre, typical of Machreq literature, Ibn Rachiq would often draw on his Ifriqiyan masters, calling upon their authority on major problems of poetics or literary criticism. As such, he is one of the brightest representatives of both Arab and Ifriqiyan culture. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-091-9
90 Book Title: A Treatise on Melancholy Author: Ishaq Ibn Imran Prepared by: Adel Omran and Radhi Jazi Translated into French by: Adel Omrani Topic: Medicine Size: 16x24 Number of pages: Language: Arabic/French Publication Date: 2009 Price: Foreign countries : 12 €
Written in Kairawan in the late ninth century, the "Maqal fil- malikhoulia" is the oldest book wholly devoted to the subject of melancholy that has ever come down to us. Commonly known in the West under the title "De Melancholia" thanks to the Latin translation by Constantine the African, it would remain one of the most reliable reference books for the treatment of the black bile disorders for centuries to come. This treatise is quite interesting for several reasons. Historically, it is important because it is a kind of snapshot of medical ideas on melancholy at that time, enabling us a better understanding of the accumulation of medical knowledge among Arabs compared to Greek and Roman contributions. Clinically, it offers a fine and delicate description of manic- depressives. While remaining faithful to the Galen definition of melancholia, ibn Imran insisted on the multitude of symptoms of the disease: depression, hallucinations, delirium, and phobias. Etiologically, Ibn Imran states antenatal causes, physical causes and psychological causes such as a destabilized lifestyle, the loss of a dear object, etc. ... It ascribes no influence to any supernatural, psychic or magical powers. His attitude contrasts with that of the majority of his successors, down to Robert Burton in 1621. Therapeutically, this level being the material for the whole of the second essay, Ibn Imran outlines the broad lines of the therapeutic range for bipolar disorder: support, cognitive correction, physiotherapy, and hygienic, dietary and medicinal care. Hence, this book proves to be surprisingly up to date with modern medicine. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-087-2
91 Book Title: To the Glory of Allah and his Prophets Author: Atallah Mohamed Chadli Prepared by: Abderrahman KABLOUTI Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2009 Price: 33D.T Foreign countries : 25 €
This "Collection of poems in praise of Allah and his Prophets" ,by the Kairawani poet Mohamed Chadli Atallah (1899-1991) follows a similar collection that the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma has republished on the occasion of the celebrations, in 2009, of Kairawan as an Islamic cultural capital. A devout Muslim ever since his early childhood, the poet showed a staunch commitment to the service of Allah, constantly beseeching His mercy. Yielding to the impulses of his heart, he wrote really seducing songs through the mystical sweetness of the words. During the annual feast of the Mouled, the birth of the Prophet, always celebrated in kairawan with the same pomp and splendour, he had never missed the chance of declaiming poems in praise of the Prophet Muhammad at the mausoleum of Abu Zama Al- Balawi or the Great Mosque of Kairawan; and on the occasion of the pilgrimage, he also used to ask friends or relatives to recite poems, which he would compose for the occasion, at the tomb of the Prophet in Medina. He had also praised other prophets like Abraham or Moses, the famous Caliphs of Islam, the first Companions of the Prophet Muhammad and some of his wives. Other poems were composed on the occasion of religious holidays such as Ramadan, the Commemoration of the Battle of Badr, Eid al-fitr ... All these poems reveal a great richness of expression and a poet whose inspiration merges with the fervour for Islam. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-084-1
92 Book Title: The Rules of Conduct for School Teachers Author: Mohamed Ibn Suhnoun Revised by: Ibrahim Ben Mrad Topic: Education Size: 16x24 Number of pages: Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2009 Price:12 500 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
This book, written by Mohamed Ibn Suhnoun (817-870), is considered to be one of the oldest and most interesting treatises on pedagogy in the Arab-Muslim world, as all those who had later tried their hand at the subject are more or less indebted to this work. Due to the relevance of the issue, the text was first established in 1931 by the great Tunisian scholar H.H. Abdulwahab, and then translated into French by the orientalist G. Lecomte in 1953. Later on, in 1972, a second edition came out, reviewed and commented by the writer Mohamed Laaroussi Metoui. What we have here then is the third edition, which is part of the celebration by the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma of Kairawan as an Islamic cultural capital. Among the most relevant chapters in this Treatise, we can cite the following: - Methodology of teaching the Koran - How to be fair with students. - What is permissible and not permissible in disciplinary matters. Many great scholars and researchers, both old and modern, have extensively quoted and delved into this work, such as Gibinyani, Ibn Khaldun and al-Qabousi, since it contains the basic texts tracing back the history of Islamic education in its beginnings during the Umayyad Caliphate and the beginning of the Abbaside period. Therefore, Mohamed Ibn Suhnoun had reliably conveyed a true picture of how the subject was taught at that time, referring to the method of his father Imam Suhnoun, who himself had received much from his master Malik ibn Anas, the great Imam of the Madina, and to other imams who had the merit of laying the foundations of Islamic education.
. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-096-4
93 Book Title: Geoponica : A Treatise on Agriculture
Author: Cassianus Bassus Scholasticus Established by: Bouraoui Trabelsi Topic: Agriculture Size: 15.5 X 23.5 cm Language: Arabic Number of pages: 324 Date of Publication: 2010 Price: 16,000 TD Foreign countries : 15 €
This is an elaborate and hearty treatise on rural agriculture, originally known as Geoponica (a Greek word which means the body of knowledge relating to farmland work), later translated into Arabic as "Kitab al-Filaha "or" Kitab az-irâ'a”. The author is most probably the Greek Cassianus Scholasticus Bassus, becoming Castus Ibn Ascurascina among the Arabs. All we know about him is that he was a writer and agriculturist and probably lived in the late 6th century AD. The “ Kitab az-zirâ'a”, introduced by Professor Bouraoui Trabelsi in a critical and elaborate edition, clearly reveals the extent to which the progressive design of the text of Castus was complex and complicated. Geoponica (or Kitab az-Zirâ'a) in its present form, is one of the few encyclopedias dealing with agriculture and everything relating to rural life that has ever come down to us from ancient times. ISBN : 978-9973-49-108-4
94
95 Book Title: Cultural Action and Development Author: Mustapha Mami Topic: Culture Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 304 Language: French Publication Date: 1986 Price: 4.800 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
In this book, Mustapha Mami is suggesting an analytical approach to festivals. He begins by putting them in the context of cultural activities and the process of development. He then goes on to categorize these cultural events according to their context (political, traditional or created), state the purpose of their occasion (cultural entertainment, the culmination of an artistic event, the dissemination of culture, safeguarding the cultural heritage, liveliness of particular spots or tourist attraction), and finally he deals with the way of holding festivals. The author focuses on the festival of Tabarka as a case study, being the first festival to be organized in Tunisia (1961), which has taken place annually on a fairly regular basis. Another reason is that officials have had a lively interest in it, and that although it is not organized in the capital or any other major city, it has had many positive echoes both in Tunisia and abroad. Ultimately, it is worth pointing out that the author does not mean to condemn or approve of any particular festival. He simply sought to assess the way the festival of Tabarka is organized in terms of cultural activities, showing its strengths and weaknesses as objectively as possible, in order to increase the profitability of festivals in general, and of the festival of Tabarka in particular.
96 Book Title: Mutations in Physics and the Genesis of Modern Times Author: Hammadi Ben Jaballah Topic: Science / Philosophy Size: 15x24 Number of pages: 430 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1986 Price: 2 TND .Foreign countries : 3 €
In this book, the author is suggesting a definition of the concept of modernity. Right from the start, he tries to determine the extent to which we can talk about a specific break in the development of history in general and science in particular. He first warns against the belief that our modern ideas are simply revamped old ideas and that old ideas are eternally modern. He then questions the texts of Galileo on the reality of their connection to ante- Galilean physics. And finally he deals with the changes induced by the scientific discoveries made by Galileo, especially concentrating on the incongruity between the old and modern tenets, reaching break-up with Descartes and Newton, a break-up that would establish for modern times and lay the theoretical, scientific, philosophical and political grounds for subjugating Nature and conquering space. The break-up dates back precisely to the time when Newton showed that the law governing the fall of an apple also applies to the possibility of launching satellites around the Earth. On the level of political liberation, the severance goes back to the date when Descartes‟"cogito" springs out of the darkness of doubt, and man discovers his ability to regulate the universe. It would later be realized in the eighteenth century that the Cartesian model implies that Man can claim to be himself only once he has been submitted to own will, i.e. his own laws. There is perhaps reference here to what is called democracy. Modernity, the author concludes, is a concept that is defined by truth, freedom and power. If so, why would we not be modernists?
97 Book Title: Meditations Author: Mohamed Halioui Preface: Hammadi Sammoud Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 84 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1987 Price: 2 TND Foreign countries : 3 €
This collection includes all the poems of Mohamed Halioui (1907-1978), which were published over several decades in Tunisian literary or educational journals. In this collection, the reader will find meditations on the Universe and Nature, along with other reflections - not in the least free of outrage - on the human condition and all sorts of injustices suffered by human beings on earth. All that the poet can afford is to suffer, beseeching humans for more understanding and mutual support. The condition of the man of letters in his environment is also the subject of recurring moans and groans in this collection. After the decline of the traditional moral values, he can only see duplicity, hypocrisy and an unbridled materialism. He appeals to the great poet Ibn Hani, on the occasion of his millenium anniversary, expressing his grievances against his hometown, Qairawan, and its people, whose attitude towards the educated nears disdain and contempt. Memories are also strongly present in this collection. For the poet, they are the opportunity to recall the golden age of Qairawan, and the glorious past of the Arabs when they were the masters of the world, a position afforded by the growth of their civilization and the influence of their scholars. If the prodigious accomplishments of the West are so brilliant for him, he still eyes them with fear and skepticism. In these "Meditations", Mohamed Halioui seems to be inspired by two icons, so prestigious for him: the great poet-philosopher Al-Maarri, in his metaphysical disarray, and his friend Chabbi, the "aerolite" of Tunisian poetry. Deposit No. 55/87
98 Book Title: Poetics Applied to Abul-Qacim Chabbi Prepared by a Panel of Academics. Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 398 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1988 Price: 7.900 TND Foreign countries : 9 €
A group of Tunisian university professors have carried out a series of research studies on the general theories of poetics among the Arabs and other civilizations, in which both Old poets and Modern ones are sampled and their works examined with the same criteria of objectivity and analyzed within the same theoretical insight, but with the precedence of specimen over theoretical tenets. The first of these studies has been devoted to the Tunisian poet Abu al-Qacim Chabbi (1909-1934) who, in his "Diary", qualified himself as "a heavenly nightingale." This study is intended to be a fresh look at the poetic works of Chabbi, off the beaten track. In this book, the reader will realize two different expositions: the first is very close to the spirit of the Chabbi text, seeking to penetrate his inner secrets. The other, apparently more distant, raises the question of the best means to writing poetry. Here are some of the papers presented. Professor Hammadi Sammoud considers the poem "Song of the lost" as central to Chabbi‟s poetics, while Professor Abdallah Soula conducts a semantic study of the poem "Prayer at the temple of love ", and Professor Hichem Rifi, deals with the myth in "Aghani al-Hayat" (Songs of Life), etc ...
I.S.B.N : 9973-911-04-0
99 Book Title: Mecca and the Holy Kaaba in the Accounts of Muslim Travellers Author: Ali Chennoufi Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 160 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1989 Price: 4.500 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
Ever since the Arab conquest of Ifriqya, Muslims in the Maghreb region have always had a passion for the accounts of those who have made the pilgrimage to the holy places, recounting the hazards of the journey by land and sea, and describing the deep satisfaction deriving from the visit to Mecca and the Medina. Soon these tales were no longer reported only orally, but were documented. Since then, accounts of the journey to the Hejaz turned into a kind of guidebook, with information on the ritual obligations of the pilgrimage, its virtues and the various stages of the journey. Among these accounts, Ibn Jubayr‟s recounting of the journey is the oldest and most informative. There were several others, inter alia, by Abdari, at-Tujjani, at-Tujibi, Ibn Battuta and Muhammad Ibn Uthman as-Sanussi. In this book, we can read the accounts made by some of these travellers and their description of the holy Kaaba and its finery, the repairs made to the Sacred Mosque and the Maghrebine caravans who had done the journey to the Hejaz for three centuries. There are also some passages - translated into Arabic – of letters by the different Consuls of France in Jeddah (1850-1886), in which they refer to the caravans of pilgrims, their approximate numbers, and the sanitary conditions during the pilgrimage, etc ... I.S.B.N : 9973-911-11-3
100 Book Title: Theories of Translation Established by a panel of university teachers. Topic: Culture. Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 204 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1989 Price: TND 6.500. Foreign countries : 8 €
Initiated by "Beit al-Hikma", a panel of Tunisian university professors has undertaken a theoretical study to define the meaning and role of translation. This work has enabled: 1 – To give every researcher the opportunity to deal with an issue of their own choice, and to chart and present the relevant references in a critical way. 2 - Group discussion of individual works, in order to enhance the different views and open up new horizons for all researchers. On the historical level, Professor Mongia Mensia studied translation among the Arabs from the early beginnings until the Abbasid period. Professor Kamel Gaha was interested in the problems of translation at the dawn of the modern Arab "Nahdha"(renaissance). On the purely theoretical level, Professor Mohamed Agina reviewed the various theories of translation. Focusing on the theoretical aspects in operation, Professor Abu Yaareb Marzouki dealt with scientific translation as a social phenomenon. As for Professor Béji Kamarti, he addressed scientific and technical translation, establishing the strong connection between both of them. Professor Moncef Jazzar, on his side, analyzed specific patterns of literary translation, drawing original theoretical conclusions. These studies, which in Professor Kamel Omrane‟s words make up a consistent whole, all seek the same goal: to establish the foundations for a general theory of translation that is likely to boost the Arabization process in all areas, for obvious civilizational reasons. ISBN : 7793-911-16-4
101 Book Title: The Fundamentals of Terminology Studies Owed to a Panel of University Professors Topic: Linguistics Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 304 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1989 Price: 5 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
The development of terminology into a relatively independent science from semantics and lexicography is a first consequence of the rapid expansion of the technical, scientific and terminology systems. It is also a result of the inevitably intricate nature of the various terminological systems due to linguistic diversity and the ever increasing complexity of various scientific fields. The pressing need for different peoples to communicate through well-identified terminology systems is a reality imposed by economic factors, problems of technology transfer and the fact that science and technology do not identify with political and linguistic barriers. Hence the emergence of what has been called «the contact of languages» in terms of word transfers. The different sciences have then found themselves forced to establish equivalent terms in other languages whose speakers have not experienced the reality expressed by those words in the native language context; which is at the origin of the difficulties of translation, as every language has got its own structural rules governing the language and its own mode of semantic representation, reflecting reality as experienced by the speakers of that language. The main task for terminology as a linguistic discipline is therefore the standardization of use according to the different linguistic contexts and the formulation of rules facilitating the spread and establishment of new terms. This is known as "normalization". Professors M'seddi, Triki, Ben Taleb and Ben Youssef have brought considerable insight into these issues. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-17-2
102 Book Title: History of Sciences in the Arab world A Collective Work by a Panel of University Teachers Topic: Sciences Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 286 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 6.700 TND Foreign countries : 8 €
This is the first series of scientific studies, which is the fruit of a close collaboration between the History of Arab Sciences Research Unit at the National Institute for Educational Sciences and the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma, devoted to the major topic of the Arab sciences founding stages, and in which we can discern two major areas of interest: mathematics and natural sciences on the one hand, and humanities on the other, with a common feature to both, and that is respect for the main characteristic of Arab sciences, namely the close connection between science and philosophy. These studies, although written by the different members in the Research Unit, reflects a noticeable collective effort, since they opted for two complementary approaches: initially holding preparatory seminars in which the work of each member has been evaluated, then the establishment of monographs in the light of the collective work already carried out. Once completed, this series of studies has been the subject of an international symposium which gave place to profitable debates and allowed two Arab scientists established abroad (Khalil Jaouich and Ahmed Jebbar) to resume a long-awaited interaction with their colleagues at home. Because of the very nature of their specialties, the different researchers could only carry out their studies at two different levels: the first extends to the entire Muslim world, because Arab sciences and philosophy are the prerogative of all those who thought and wrote in Arabic within the Islamic civilization. The second includes the history of human science in general, because Arab sciences acted as an intermediary between the science written in Greek and that written in Latin. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-96-6
103 Book Title: Magnum Opus (2 volumes) Author: Hassan Hosni Abdulwahab Topic: History / Science / Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V1: 450, V2: 550 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 23.500 TND) Foreign countries : 26 €
This historical and bio-bibliographical survey on Tunisian thought and culture, literature and sciences of medieval and modern Tunisia is owed to the great Tunisian historian Hassan Hosni Abdulwahab. It is a real encyclopedia which involved strenuous and patient research efforts in manuscript and published works including chronicles, tradition compendiums, theological and literary surveys etc… Before his death in 1968, the author had already published most of this magnum opus in his famous book "Waraqat" (Leaves on Arab Civilization in Ifriqya), which came out in 1965 and 1966, and these are: 1 - Preliminary chapters: the Birth of Tunisian civilization, History of Tunisian culture, Evidence of interest in education, Evidence of interest to books and the care in collecting them. 2 – A Bio-bibliographical reference to different scholars (Faqihs „religious scholars‟, exegetes, etc ...), men of letters and doctors ... The rest of the book remained on sheets, with most of the notes more or less completed. It is Professors Mohamed Laroussi Métoui and Bashir Baccouche who have taken care of reviewing, supplementing and updating them, taking into account the new editions and reprints, observing the continuity of the work and the approach intended by the author. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-35-0
104 Titre de l‟ouvrage : Histoire de la littérature tunisienne XVIe – XIXe siècles. Etude établie par : un groupe de professeurs universitaires Thème : Littérature Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 186 Langue : arabe Date de parution : 1989 Prix de vente : 5 D.T. (épuisé) Foreign countries : 6 €
Cet ouvrage est le premier d‟une série consacrée à l‟histoire de la littérature tunisienne et à l‟étude de son évolution à travers les âges. Le groupe de recherches qui réunit, au sein de Beït al-Hikma, les enseignants universitaires chargés de l‟élaboration de ce projet à dégagé, dans le cours de cette histoire, plusieurs phases correspondantes à la succession des dynasties qui ont régné en Tunisie. Chaque période a donc été étudiée sur la base d‟un répertoire exhaustif des œuvres, et elle comprend une notice de présentation des auteurs et une anthologie. Le présent volume est consacré aux périodes mouradite et hussaynite, c‟est-à-dire les siècles qui s‟étendent de l‟arrivée de Sinan Pacha à Tunis en 1574 jusqu'à l‟établissement du Protectorat français en 1881. Le lecteur y trouvera un aperçu sur la structure sociale en Tunisie et sur les divers édifices publics construits durant ces deux périodes. L‟accent est particulièrement mis sur les institutions d‟enseignement qui ont joué un rôle dans la renaissance culturelle de notre pays. Les thèmes prédominants en poésie et en prose donnent lieu à une étude exhaustive qui signale, avec les œuvres marquantes des grands auteurs (Ibn Abi Dhiaf, Ibrahim Riahi, Mahmoud Kabadou, Béji Mas‟udi…), les principales sources utilisées pour établir leurs biographies. Enfin, les ouvrages cités sont regroupés dans une bibliographie suivie d‟index détaillés. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-18-0
105 Book Title: History of the Tunisian Literature from the 16th to the 19th Centuries. Anthology Compiled by a panel of university professors Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 496 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 9.500 TND Foreign countries : 11 €
Among the series of works on the history of Tunisian literature and its development through the ages, a first instalment, bearing the title "Studies on the Tunisian literature from the 16th to the 19th Centuries", has been published, covering the period extending from the arrival of Sinan Pasha in Tunis in 1574 until the French protectorate in 1881, and based on an exhaustive study of the predominant themes in poetry and prose. This manual, which completes it, includes an anthology of Tunisian literature during the same period, the Mouradite and Hussaynide dynasties. It is a random collection of texts, in both poetry and prose, drawn from the memorable works - mostly yet unpublished - of great authors such as Ibn Abi Dinar, Ibn Abi Dhiaf, Salem Bouhajeb, Beyram V, Mohamed Hachaïchi, Hussein Khuja, Ibrahim Riahi, Mohamed Zitouna, Ali Gherabi, Mohamed Futata, Mahmoud Qabadu, Mohamed Madhur, Mohamed Béji Mas'udi, Mahmoud Megdich, Ali Nouri, Mohamed Al-Ouarghi, among others. The texts are chronologically arranged according to the date of death of their authors, in order to highlight the characteristics of each period covered by the study.. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-19-9
106 Book Title: History of the Tunisian Literature in the 19th and 20th Centuries. An Anthology of Poetry Compiled by Mohamed Salah Ben Amor Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 368 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 8.500 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
The Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma has undertaken the publication of a series of works on the history of Tunisian literature and the study of its development through the ages. Regarding the modern and contemporary periods, several academic researchers have tried to trace the epochal stages of Tunisian literature, delineate the different literary genres and show their relevance to the social context and their connection with the different cultural and educational institutions in the country. This anthology of poetry is intended to instance the study, covering the period from 1876, date when the Sadiki School was founded up to the present. Among the most outstanding Tunisian poetry works and most representative of the periods during which they were written, Professor Mohamed Salah Ben Amor has selected 136 poems drawn from published collections, magazines and newspapers. The poets are chronologically arranged according to date of birth, and introduced with brief biographical notes that give an idea about their tendencies and the value of their works; these are also arranged chronologically according to date of publication. To the extent possible, this anthology is meant to be objective but does not pretend to be exhaustive. It only aims at clearly defining an important period of our literary history and heighten the interest of researchers. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-38-5
107 Book Title: History of Tunisian Literature in the 19th and 20th Centuries. An anthology of Fiction Compiled by Mustapha Kilani Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 270 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 7 TND Foreign countries : 8 €
The Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma has undertaken the publication of a series of works on the history of Tunisian literature and the study of its development through the ages. Regarding the modern and contemporary periods, several academic researchers have tried to trace the epochal stages of Tunisian literature, delineate the different literary genres and show their relevance to the social context and their connection with the different cultural and educational institutions in the country. A first manual has already been published, highlighting the themes and issues dealt with in the Tunisian novel in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This second booklet, which completes the first, includes an anthology of a wide range of fiction texts drawn from works by eminent Tunisian novelists such as Mahmoud Messaadi, Bashir Khraïef, Mohamed Laaroussi Metoui, Mustapha Fersi, Ezzedine Madani, Hassan Nasr, etc ... These texts differ in terms of literary trend, political stance and moral values. Some belong to the traditional mainstream, others are more modernist. Through these selections, the reader will sense the pace of the novel, discover new concerns, and witness the hustle and bustle that follows major changes, including the most intimate, most elusive changes: those of attitudes and patterns of thought. Therefore, it is safe to say that Tunisian literature, mainly through the novel, best portrays modern Tunisia.. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-40-7
108 Book Title: History of the Tunisian Literature 19th and 20th Centuries The Novel, Themes and Problematics Author: Mustapha Kilani Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 327 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 5.800 TND Foreign countries : 7 €
The author begins by enumerating the different definitions of the novel in literary criticism. He cites Michel Butor in particular. In "Essays on the Novel," Butor defines it in terms of its temporal and spatial dimensions, its characters and the intricacies of its world, so full of objects, action and events. Generally speaking, the Tunisian novel has not been the subject of substantial critical studies; there are however, a few major attempts among which the work by Ferid Ghazi: "The novel and the Short Story in Tunisia", published in 1970, where there is a subtle analysis of the traditional world and attitudes, the colonial period and the development of symbols (in Messaadi and Douaji, in particular) and the human condition in the short story and novel (the bourgeois world, the social mutations of the traditional world, crisis of the family and marriage institutions, new phenomena and modes of behaviour, and scenes from the proletarian and rural world). Going by this model, the author explores the following issues: 1. Narration between the scope of space and the dynamics of time. 2. The social, human and civilizational dimensions of characters in fiction. 3. Problematics of classicism and modernism. 4. The Tunisian novel and History. 5. On reality, abstraction and issues of identity.. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-52-0
109 Titre de l‟ouvrage : Histoire de la littérature tunisienne moderne et contemporaine Auteurs : un groupe de chercheurs universitaires Thème : Littérature Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 286 Langue : arabe Date de parution : 1993 Prix de vente : 6.500 D.T. Foreign countries : 8 €
Cet ouvrage fait suite à une série d‟études, précédemment parues, relatives à la littérature tunisienne pendant les périodes mouradite et husseinite. Retraçant les étapes historiques les plus marquantes de la littérature tunisienne moderne et contemporaine, il analyse les différents genres littéraires et montre leur lien avec les principaux événements sociaux et les institutions culturelles et éducatives du pays. Le Pr. Mohamed Salah Jabri a présenté la littérature tunisienne moderne et contemporaine durant la période 1860-1920 et le Pr. Jaafar Majed, la littérature tunisienne de l‟entre-deux guerres. A la période contemporaine, (1947-1956-1965), ont été consacrés deux chapitres : l‟un sur la prose littéraire, dû au Pr. Ahmed Mammou, l‟autre sur la poésie écrit par le Pr. Mohamed Salah Ben Amor. Concernant la période 1970-1985, le Pr. Mahmoud Tarchouna a étudié la nouvelle et le roman, ainsi que la critique et le théâtre, (en collaboration avec le Pr. Ahmed Mammou). Le Pr. Mohamed Salah Ben Amor, lui, s‟est intéressé à la poésie durant cette même période. Quant à la littérature populaire en Tunisie, elle a été célébrée par le Pr. Mohieddine Khraïef. De son côté, le Pr. Jean Fontaine a étudié la littérature tunisienne d‟expression française. Pour illustrer les divers aspects de la littérature tunisienne moderne et contemporaine, une anthologie des textes les plus représentatifs a paru en deux volumes séparés. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-06-3
110 Titre de l‟ouvrage : Bayram V, sa vie et sa pensée réformiste Auteur : Fathi Kasmi Thème : Pensée réformiste Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 212 Langue : arabe Date de parution : 1990 Prix de vente : 5 D.T. Foreign countries : 6 €
Cet ouvrage paraît pendant la commémoration du centenaire de la mort du Cheikh Mohamed Bayram V (1840-1989). Resté longtemps méconnu, ce grand réformateur s‟est illustré dans les domaines politique, culturel et religieux. L‟étude analytique de la réflexion de Bayram V montre qu‟il avait conscience de la nécessité, aussi bien pour les Musulmans que pour les non-Musulmans, de dépasser les barrières instaurées à son époque entre l‟Orient et l‟Occident. Cette prise de conscience explique qu‟il n‟avait pas hésité à entreprendre cinq voyages en Europe fort instructifs. Au gouvernement de Khéreddine – dont il fut le disciple – il mit son expérience à profit pour réaliser une série de réformes : création de l‟Hôpital Sadiki, réorganisation des Habous, mise en place de la bibliothèque de la grande mosquée Zitouna, réforme de l‟enseignement zeitounien, etc… Bon nombre de ses idées et de ses « fetwas » (interprétations du Coran) se caractérisaient par son esprit d‟ouverture et par sa tolérance. Malgré ses prises de position modernistes, le Cheikh Mohamed Bayram V demeura, sous l‟effet de multiples facteurs, attaché à l‟orthodoxie, fidèle aux principes religieux traditionnels et vénérant la doctrine de ses prédécesseurs. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-43-1
111 Titre de l‟ouvrage : A propos du dictionnaire de la langue arabe : Problématiques et approches. Auteur : Mohamed Rached Hamzaoui Thème : Lexicographie Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 448 Langue : arabe Date de parution : 1991 Prix de vente : 9.500 D.T. Foreign countries : 11 €
Plusieurs chapitres d‟un ouvrage du même auteur, précédemment paru sous le titre : « Problèmes du lexique arabe d‟hier et d‟aujourd‟hui » (en langue arabe), ont été repris dans ce livre, avec des mises à jour et de nouvelles études théoriques et pratiques. Dans une première partie, l‟auteur fait l‟historique du dictionnaire de la langue arabe et décrit les méthodes des anciens lexicographes arabes comme Ibn Mandhur dans son célèbre « Lisan al arab », ou l‟Andalou Ibn Sida dans son « Mukhassas », ou As Suyuti dans son « Muhadhab » ou Sibawayh dans son « Kitab », etc… Dans la seconde partie, l‟auteur procède à une lecture des lexiques arabes, anciens ou modernes, à la lumière de la linguistique moderne. Là, il s‟agit de déceler les approches les plus hardies et les plus novatrices, comme celles d‟Al-Khalil Ibn Ahmad, d‟Ibn Faris ou d‟Al-Jawaliqi… La troisième partie est consacrée à l‟étude analytique et critique des dictionnaires modernes comme ceux de Abdesslem Messeddi : « Dictionnaire de linguistique », de Mohamed Ali Khuli : « Lexique de linguistique théorique » ou de Brahim Ben Mrad : « La terminologie étrangère dans les ouvrages arabes de médecine et de pharmacie», etc… I.S.B.N : 9973-911-62-8
112 Titre de l‟ouvrage : Recherches sur les relations entre l‟Orient phénicien et Carthage. Auteur : Ahmed Ferjaoui Thème : Histoire Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 514 Langue : française Date de parution : 1992 Prix de vente : 11.500 D.T. (épuisé) Foreign countries : 13 €
L‟étude des relations entre l‟Orient phénicien et Carthage revêt une grande importance. Elle vise à connaître l‟évolution des activités des Phéniciens en Méditerranée occidentale et leurs liens avec Carthage au cours de son existence. Elle s‟impose également pour mieux saisir l‟importance de l‟apport phénicien transmis en Occident, surtout à Carthage dès sa fondation, et pour comprendre l‟importance de la persistance du caractère oriental de Carthage : ce caractère était-il maintenu par la seule survivance des traditions orientales ou était-il alimenté par la continuité de ses relations avec sa terre d‟origine ? Si la tendance actuelle est de mettre en valeur, chaque fois que les documents le permettent, le rôle des substrats et des adstrats dans le monde punique pour le caractériser en le distinguant du monde phénicien, l‟auteur préfère pour sa part appréhender cette civilisation de l‟intérieur, en opposant ses principales manifestations (langue, écriture, onomastique, religion), à celles du monde phénicien oriental, pour déceler l‟évolution qui s‟est opérée et les différences qui se sont manifestées. A cet effet, il met à contribution les sources littéraires et archéologiques et les inscriptions. Il compare, en outre, la langue et la religion pour tirer les renseignements historiques qui en découlent. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-04-7
113 Titre de l‟ouvrage : Recherches sur les relations entre l‟Orient phénicien et Carthage. Auteur : Ahmed Ferjaoui Thème : Histoire Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 252 Langue : arabe Date de parution : 1993 Prix de vente : 5.500 D.T. Foreign countries : 7 €
L‟étude des relations entre l‟Orient phénicien et Carthage revêt une grande importance. Elle vise à connaître l‟évolution des activités des Phéniciens en Méditerranée occidentale et leurs liens avec Carthage au cours de son existence. Elle s‟impose également pour mieux saisir l‟importance de l‟apport phénicien transmis en Occident, surtout à Carthage dès sa fondation, et pour comprendre l‟importance de la persistance du caractère oriental de Carthage : ce caractère était-il maintenu par la seule survivance des traditions orientales ou était-il alimenté par la continuité de ses relations avec sa terre d‟origine ? Si la tendance actuelle est de mettre en valeur, chaque fois que les documents le permettent, le rôle des substrats et des adstrats dans le monde punique pour le caractériser en le distinguant du monde phénicien, l‟auteur préfère pour sa part appréhender cette civilisation de l‟intérieur, en opposant ses principales manifestations (langue, écriture, onomastique, religion), à celles du monde phénicien oriental, pour déceler l‟évolution qui s‟est opérée et les différences qui se sont manifestées. A cet effet, il met à contribution les sources littéraires et archéologiques et les inscriptions. Il compare, en outre, la langue et la religion pour tirer les renseignements historiques qui en découlent. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-18-7
114 Book title: From Atom to Laser Author: Moncef Bouanz Topic: Science Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 122 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1992 Price: 2.500 TND Foreign countries : 4 €
We know that the laser amplifier is a quantum of radiation and coherent monochromatic light to get very powerful directional beams. Applications of the laser have been widely diversified since the first-ever ruby laser was built in 1960. For the general public, the laser is the beam of death; it is associated with wars and weapons of mass destruction. The author outlines the history of this discovery, from the atom as a source of radiation. He devotes a chapter to the nature of light and emphasizes the contribution of Arab scholars like Al-Kindi (801-868), Ibn Sina (Avicenna) who died in 1037 and especially Ibn al-Haytham (Al Hazen), who died in 1039 and generally considered to be the founder of modern optics. He then mentions the steps in the improvement of lasers to multiply their capacity through the use of new materials, including certain gases such as helium and neon. Concerning the peaceful applications of the laser, they are so diverse: video industry, construction of roads, measuring distances, air navigation and the conquest of space (radio control and long distance control) etc. But the use of lasers in ophthalmology is the most promising: the laser scanning ophthalmoscope illuminates layer after layer of the retina and provides a contrastive picture of the back of the eye in real time. But many precautions are still necessary. .I.S.B.N : 9973-911-93-8
115 Book Title: Heritage and Creation A Collection of Texts and Pictures Presented by Rachida Triki Topic: Arts Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 177 Language: French Publication Date: 1992 Price: 20 TND Foreign countries : 20 €
This book is the result of research work carried out by an "Aesthetics and Sciences of the Art" research task unit at the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma. It deals with the issue of heritage and creation in Tunisia. Various issues relating to the complex and often ambiguous nature of artistic creativity when it is thought across the different categories of heritage were highlighted through a multidisciplinary approach. The drive for creation, approach, methods and the question of meaning were all clarified through definite samples in a specific field: that of plastic arts. Accordingly, many review studies, herein published, deal with the history of plastic arts in Tunisia, the psychological involvement of the creators, the implications of signs and symbols, along with the aesthetic range of works of art and their relations to our heritage. Beautiful colour plates illustrate the book, including: "The bucket hawker" by Ammar Farhat; "Ali and Ras al-Ghul" by Ali Bellagha ; "The escape of Abdullah Ibn Jaafar with Lady Amina" by Khaled Lasram; "Calligraphy" by Youssef Rekik ; "The hashish addict" by Ali ben Salem; "Muashshah " by Abdelmajid El Bakri ; "Change or Arab architectural style" by Néjib Belkhodja…
I.S.B.N : 9973-929-05-5
116 Book Title: The Peasant Uprisings in the History of Contemporary Tunisia Author: Hedi Timoumi Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 298 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1993 Price: 5500 TND Foreign countries : 7 €
Throughout history, peasants have always been more or less despised by the elites, considering them ignorant, savage and reactionaries. In the region of Kasserine and Thala, the farmers of the Frechiche tribe had the reputation of being agitators and troublemakers. Geography did not spoil them either. Living in a mountainous area, difficult of access, of a hostile continental climate, and limited agricultural resources - except for „alfa‟ - they were despoiled of their lands and overburdened by taxes by the French colonial authorities. Their insurgency, which had erupted in the spring of 1906, had put an end to a state of passive submission to colonialism and turned them into a state of armed rebellion. It was the first bloody uprising after the peasant resistance to the colonial troops in 1881. The three clans of the Frechiche tribe participated, to varying degrees, in the insurgency of 1906, which had large echoes both in Tunisia and abroad, despite its relative importance. But imperialism was then at its peak, while such revolts were too weak and not yet organized in national liberation movements. At best, these uprisings triggered the beginnings of a popular anti-colonialist movement. The author believes that it is time to rehabilitate these farmers, these "silent" heroes who have for centuries generated the wealth of Tunisia, by viewing them more positively and assessing their role more objectively all through the different stages that the country has gone through. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-10-1
117 Book Title: Problems of the authenticity of Arab Theatre Author: Mohamed mediouni Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 596 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1993 Price: 10 TND Foreign countries : 11 €
In most cultural events where actors, writers, critics, directors, and others come together, the question of the authenticity of Arab theatre is inevitably raised: What should be done for a theatrical art to take root in Arab countries feeding on the ancient civilization of the Arab nation? When shall we stop taking the western theatre as a model? When shall we assume the responsibility of meeting the aspirations of the Arab public? However, putting it this way, it is implicitly admitted that the theatre is an art that was born in the West and then has intruded into our culture in modern times. This study focuses on the views of Arab dramatists calling for their art to be rooted in its original social milieu. As for the period covered by the study, it extends over the past two decades. Among those who wrote on the issue, the author cites Tawfik al-Hakim, Youssef Idriss, Sheriff Khaznadar, Saadallah Wannus, Ezzeddine al-Madani, Mohamed Aziza, and many others. The definition of the Arab identity itself has led to controversial debates largely influenced by the ideological backgrounds of the participants, being nationalists, Islamists or progressives. Even within these sides, there are differences between the proponents of social commitment and the advocates of art for the sake of art. Strangely enough, the controversy has not addressed the issue of dialogue, but rather the theatrical expression, very much centered, according to some, on words, to the detriment of gestures. The discussions also focused on the entertaining side of drama in general. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-13-6
118 Book Title: Taha Hussein as a Historian (2 volumes) Author: Omar Mokdad Jemni Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V 1: 382, V 2: 362 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1993 Price: 12,500 TND Foreign countries : 13 €
It is commonly known that Taha Hussein, "The dean of the Arab literary men", was a maverick literary critic of ante Islamic poetry. He was also famous for his admirable autobiography ("The Book of days"). He excelled in all literary genres. But what is less known about his writings is that most of them have more or less a certain connection with history. Indeed, he was passionate about Greek and Roman history, but mostly about the Islamic history of the first century of the Hegira, namely "The Great Discord", involving Othman, Ali and his sons. In this book, the author sheds light on Taha Hussein‟s ideas about history and illustrates the influence of the Egyptian University and later of the French University on his education. He then describes his vision of history (historical development and the function of the historian); the foundations of his method (based on doubt, and the paramount importance he gives to documentation and the need for a critical approach to sources); the determinants explaining historical events ("Asabya" or esprit de corps, religion, but most importantly economic and social factors which, for him, are crucial factors); and finally the structure of his historical discourse and style which still bear a literary imprint, but without "betraying" the historical truth. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-86-5
119 Book Title: Aesthetics of the Familiar. The Text and its Readers in Classical Arabic Poetry Author: Chokri Mabkhout Topic: Literary Criticism Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 156 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1993 Price: 3.500 TND Foreign countries : 5 €
The author of this fascinating study goes by a certain number of critical essays which reveal that the classical Arab aesthetic conscience is chained to the ancestral consensual discourse, having become familiar, and banishes any mode of expression outside the established norms or resorting to uncommon processes. Each discourse must necessarily have a textual reference to draw on and each text a body matrix to refer to. This is to say that the aesthetics of the familiar is based primarily on memory, and at all levels. It is perhaps a trite observation, since the Modernists regard the text as a production and not as a creation. But the insistence on reference and a body matrix in old literary criticism has a different connotation from that aimed for by modern critics. In the eyes of Traditionalists, writing would fulfill its mission only if it built on aesthetic "assets" common to both writer and reader. It all happens as if literary communication consisted in searching the memory in order to shape the discourse and laboriously reach the intended message. Therefore, discourse is only supposed to be literary if the memory is based on ethical assets expressing the common values to the entire community and deemed worthy of praise or reprehensible; on stylistic assets regarded as eloquent, obedient to rules established by linguists and about which there has been a general consensus consolidated by custom; or on schematic assets relating to the literary genre and consisting of explicit or implicit structures governing the modes of expression of the Qacida (traditional poem) and the arrangement of its themes. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-85-7
120 Book Title: Loan Words in Modern Arabic Author: Taieb Baccouche Topic: Linguistics Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 544 Language: French Publication Date: 1994 Price: 13.500 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
Arab linguists in olden times had been interested in the issue of loan words, focusing especially on the language of the Coran and establishing more or less clearly identified lists of loan words, along with an account of the phonetic and combinatorial criteria for the identification of loan words in some cases; but modern Arab linguists do not seem to have done much better in regard to this field. Most often, they would content themselves with arbitrary lists without any linguistic analysis; not even an account of the identification criteria applied. This study is an attempt at partly bridging the gap regarding modern studies of loan words in Arabic, in terms of both subject and methodology, by opting for this aspect of the linguistic description applied to a specimen of modern Arabic, in this case, Tunisian Arabic in both registers: standard and dialectal. The author has not confined himself to making an inventory of the loan words drawn from the collected corpus and classifying it following identification by language and by subject, as is often the case in such studies. He classifies, describes and analyzes the voluminous mass of facts emerging from the body language at the phonological, morphological, grammatical and semantic levels. Eventually the author deals with the main problems in using and studying loan words.
I.S.B.N : 9973-929-36-5
121 Book Title: Mnaouar Smadah: The Complete Poetry Works Compiled and Established by: Abderrahim Smadah Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 515 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1995 Price: 7.400 TND Foreign countries : 9 €
The publication of the complete poetry works of Mnaouar Smadah serves a twofold complementary aim. Firstly, breathe a new life into his poems, in keeping with the original version, for a better appreciation by the readership of the nineties and later, especially that former editions have run out for long and mostly fallen into oblivion. Secondly, illustrate through the diversity of the subjects he treated, the extent of his fertile and rich inspiration. The poems have been sorted out according to theme, subjected to a comparative examination from "within", and occasionally illuminated by further notes on the circumstances of their composition. For the first time, the complete works of Mnaouar Smadah, in verse and prose have been identified through a systematic scrutiny of the periodicals published during the fifties and sixties, but less exhaustively during the seventies. Also for the first time, the reader will find a collection of poems written at an early age, so far unpublished, revealing the liveliness of youth, but also other poems written at a later age, revealing the bitterness of life, as emanating from the days of suffering and disappointments caused by the adversities of his fate and by the disease which sapped his morale and undermined his health. The two fascinating epic poems "Sickles" and "Hammers" have deliberately been singled out, as the poet intended to publish them separately. In these two poems we can sense his faith in the future, despite the disillusionment caused by the failure of the socialist experience in Tunisia in the sixties. I.S.B.N : 9973-12-288-7
122 Book Title: Rejection in the Social History of Tunisia A Collective Work Coordinated by: Hedi Timoumi. Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 708 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1999 Price: 17.500 TND Foreign countries : 19 €
A team of university researchers have hammered away at studying the history of Tunisia under a new approach: The demonstration of the roles played by the different layers or social classes in its making. And instead of focusing on the entrepreneurial, religious and political elites, they chose to concentrate on the underprivileged who have all through the history of Tunisia been relegated to subordinate or middle positions. It is commonly known that historical sources are generally verbose when it comes to the military, political and religious aspects but they are "silent" about the real protagonists who have never been able to write their own history, being completely illiterate. That is why our knowledge about these disadvantaged and rejected social classes must go through a critical and thankless reading of what the privileged classes have written about their own history. We learn very little about the cast-offs, they are often accused of barbarism, ignorance and seditious attitudes… The sixteen studies herein published cover two major periods: before and after the milestone date of 1881: the establishment of the French Protectorate which was marked by the prevalence of the capitalist model of production. Among these studies we can cite the following: The „Fifth‟ Tenant Farmers (commonly known as „khammesa‟) between Legislation and Reality; Bread for the Rich and Bread for the Poor; The Paupers of the "zaouias"(religious shrines) in the Centre of Ifriqya; Low- wage Earners among Tunisian Craftsmen andMerchants,etc. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-45-4
123 Titre de l‟ouvrage : Hommage à Sleïm Ammar - L‟homme et l‟œuvre Extraits de l‟œuvre de Sleïm Ammar Thème : Médecine Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 192 Langue : française Date de parution : 2000 Prix de vente : 7 D.T. Foreign countries : 8 €
Figure emblématique de la médecine tunisienne contemporaine, Sleïm Ammar a allié aux qualités du pionnier qu‟il fut, celles de l‟érudition et de la fidélité aux racines, le tout couronné par un formidable pouvoir de séduction et d‟attachement qui en ont fait un communicateur exceptionnel. Pionnier, Sleïm Ammar l‟a été, non seulement pour avoir jeté les bases de notre psychiatrie et de notre psychologie clinique, aujourd‟hui détentrices d‟un enviable héritage et riches de fécondes compétences, mais aussi parce qu‟il a su, par son action et son pouvoir, à anticiper les événements et les idées, être le premier dans bien des domaines. Il était également pionnier dans sa défense du malade, dans sa lutte contre les « grillages » et contre les « camisoles ». Mais la science pour Sleïm Ammar ne se résume pas à ses travaux. Il veut en comprendre les fondements. Grâce à lui, l‟histoire de la médecine est devenue une geste, les médecins en Islam et la médecine arabe et maghrébine d‟autrefois une réalité et un sujet de fierté pour tous. On trouvera dans cette anthologie des titres significatifs comme : « Les antécédents familiaux de la schizophrénie », « Intérêt d‟une histoire de la médecine », « Originalité de la médecine arabe », « Autopsie de la guerre », « Souvenirs d‟asile », « Cabinets trimbalés », « Les cinq étapes de la médecine arabe »… On trouvera également (un résumé), de la biographie de S. Ammar et une notice bibliographique de ses œuvres les plus marquantes. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-929-60-8
124 Book Title: Excerpts from a Biography of Ibn Rochd (Averroes) Author: Ezzeddine Madani Topic: Literature Size: 13x21 Number of Pages: 168 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2001 Price: 4 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
The Tunisian Academy"Beit al-Hikma" greatly values literary and artistic creativity, and the publication of this "theatrical biography" by the Tunisian writer Ezzeddine Madani, is a token of high esteem for a man driven by a constant desire to innovate and experiment. He experimented with original topics for the modern Arab novel and implanted a new thematic and theatrical dynamic process in the Arab literary heritage. Among his most famous contributions: "The diwan of the Negroes", "The journey of Al-Hallaj," "Forgiveness" and "Sultan Moulay Al-Hassan Al-Hafsi". In the final scene of this play, an old monk comes up to the merchant Ibn Chaalane, and asks him, pantingly: --Do you have any books by Ibn Rochd? -- I don‟t sell books, the merchant replies. -- Where are you from? Cordoba? -- Yes, I am. Now the monk hails him with questions: -- What about Ibn Rochd? He is said to be in prison, is it true? Your Emir Al-Mansour is said to have burned all his books, is that true? When did he start commenting Aristotle‟s “Morality”? If you had all his books, I would buy them all; I would pay dearly for them, even in gold. Dumbfounded, the merchant wonders why the monk is insisting on getting Averroes‟ books, and the monk answers: "Don‟t you know that in his books there is a light that reason alone is capable of perceiving? And that his books reveal a deep understanding of human nature, a deep sense of tolerance and acceptance of the Other, only a blind rigid mind would deny? And that we feel a dear hope for a new human being who will only take shape in a few decades? Here I am in Cordoba, and in a book fair, looking for Averroes‟ books, to no avail; the name itself doesn‟t seem to mean anything to anyone, except perhaps among the dead! Could it be that these are imaginary books? Or perhaps Averroes himself is a legendary creature!" I.S.B.N : 9973-929-68-3
125 Book Title: Ibn Sina and the Anatomy of the Brain Authors: Abdelkhalek Ben Rejeb and Najah Marnissi Topic:Medicine Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 216 Language: French Publication Date: 2002 Price: 9 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
Of all the basic sciences that have contributed to the development of medicine among Arabs, we can not ignore anatomy, which has for a long time been questioned. Several factors account for the fact that the scientific heritage, especially medical, of the Arab- Islamic civilization is widely scattered in different libraries across European countries, and in most cases, many books and manuscripts have been lost. Another reason is the absence of Arab researchers specialized in the study of Arab medical manuscripts in general and anatomy in particular. This work aims at arousing interest, curiosity and the spirit of scientific quest among researchers. It is not meant to be a historical presentation about our celebrated ancestors, or a dreamer gaze on the glories of the past. It is rather a methodological survey of often overlooked scientific facts about Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and his work on the anatomy of the brain, but also the work of his predecessors, i.e. Galen, Ar-Razi and Al-Majoussi, and successors, i.e. Ibn Nafis and especially Ibn Al-Qof. In order to make this research more readable, the authors have presented it in well- adapted modern medical language, emphasizing the positive and negative points regarding this issue. The authors first proceed with a brief historical overview, both general and specific, leading on to an account on the diseases of the nerve system, revealing a perfect knowledge by Muslim doctors of functional and descriptive anatomy. The last chapter is devoted to a controversial issue: that of anesthesia and resuscitation among Arab-Muslim doctors. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-82-9
126 Book Title: Adapting Islamic Legal Thought to Modern Times: Issues, Challenges and Answers. Author: Abdelmajid Turki Topic: Islamic Religion Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 184 Language: French Publication Date: 2002 Price: 7.500 TND Foreign countries : 9 €
In the two papers herein published, Professor Abdelmajid Turki tackles a thorny issue: freedom of criticism in a divinely revealed religion, and Islam‟s capability to keep pace with contemporary life. The first paper bears the title "Legality and Legitimacy in Islamic Juridical Thought in the face of Criticism", in which he deals with some specific cases of Ijtihad that have borne their imprint on legal modernism, and focuses on two subjects which are likely to pose serious problems to the legal thought modernization process. These are the family law and the penal and criminal procedural law, where the Coranic legislation is so clear and exhaustive. Concerning the first issue, the „Ijtihadists‟ have strived to uphold the necessary legislation towards achieving equality between men and women. The accomplishments for the interest of women in Tunisia and Turkey seem to be gaining ground and momentum. But regarding Charia Law and punishment, the conservative movement (that is the Salafists) seems to be more resistant to change; and Ijtihad is only stuttering along in its efforts to adapt the Law, still enforced in its purely correcting spirit in many Muslim countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan. The second paper is titled “Sustained Creativity in Legal Thought or the Prohibition of Ijtihad”. The author goes on the rational aspect of legality according to the Sunni formulation and raises objections to the doors of Ijtihad being closed. Ijtihad is seen as the means for opening up the doors of creativity, perpetuating the practices of the Prophet himself, and he provides supporting evidence. In these two papers, Pr. Turki summons his academic knowledge and the subtlety of his sound judgments in order to provide answers to some of the problems that Muslims in Europe have to face; answers which might seem unexpected for Muslims in Islamic countries. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-84-5
127 Book title: On the Articulation of letters Author: Ibn Sina (Latinized: Avicenna) Translated by: Nabil Radhouane Topic: Phonetics Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 80 Language: Arabic and French Date of Publication: 2002 Price: 4.500 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
Arrais Abu Ali al-Husayn Ibn Sina (980-1036) was one of those geniuses who had a go at all the scientific branches of his time, from medicine to law, mathematics, astronomy, pedagogy, psychology and philosophy. He wrote more than two hundred books on a wide range of subjects, including this booklet entitled: "On the Articulation of Letters". It is no wonder he was interested in philology and phonetics in particular, since the man was first and foremost an expert physician who excelled in dissection, and as such, he had missed out nothing on the anatomy of the voice box. Therefore, this treatise is one of the most original Arabic studies ever on phonetics. It can be subdivided into six parts: 1. "On the production of sounds" where he explains how sounds are produced either by percussion or extraction. 2. "On the articulation of letters" where he shows that the production of letters is due to the nature of the vibration of the vocal cords, making a difference between simple and complex letters (where the influence of Aristotle is obvious ). 3. "The anatomy of the larynx and tongue" (and here we see Avicenna the anatomist) 4."The Arabic letters", which he classifies according to the paradigm set up by the grammarian Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad in the eighth century. 5. Non-Arabic sounds he identified in other languages, of which he only mentions Persian, his native language. He speaks in particular of the /v/ and /p/ sounds. 6. "On how these sounds can be identified in non- articulated speech" (referring to onomatopoeic words). I.S.B.N : 9973-929-83-7
128 Book title: Selected Works of Ahmad Abdessalam Author: Ahmad Abdessalam Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 576 Language: Arabic (except one essay in french) Date of Publication: 2003 Price: 15 TND Foreign countries : 20 €
History naturally takes up a dominant position in this collection, as Professor Ahmad Abdessalam has brilliantly studied the Tunisian historians of the 17th , 18th and 19th centuries, thus contributing to making a comprehensive inventory of sources and documents relating to the modern history of Tunisia. His research paper: "Ibn Khaldun and Justice" is published here in its entirety, because of the paramount importance of Ibn Khaldun in the Arab-Muslim thought and even in universal thought. There is also a detailed analysis of the concept of justice ('adl) and injustice (dhulm) in "Prolegomena". Also included in this collection are some extracts from his book: "Studies on the political terminology among Arabs", along with a study in French, entitled: "Ibn Khaldun and his readers," where we discover a reading of "Prolegomena"as interpreted by the Andalusian writer Ibn Al-Azraq, dating back to the fifteenth century . It is commonly known, on the other hand, that Pr. Abdessalam has also shown a great devotion to reformism in Tunisia, before The French Mandatory Protectorate, through extensive research on its main proponents including Kheiredine Attounsi and Ibn Abi Dhiaf. As such, extracts from his book:"Reformist Stances in Tunisia before the Protectorate" have been selected as well as part of the introduction to "Letters from General Hussein to Kheiredine"; but concerning his book: "Ibn Abi Dhiaf: Selected Works", it has been published here in its entirety. As a conclusion we can confidently say that this collection is a clear witness to Dr. Abdessalam‟s scientifically rigorous approach to Tunisian history. It is also a testimony to the originality of his research and ideas on literary and cultural issues (inter alia, poetry, theatre, novels, maqamat…), which had already been published in "Al-Mabaheth" magazine in the 1940‟s and are republished in this collection. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-88-8
129 Book Title : Works by Mohamed Souissi An anthology of Extracts from his books and articles Topic: Science / History Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 562 Language: Arabic and French Date of Publication: 2005 Price: 20 TND Foreign countries : 20 €
This book was published on the occasion of the symposium organized in November 2005 and dedicated to Mohamed Souissi as a tribute to his work in the service of the Arabic language and the promotion of the position of sciences in the Arab-Islamic civilization. At the opening of the book, there is an autobiography and an index of his works already published. The first part is devoted to samples of his works on the the Arabization of Sciences ( mathematical terminology, algebra lessons in Arabic and a trilingual glossary of medicinal plants). The second part focuses on the history of sciences in the Maghreb and Andalusia, the role of Tunisia in the development of science, aspects of the practice of medicine from the thirteenth through the nineteenth century, etc… Some studies, reflecting Pr. Souissi‟s interest in science, were put together along with the relevant biographical annotations, and these are devoted to more or less famous scholars like Ibn Al-Banna, Ibn Al-Jazzar, Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Manzur, Ibn Al-Haytham, Omar Khayyam, Qalsadi, etc… On the whole, this choice of extracts reveals the moderate rationalism of Pr Souissi, his humanism and his deep commitment to science. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-020-9
130 Book Title: The Main Figures of Tunisian Literature during the TurkishPeriod Author: Hedi Ben Hammouda Ghozzi Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 612 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2004 Price: 24 TND Foreign countries : 25 €
This book builds on two earlier works: "Literature during the Muradite and Husseinite Periods", and "Anthology of literature from the Muradite and Husseinite Periods", both published by Beit Al-Hikma in 1989 and 1990, respectively. Both books bear witness to a movement of revival: The Muradites, inheritors of the Hafsides, undertook a reconstruction task, renovating schools and building new Medersas (Qoranic schools) and mosques and encouraging the recruitment of teachers at all levels. The Turkish language, the official language of the new masters of the country, did not compete with the Arabic language; they simply coexisted. The administrative jargon (diwanya), the academic prose of religious scholars (fuqaha), historians and biographers had all blossomed; and the number of stylists had also bloomed, their poetry no less mannered and exquisite. However, this book is an improvement on the previous two works, as extensive research has made it possible for Professor Hedi Ben Hammouda Ghozzi to dig deep into different sources, mostly MS documents (general surveys, diaries, letters, comments, encyclopedias, etc…). This rich harvest of information concerns mainly four literary figures of the Turkish period, and these are: the courtier-poet Ach-Sharif Soussi, Abu Al-Ghayth Al Qachchach, a powerful and enigmatic figure, Taj-Al Arifine Bakri, the preacher and the Qairawani compiler- historian Ibn Abi Dinar, all of whom more or less unknown. Apart from the biographies of the four authors mentioned above, the author of this book has the merit of providing a wide range of samples from their works, prose and / or poetry (accounting for about two thirds of the book) and an annotated glossary of common terms relating to different fields during the Turkish period, along with a bibliographic index of reference books, manuscripts and periodicals . .I.S.B.N : 9973-49-001-0
131 Book title: Quotes from Ibn Khaldun artistically written by Saoudi calligraphists Exhibition of paintings/ A fringe activity of the sixth centennial of Ibn Khaldun Topic: Arts / culture Size: 26x19 Number of pages: 44 Language: Arabic Date of publication: 2006 Price: 10 TND Foreign countries : 12 €
In the context of the second session of "Days of Arabic calligraphy" which took place in May 2006, an exhibition of paintings was held on the sidelines of the international symposium: "Ibn Khaldun and the sources of modernity." The paintings, drawn by five most famous Saudi calligraphers, under the patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information, are illustrations of some of the most well-known sayings by Ibn Khaldoun on education, socilogy (umran), politics, economics and history, mostly taken from "Prolegomena" , "Book of examples" and " The Healing of the Seeker " . The book also contains biographical annotations of the five Saoudi calligraphers, and these are : Nacer Maymoun, Mokhtar Ahmad, Ali Khudhari, Massoud Hafedh and Ibrahim Arafi. Their paintings illustrate different calligraphic styles, such as Farsi, diwani, thuluthi, naskhi, of a wide variety of shapes and colours. For the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma, this exhibition was an opportunity to establish close ties between the eminent artists of the Maghreb and Mashreq in an effort to publicize the many facets of Arab-Muslim culture and its contribution to human civilization. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-028-5
132 Book Title: Arabic Language Embellishments Author: Noureddine Sammoud Topic: Literature / Arts Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 128 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Price: 6 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
Witticism and puns have been common practice in any language and any literature from time immemorial. The best illustration is the acrostic, very popular among Latin poets, and for which there was a vogue again during the Renaissance. It is a poem where the initials of each line in a poem, read vertically, make up a proper name, a given word or a message. Among Arabs, in addition to the single, double or triple acrostic, poets strove hard to write poems that would read both ways. Some parts would contain only words without diacritics, or only words with diacritics. Others would contain words with double meanings according to vowel sound, and as such could serve praise or satirical purposes… For the modern reader, these aspects of using language with a "flourish", gathered by the Tunisian poet Noureddine Sammoud and highly prized during the decline of Arab literature, have merely an anecdotal value. Amazing, brilliant and complicated, to the delight of their fans, these embellishments show that art and merry-making can sometimes match together. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-060-5
133 Book Title: Translation at Beit al-Hikma Author: Amel Moussa Topic: Culture Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 356 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Price: 11.500 TND Foreign countries : 20 €
This book was published on the occasion of the National Year for Translation (2008).The author of this reference book is suggesting a preliminary assessment of the translation work undertaken by Beit al-Hikma over the past twenty five years. After a brief historical sketch, the author relates, in the first part, the beginnings of the National foundation for translation, studies and authentication (from 1983 to 1992), marked by the creation of several think-tanks to deal with different translation issues. The works translated during this period, into French and English, are primarily aimed at diffusing the most outstanding works of Tunisian literature (namely those of Chabbi, Haddad, Douagi, Messaadi). Doctoral theses, originally written in French by the leading pioneers of the Tunisian university, are also translated into Arabic (A. Abdesselem, M. Souissi, C. Bouyahia ...) In 1992, the status of Beit al-Hikma changed and it became the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts, giving renewed impetus to the translation activities, which diversified and covered new areas like history, philosophy, medicine, etc… In addition, the opinions of the young Academy have been increasingly sought by Arab institutions and cultural organizations, especially with regard to terminology in quite diverse fields: law, tourism, finance, and administration ... In 2002, a new strategy was developed and would soon start to bear fruit with the publication of works like "Anthology of contemporary literature of German expression," " The main trends of historical thought ", etc ... ISBN : 978-9973-49-070-4
134 Book Title: Extracts from the Book of Existence. / The Prose Poems. Author: Abul Qacim Chebbi Prepared by: Souf Abid Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Language: Arabic Number of pages: 216 Publication Date: 2009 Price: 9 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
If Chebbi‟s prose poems have usually been trivialized, generally appended to his other works - deemed more "noble," - or considered to be modest attempts by a novice writer not deserving publication and studying, it is largely due to the blur surrounding the nature of this new literary genre. Having first come to light in contemporary Arab literature more than a century ago, it became popular among many young Tunisian poets in the twenties and thirties of 20th century. As a matter of fact, Chebbi was one of those who pioneered, if not a leading light in, the development of this literary genre, having written about a dozen prose poems between 1925 and 1933. These deal with the major themes in his famous collection “Aghani al-hayat” (Songs of Life), including: love, suffering, rebellion, death, nature cult, etc ... We can also sense "the same overflowing, brilliant imagination, constantly seeking reconciliations, formulating dazzling metaphors, imposing an insistent rhythm, a compelling music ..." All these prose poems, sorted and commented by a connoisseur, himself being a poet, are the subject of this critical edition published by the Tunisian Academy "Beit al- Hikma" on the occasion of the centennial celebration of our great poet laureate Abul- Qacim Chebbi.
ISBN : 978-9973-49-083-4
135 Book Title: When Kairawan Tugs at the Hearts of Poets Author: Jaafar Majed Topic: Literature Size: 24x16 Number of Pages: Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2009 Price: TND Foreign countries : 25 €
Various reference works, both ancient and modern, make up the material for this collection, which contains nearly forty poems listed chronologically. However, this collection is far from being representative of all the poetry commending Kairawan, as this city has been celebrated by countless poets. The poets included here, numbering twenty two, were not all born in Kairawan, but many of them do love the city with all their heart. They have always admired this city and sung its glories. But at the same time, they have not forgotten the terrible misfortunes that the city had suffered throughout its turbulent history. There is a kind of symbolism in its agony, especially after the devastation by the Hilali tribes in 449 AH / 1057 AD. These tragic events aroused outrage and sadness, resulting in elegiac poems imbued with nostalgia, namely those written by Ibn-Rachiq, Ibn- Sharaf and Hussari, later becoming a model and an inspiration for Andalusian poets after the fall of Granada. Kairawan underwent yet another agonizing ordeal during the Husseinite period, when the dissident Ali Pasha and his soldiery brought massive death and destruction to the city, reducing it to blood and ashes. As for modern poets, they are drawing on the glorious past of Kairawan, urging it to meet all the challenges and regain its former splendour. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-077-3
136 Book Title: Kairawan as Seen by Ancient Travellers Author: Mohamed Hassen Topic: Travel Accounts Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2009 Price: TND Foreign countries : 15 €
This book answers the following question: What ideas did the ancient Arab geographers, who were great travellers, have on Kairawan? Many accounts that have come down to us contain a lot of very valuable geographic evidence, historical and economic facts, as well as ethnographic and cultural insights, where reality and fantasy often go side by side. The oldest of these travel accounts is that of Ibn Khordadhbeh, "al- Massalik wal Mamalik" written in 232AH/846AD, where there is only a short passage on Kairawan. About forty years later, al-Yaaqoub sets out on a voyage through the Maghreb countries. In his "Kitab al-Buldan" he gives a meticulous account of itineraries, names of cities, administrative districts and population and social structures, making this book the first travel account that devotes a whole chapter to Kairawan. However, we have a clearer view of the city in the books written in the 4th century AH / 10th century AD, namely by Ibn-Hawqal in “Surat al-Ardh”, written in 378 AH/988 AD, and by Maqdisi, who describes the urban development of Kairawan. But al-Bakri doesn‟t seem to have much experience of the countries he talks about; he basically draws on other sources at his disposal, especially a book written by al-Warraq. And finally, al-Idrissi relates the other side of the coin; he visited Kairawan in the 5th century AH / 12th century AD, at a time when the city was all ruins and desolation ... I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-079-7
137 Book Title: The Mufti Abu al-Qacim Adhoum in the Context of his Era Author: Mohamed Habib Al-Hila Topic: Islamic Heritage Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: Language: Arabic PublicationDate:2009Price: Foreign countries : 10 €
During the middle ages, our homeland had twice been invaded by the Spanish troops; first in 1535 by Charles V and again in 1574 by his son Don Juan of Austria. The Hafside dynasty, then rapidly decaying, had only reacted to these dangers by repeated betrayals. The local government, being disarmed, simply collapsed and the national unity broke up. These events had gradually sapped the strength of the local civilization and culture, and the most eminent Ulemas (religious scholars), gradually disappeared. Only a few "fuqahas", of no stature, were rotting on their routine and didn‟t dare to take the lead in any effort to "ijtihad". During this barren period, the Kairawani faqih Abu al-Qacim Adhoum was a most welcome, brilliant exception. He was a mufti and had the courage to give non-conformist advice on various questions, responding to requests from those waiting trial. In his “Ajwibas” (answers), he addresses several socio-cultural issues. These answers are, to some extent, the memory of a whole country, its social, historical and cultural records during the tenth century AH (sixteenth century AD.). The Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma had published, in 2004, much of this extraordinary document, of which this book is a compendium. On the occasion of the celebrations of Kairawan as an Islamic cultural capital, this booklet will hopefully make it possible for researchers, historians and students to find out about the personality of an "enlightened" mufti at a time of sheer decadence. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-080-3
138 Book Title: An Anthology of Kairawani Poetry Author: Jaafar Majed Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2009 Price: Foreign countries : 10 €
This anthology is neither a guide nor a prize. It is not a manifestation of an amateur compiler or a biased critic. The author, himself a Kairawani poet, has only been guided by his personal taste, and it is true that you can not question tastes, as the saying goes. The only criteria for selection he resorts to are the poet‟s sincere inspiration and the aesthetic quality of his poems. Kairawani poetry has basically been appreciated for a particular genre linking up to the elegy: it is the evocation of the disasters resulting in a collective mourning, such as the destruction of Kairawan by the Banu Hilal tribes in the middle of the eleventh century. In this respect, Kairawani poets had really pioneered this poetic type, since contrary to the general rules for the other types, they had no models to refer to. Moreover, it is poets like Ibn Rachiq, Ibn Sharaf and Husari who would serve as models for the Andalusian poets during the fall of the last Muslim cities in Moorish Spain. There is another type that links up to this poetry: it is the evocation, in exile, of the sweet home country that brings to the poet's mind the now indelible image of devastated kairawan, in a burst of pure poetry that would become a poetic tradition in the history of Arabic literature. Kairawan has for a long time been a nursery of poets, even if their reputation has not always matched that of the poets of the Mashreq. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-085-8
139 Book Title: Kairawan: Historical Landmarks Author: Ahmed Touili Topic: History / Civilization Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 132 Language: Arabic Publication date: 2009 Price: TND Foreign countries : 10 €
In this book, the author traces the major historical events and the most prominent aspects of the civilization of Kairawan over nearly four centuries, from 670, when it was founded, all through1057. The starting point is, of course, the conquest of Ifriqya by the Arab troops, who sustained heavy losses due to a series of uprisings against them, (notably that led by the Kahena). Then, with the establishment of the three major dynasties: the Aghlabides, Fatimides and Zirides in Kairawan, successively, the city had experienced its golden age. It had strengthened its ties with the Hijaz, then with Damascus during the Umayyad reign and with Baghdad during the Abbaside period. Also, many companions of the Prophet and faith fighters came to settle in the new city and established the Sunni creed. Scientists (like Ibn Al-Jazzar), poets (like Ibn Rachiq and Hussari) and other artists, as well as students, merchants and “fuqahas”, religious scholars, (like Suhnoun and Ibn al-Furat), had all contributed to making it a prestigious city. A splendid intellectual life had evolved there, with education at all levels being provided in the hundreds of mosques in the city. Then there was the influx of scholars and men of letters from foreign countries, with the munificent Kairawani Maecenas acting like a magnet. New cities sprung up around Kairawan like Sabra Mansouria; and palaces like Al-Abbassia and Raqqada were home to the royal family. And towards the end of the Ziride period, the threat of the Banu Hilal and Banu Suleym tribes had become imminent, causing the decline and ultimately the destruction of Kairawan in 449 AH / 1057 AD I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-078-0
140 Book Title: “Bisatal-Aqiq” (Kairawan and its Poet Ibn Rachiq) Author: Hassan Hosni Abdul-Wahab Revised by Mohamed Laaroussi Metoui Topic: Literature / Civilization Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2009 Price: TND Foreign countries : 10 €
This book, first published in 1912, is one of the first works of the great Tunisian historian Hassan Hosni Abdul-wahhab. In 1970, the book was republished by Mohamed Laaroussi Metoui who revised it, inserting the necessary comments and clarifications. As to this third edition, revised by Professor Ibrahim Ben Mrad, it comes out at a time when the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma is taking part in the celebrations in 2009 of Kairawan as an Islamic cultural capital. After a brief survey of life in Kairawan, its monuments and its splendid civilization in the fifth century AH / eleventh century AD, the author focuses on the Ziride Emir al- Mu'iz Ibn Badis and then on his most famous poet Ibn Rachiq (1000-1064), whose fame had steadily been on the rise thanks to his moral qualities, his gracious character and overflowing energy. He was a witty, jovial person, full of drive, revered for his poetry which was exceptionally popular even in far away Sicily and Andalusia during his lifetime. Being a court poet much loved by his prince, he had to face up to many envious adversaries, the most tenacious and most formidable of all being his rival Ibn Sharaf. Their rivalry, fueled by Al-Mu'iz, who would often trigger real poetic contests between his two greatest poets, would only end up in exile in Sicily. Following the fall of Kairawan, which was devastated by the Banu Hilal tribes in 1057, Ibn Rachiq followed his master al-Mu'iz to Mahdia, where he would now commend the monarch and his son Tamim, governor of the city.
I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-092-6
141 Book Title: The literary and Intellectual Movement in Tunisia (XIII - XIV H / XIX - XX AD.) Author: Mohamed Fadhel Ben Achour Established by: Mohamed Mokhtar Laabidi Topic: Literature / Civilization Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 568 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2009 Price: 20 TND. Foreign countries : 20 €
This book includes the eight lectures given in Cairo by Sheikh Fadhel Ben Achour, followed by some sample texts illustrating the intellectual and literary renaissance in Tunisia from the mid-nineteenth century all through to independence. This is a fourth edition, as the three previous ones (which came out in 1956, 1972 and 1983) have run out. A stimulating and rewarding work, it focuses on several issues such as the modernist and reformist Islamic thought, the national movement, literary and scientific renaissance, cultural antagonism and the Arab-Muslim identity, the role of educational and cultural institutions in raising national awareness, the emergence of the press in Tunisia, etc. ... It is therefore not only a history of social ideas and literary trends, but also a declaration of belief in modernist reformism, illustrated in Tunisia by some prestigious forerunners like Mahmoud Kabadou, Khereddine, Salem Bouhageb, Beyram V, Mohammed Senoussi, Mohamed Nakhli and especially Mohammed Tahar Ben Achour. Sheikh Fadhel Ben Achour also addresses other issues so dear to him: the reform of education at the “Zeitouna” and “Khaldounia” institutions and the future of industrial action, while at the same time taking a stand in favor of the Salafist militant Abdelaziz Thaalbi, disciple of the great Egyptian reformer, Sheikh Mohamed Abdou. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-088-9
142 Book Title: Information and Communication Today: Alienation and Liberation Author: Abdelwahab Bouhdiba Topic: Sociology Size: 16x24 (Hardback) Number of pages: 68 Language: French Date of Publication: 2010 Price: 4,500 TND I Foreign countries : 5 €
For six decades, Professor Bouhdiba has closely followed the development of cybernetics, which has become one of the cornerstones of our modern life and an incontrovertible key for digesting our civilization. He notes that globalization has in no way globalized the world, which is perhaps experiencing the worst ruptures ever in its long history. The new information and communication technologies (ICTs) have "standardized" the world in their own way by multiplying splits and heightening those already existing. But isn‟t the crux of the matter “what people should do with the media and not what the media should do to people”? According to the author, we must educate young people about interactivity and interface, with a critical mind. Without this critical attitude, the Internet will be the quicksand of the universal in which the masses are simply invited to get lost. Out of control, the masters of communication will become the masters of deception; and to reverse the trend, the new education should not be subservient to ICTs. Now that ICT is - or almost is- part of our habits, we must change gears and pass on to ICT Education. Therefore, in this bold and lucid study, Professor Bouhdiba takes a stand. He contributes to an intense debate, still open, but which also involves the future of the Arab world in general and that of our country in particular. . I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-101-5
143 Book Title: Pathology in the Arab-Islamic Medicine Authors: Abdelkhalek Ben Rejeb and Najat Ghazouani Topic: Medicine Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 232 Language: French Date of Publication: 2010 Price: 14,000 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
Arab-Islamic medicine, of Arabic expression in its beginnings, and of Persian, Turkish or Urdu expression subsequently, was as much based on the original foundations of Arab culture as on the Greek, Persian or Indian heritage, and ever more or less reassessed through the ethical and moral values emanating from Islam. This work is based on the major Arab-Islamic medical “surveys”: “The Canon of Medicine” by Ibn Sina (Avicenna), “al-Maliki” by al-Majoussi (Haly Abbes), "al-Hawi" by ar-Razi (Rhazes), "Attaysir" by Zohr Ibn (Avenzor), "al-Kullyat" by Ibn Rushd (Averroes), "at- Taarif" by Abu al-Qacim az-Zahraoui (Abulcassis) and “Zad al- Musafir” (the Viaticum) by Ibn Al-Jazzar (Algizar). Therefore, the texts, widely cited in this book, have been taken from firsthand works. These are eloquent texts and prove - if need be - that what characterized the Arab- Islamic medicine, as Sedillot admits in his "History of the Arabs," is “the truly scientific spirit by which Arab-Muslim scientists were guided in their work ... not to concede that anything is true unless supported by empirical evidence: such were the teachings of the Masters. In the ninth century, the Arabs already abode by this method; a fecund method which would, long afterwards, fall into the hands of modern scientists and be the instrument of their most sensational discoveries. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-102-2
144
145 Book Title: A Historical Index of Tunisian Works Author: Jean Fontaine. Arabic Version: Hammadi Sammoud. Topic: Culture / Literature. Size: 16x24. Number of Pages: 291. Language: Arabic. Publication Date: 1986. Price: 6.500 TND. Foreign countries : 8 €
Originally the author of this book intended to write a historical index, divided into themes or authors of the literary works in Tunisia. But he had to give up the idea, because the very notion of "adab" (literature), in Arabic, has radically changed these days, and no longer bears the same classification that would apply to the old masterpieces of Arabic literature and those dating back to the classical ante-islamic period. Accordingly, he opted for the word "muallafat"(works) rather than "adab", so as to avoid any misinterpretation. In this index, the works listed relate to a geographically ill-defined region in the past, fluctuating according to political changes. It is therefore more of a historical index than a geographical one. Among the authors included, some do not hail from Tunisia, having lived in Tunisia only for a short period, but they do have more or less Tunisian traits, having contributed to the cultural life and literature of the country. Concerning language, the reader will find books written in non-Arabic language, as the Tunisian mind has the ability to express itself in different languages. As for the places considered, they are generally large cities like Carthage, Qairawan, Mahdia or Tunis, where the cultural and intellectual life had not directly suffered from the vagaries of political power. The author has chosen to present the works in sequence, without separating those that are written in Arabic from the others. He has only translated the titles of books he considers as Tunisian, so as to enable the Arab reader to have an idea about their content. He also acknowledges that what he has done is an individual initiative that is likely to be imperfect. In his opinion, if the work had involved several researchers, it would have been more relevant. Dépôt légal N°734/86.
146 Book Title: Correction to the Historical Index of Tunisian Works. Author: Abu Al-Qacim Mohamed Kerrou. Topic: Culture / Literature. Size: 14x22. Number of pages: 168. Language: Arabic. Publication Date: 1988. Price: 3TND. Foreign countries : 4 €
The Tunisian Academy"Beit al-Hikma" has previously published an index of literary publications in Tunisia over the past 28 centuries or so, (ever since the foundation of Carthage by the Phoenicians, up until 1984). This is the "Historical Index of Tunisian Works" by Jean Fontaine (translated by H. Sammoud). In Abu al-Qacim Kerrou‟s opinion, this book seriously distorts the historical facts on many respects concerning the culture of Tunisia, its scholars and men of letters during the Islamic period. He has therefore issued this correction that "Beit al-Hikma" has undertaken to publish for the sake of scientific rigor. The main criticisms include: - Interference of literary genres, the lack of differentiation of authors and the absence of a coherent method for the selection and cataloging of books, - Classification of some authors as Tunisians, while they are simply temporary visitors, - The inclusion of allegedly Tunisian books written in Latin, although that language had never been the tongue of the majority of the population; and the same applies to books written by Europeans during the colonial period, - Information gaps relating to Phoenician Carthage, and to the heritage of Quairwan, Mahdia and Tunis, and the beginnings of the "Nahdha" (Renaissance), - Multiple inaccuracies and omissions of numerous books, despite their value and primacy. ISBN : 9973-911-08-3
147 Book Title: A Dictionary of Geography Directed by a Group of Academics Reviewed by Hafedh Sethom Topic: Science / Lexicography Size: 12x20 Number of Pages: 417 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1987 Price: 10 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
The preparation of specialized dictionaries remains one of the most delicate and important tasks that are incumbent upon language academies. "Beit al-Hikma" assumed this responsibility when the decision was taken, in Tunisia, to teach geography in Arabic. Accordingly, a committee of university professors was set up and for several years, they strove for the achievement of this French-Arabic glossary that combines rigor and exhaustiveness to the extent possible. The writers drew on several sources including: 1) Lexicons such as "The Dictionary of Geographical Terminology" by Youssef Tony (Cairo, 1964), "Geographical Terminology" by Fadhlallah Abdellatif and Mohamed Belfekih (Rabat, 1977) and "The Dictionary of Geography" by Pierre Georges (Paris, 1979) 2) The works of the Arabic Language Academy in Cairo on the "Dictionary of Geography" (1974) or those of the Permanent Bureau for the Coordination of Arabization, Rabat (1971), 3) The most common dictionaries such as "al-Munjid", "al-Manhal" or "al-Mawrid", etc ... The committee chose to ban disused words and opted for a simplification of the terms, but at the same time strictly observing accuracy, even if it meant updating the glossary itself later on, taking into consideration the development of both languages and the general consensus of the geographers in the Arab world.
148 Book Title: General Bibliography of the Holy City of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) in 4 volumes Established by: Rashid Limam Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V1: 186, V2: 338 V3: 863 V4: 324 Languages: Arabic, French, English Publication Date: 1989/1992 Total price: 31.700 TND Foreign countries : T1 7 € (épuisé) T2 1er volume 12 € / 2ème volume 9 €
The preparation of bibliographies requires a certain number of tools, references and indexes, usually non-existent in our developing countries, where only a few motivated and patient researchers can manage to overcome all sorts of difficulties relying on their own individual efforts. This is the case for this general bibliography of the holy city of Al-Quds, in which we can find identified all the books, journal articles, reports, UN resolutions and provisions concerning the city, and covering its entire history from its foundation (about 3000 BC.) until the modern period (end of June 1988). At the end of each volume, the reader will find many important appendices. For example, at the end of Volume 1, there is an appendix of coranic verses alluding to the sanctity of Al-Quds; the Hadiths of the Prophet emphasizing its importance to Islam and the blessings attached to prayer in the Al-Aqsa Mosque; the Covenant of Umar to the inhabitants of the holy city and their commitment to it; Saladin‟s message to the Muslim community announcing the defeat of the Crusaders and the liberation of Al-Quds; the document establishing the piety of the Maghareba neighborhood; and a table of the major historical events which occurred in Al-Quds during olden times and the Middle Ages. All these documents are listed in chronological order. And in volume 2, we can find, for instance, all the UN, Security Council, the Trusteeship Council and UNESCO resolutions concerning Al-Quds, also chronologically ordered. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-15-6
149 Book Title : Bibliography of the Holy City of Al- Quds (Jerusalem) Established by : Rashid Limam Topic : History Size : 16x24 Number of pages : V 3. Part 1 : 324 Language : English Publication Date : 1992 Price : 7.500 D.T. Foreign countries : 8 €
The preparation of bibliographies requires a certain number of tools, references and indexes, usually non-existent in our developing countries, where only a few motivated and patient researchers can manage to overcome all sorts of difficulties relying on their own individual efforts. This is the case for this general bibliography of the holy city of Al-Quds, in which we can find identified all the books, journal articles, reports, UN resolutions and provisions concerning the city, and covering its entire history from its foundation (about 3000 BC.) until the modern period (end of June 1988). At the end of each volume, the reader will find many important appendices. For example, at the end of Volume 1, there is an appendix of coranic verses alluding to the sanctity of Al-Quds; the Hadiths of the Prophet emphasizing its importance to Islam and the blessings attached to prayer in the Al-Aqsa Mosque; the Covenant of Umar to the inhabitants of the holy city and their commitment to it; Saladin‟s message to the Muslim community announcing the defeat of the Crusaders and the liberation of Al-Quds ; the document establishing the piety of the Maghareba neighborhood; and a table of the major historical events which occurred in Al-Quds during olden times and the Middle Ages. All these documents are listed in chronological order. And in volume 2, we can find, for instance, all the UN, Security Council, the Trusteeship Council and UNESCO resolutions concerning Al-Quds, also chronologically ordered. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-99-7
150 Book Title: BayramV A Critical Bibliography Prepared by: Moncef Ben Abdeljelil and Kamel Omrane Topic: Reformist Thought Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 328 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1989 Price: 8 TND Foreign countries : 9 €
Sheikh Mohamed Bayram V is mostly known for his masterpiece "Safwat al-itibar." Other opuscules, written before or after this book, are of paramount importance. This bibliography could open up new horizons, previously unknown or little known, and allow a rereading of the thought of Bayram V. Far from any outspoken commitment to any political or religious ideas, BayramV is perceived as a Reformist, sharing the cultural and political ideas of Qabadu and Khereddine, a Hanefite thinker in terms of religious matters, rejecting any narrow dogmatism and open to the spirit of the "Nahdha"(the Renaissance). His positions on these different issues would nowadays give rise to impassioned debates. The book comprises three parts: - The first relates to the works of Bayram V which are published, manuscript, or cited by his son in the biography contained in the postface, in the 5th volume of "Safwat." - The second is an analytical and concise bibliography of Bayram V, which is obviously open for supplementing. - The third is a reedition of three opuscules by Bayram V, hitherto little known. Research relating to the first two parts brought altogether 84 titles, 27 for the first and 57 for the second. This work might help to smooth over some hasty judgments regarding Sheikh Bayram V and reveal the importance of his contribution to the establishment of an enlightened religious thought. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-25-3
151 Book Title: A Guide to the Periodicals Published in Tunisia (1838-1956) (2 volumes) Author: Mohamed Hamdan Topic: Journalism Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 686 (2 vol.) Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1989 Price: 17.500 TND (for both volumes) Foreign countries : 20 €
Research on the Tunisian periodicals is particularly important, as the development of the press reveals the degree of the development of society itself. A historical approach is amply justified, because the Tunisian press has deep origins and is characterized by its diversity and the multiplicity of its guidelines. However, historical studies are still marginal in Tunisia, after several decades of national independence. There is still no comprehensive study on the evolution of the Tunisian press in all its forms, its modes of expression and its objectives, while in less developed countries and less rich in intellectual elites than our country, many historians have been able to undertake the study of their journalistic heritage. This does not mean that research is lacking among us, but the point is that it is rather patchy. It sometimes deals with some stage of the evolution of Tunisian periodicals, sometimes with a particular kind, and sometimes with language (Arabic for example) to the detriment of other languages ... Beyond the language barriers and ideological divide, the achievement of a comprehensive historical study is hindered, on the ground, by many material obstacles, because the main sources of information are either scattered, inadequate or non-existent; and the documentation centers, libraries and archival services are far from efficient. This guide to the periodicals published in Tunisia is a first step. There are indexes on the date of issue, intervals, type, content, the general line of the periodical, publisher and periodical headquarters (for Arabic and Judeo-Arabic periodicals). I.S.B.N : 9973-911-31-8 / I.S.B.N : 9973-911-32-6
152 Book Title: Tunisian Literature Translations Index Author: Abdelwaheb Dakhli Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 204 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 5 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
This bibliography aims at indexing and itemizing all the translations, into a foreign language, of modern and contemporary Tunisian literary works. The author of this index has chosen to classify the different works according to literary genre: poetry, short story, novel, drama and essays. The number of Tunisian authors who have works partially or fully translated from the source language, either Arabic or French is 137. The works have been published either separately in single editions, as part of an anthology, or in a periodical (specialized or not). The translated texts total 645. Among the 13 languages into which these works have been translated, French comes top of the list in terms of number of translations, followed by Spanish and Russian, while English, a more widespread language, comes in the fourth position. Other languages, listed in a descending order, include Polish, Yugoslavian, Italian, Bulgarian, German, Romanian, Portuguese and Chinese. Regarding the criteria for the selection of these texts, they seem to be greatly arbitrary. Some famous authors have been overlooked, while others, almost unknown, have attracted the foreign translators, who have generally opted for a particular genre: short stories are mostly valued by the Russians, while the French have tended to be more eclectic in their choices. ..I.S.B.N : 9973-911-44-X
153 Book Title: The Establishment of Arabic Manuscripts in Tunisia Author: Abdelwaheb Dakhli Topic: Heritage Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 142 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 3 TND Foreign countries : 4 €
In the "Lexicon of printed manuscripts" by Salah Eddine Al-Munajjad, there is a census of Arabic manuscripts published over a period of 25 years (1954-1980). But the careful reader of this lexicon will find only little about the reality of Tunisia's participation in the revamping of its own heritage of manuscripts. In order to make up for this lack of information, this study identifies the books which are part of Tunisia‟s heritage and published in Tunisia during the period 1860-1988, whether the authors are Tunisian or non-Tunisian, and those published outside Tunisia, but established by Tunisians or non-Tunisians. These books fall into two kinds: - Books based on Tunisian manuscripts or preserved in Tunisia. - Books which were scientifically and professionally edited and published in Tunisia. Also in this study, there‟s bibliographic information on chapters, passages and manuscript epistles published in periodicals in Tunisia during the same period. The author believes that the actual result of the efforts made in the establishment of the manuscript heritage is even more positive. He acknowledges that he hasn‟t taken into account a large number of works which are part of our heritage and established by students at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Zeitouna Faculty of Theology in Tunis. This reasoned bibliography includes an index of authors and researchers who have established manuscripts, and also place names. Also included is a table of editions classified by year, along with a list of books published several times in Tunisia, and works of establishing texts published outside Tunisia relating to texts edited in our country. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-45-8
154 Book Title: Lexicon of Legal Terms French / Arabic Collective Work directed by ML Fadhel Moussa. Topic:Lexicography Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 671 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1993 Price: 25 TND Foreign countries : 26 €
This "Glossary of legal terms" was achieved through collaboration between the Academy Beit al-Hikma and the Center for Studies, Research and Publications. It is the fruit of the efforts of a group of teachers - researchers from the four Tunisian faculties of law (Tunis I, Tunis II, Sousse and Sfax).It is meant to be a work tool for students, teachers, researchers, practitioners and "consumers" of law in general. Until recently, education in law schools was in French. Then the gradual Arabization has become a fundamental and consensual option. The preparation of this lexicon was no easy task, because of the thorny issue of the Arabic translation of French terms, which is due to the richness of the Arabic legal vocabulary and therefore the multiplicity of translations for the same French term according to the different Arab countries. There are differences not only between the Arab Mashreq and Maghreb countries, but also among the Maghreb countries themselves. Ultimately the authors have chosen to take the Arab legal terminology away from the influence of the literary spirit based on variety at the expense of accuracy and thoroughness, which are fundamental characteristics of law. The terms of this lexicon are presented according to the following fields: Administrative Law; constitutional law; international law; tax and financial law; civil law; commercial, banking and maritime law; criminal law; social law; civil and commercial procedures; Tunisian Constitution..
I.S.B.N : 9973-929-17-9
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156 Book Title: Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yadali. On the History of Mauritania Three Unpublished Texts. Prepared and presented by Muhammadun Uld Babbah Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 228 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 5.800 TND Foreign countries : 7 €
What we have here is a collection of texts about the history of Mauritania, which have remained virtually unknown, like much of the heritage of this country, still going astray either through neglect or other factors. These are three epistles revealing the very foundations of all the cultural and civilizational development that has led to the renaissance of modern day Mauretania. The first letter deals with the characters of the members of the Zaouias. The author, Al-Yadali, recounts the story of their lives, according to his own conception of the philosophy of history. Their main quality is their commitment to the "Sunna" of the Prophet, around which they established a political, religious and moral pact. The second text makes reference to the personality of Imam Nacer Eddine, portrayed as a holy man and political leader. The author emphasizes the spiritual side of this personality and his ability to generate the spirit of solidarity among his companions. In the third letter entitled "Letter of Counseling", the author addresses the social issues of the Mauritanian society, which he views critically. It is an inexhaustible lesson on the command of good deeds and the prohibition of sin, following the example of the Tchemass scholars and eminent personalities, who have always been a model of conduct for the Zaouias. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-47-4
157 Book Title: The State and the Issue of Culture in Morocco Author: Moncef Ouanna Topic: Culture Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 278 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1991 Price: 6.500 TND Foreign countries : 8 €
It is political independence that has created the necessary conditions for a genuine cultural renaissance and upheld the establishment of the historical identity of the Kingdom of Morocco. Concrete measures, within the limits of the economic and material potentialities available were taken in order to boost this dynamics of cultural development. These efforts reflect a keen desire, a deep understanding of history and an exceptional genius. Cultural action in Morocco has left a clear imprint on the Moroccan inner society. It has been possible to reconcile tradition and modernity, and new opportunities for creative research have been opened up. It has been shown, in particular, that there is no conflict between traditional culture and modern culture, they are rather complementary, allowing, as such, a full restitution to Morocco of all its "historical and national vitality." The author‟s response as to how the State generally intervenes in the cultural field is to suggest an analysis of the strategies of the national State in terms of culture, along legitimacy and domination lines. He then goes on to demonstrate that culture is no more than the ultimate product of the people involved in its making and proves, by the same token, the dynamic nature of the national Moroccan culture. The aim of the present essay is to put forward culture as a key element in safeguarding national identity and as a real back-up to any social and economic development project. The Moroccan example proves that culture is part of a dynamic society that embraces both the past and present. Moreover, the dialectics of History/Society and State/Civil Society cannot be overlooked in any sociological study. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-60-1
158 Book Title: The Algerian/Tunisian Peoples and France Author: Mohamed Bach-Hamba Presentation: Mahmoud Abdelmoula Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 200 Language: French Publication Date: 1991 Price: 4 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
Mohamed Bach-Hamba (1881-1920) is the brother of Ali Bach-Hamba, leader of "The Tunisian Youth Movement". Like his brother, he struggled for the liberation of his homeland. Throughout his stay in Geneva, he assumed a coordinating role between the Tunisian and Algerian patriots living in Europe, and founded "the Algerian-Tunisian Committee", which aimed at the promotion of joint action. He also founded the "Journal of the Maghreb", which supplanted "The Tunisian" newspaper, banned by the French colonial authorities. In this book, which was published in 1918, Mohamed Bach Hamba denounces the so-called policy of "participation", a manoeuvre by the French colonial authorities, and strongly demands the independence of the Tunisian-Algerian people. "He appeals to the whole world to acknowledge their right for self rule and takes these legitimate demands to "the Congress of Peace", which will one day meet to overhaul the world map and formulate new principles for safeguarding human rights and the rights of peoples. " The book, divided into two parts, describes the biased system imposed on Algerians and Tunisians alike: deprivation of individual liberties, inequities of the tax laws, sabotaging the local educational systems, violations of the rights of private property, conscription, naturalization, political and civil liberties, etc ... All through the book, the author scrupulously details the exclusion measures that an omnipotent and despotic system had imposed on the Algerian-Tunisian people. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-68-7
159 Book Title: The Algerian literature in Tunisia (2 volumes) Author: Mohamed Salah Jabri
Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V.1: 330, V.2: 406 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1991 price: 16 TND (2 volumes) Foreign countries : 19 €
In addition to its political and economic domination, French colonialism had exerted a cultural hegemony on the Algerian people, forcing many citizens from this sister country into exile in order to continue their studies at the Zitouna University of Tunis or at the Qarawiyine University of Fez, thus preserving their Arab-Muslim identity, while others were directly involved in the national struggle by publishing articles in newspapers in Tunisia or in the Mashreq. Accordingly, for over half a century, newspapers, weeklies and periodicals had echoed a rich literary production in poetry, short stories,novels… In the first part, the author addresses the theme of Resistance where poetry had played a major role. The theme of Maghreb solidarity is also present through the participation of Algerians in the political, cultural and social activities of their Tunisian brothers. In the second part, the author explores Algerian short stories and novels and deals with some dominating themes (the national struggle in villages and cities, the role of women in the Algerian Resistance… and refers to excerpts from short stories and poems , along with two novels published in Tunisia in the fifties. This rich and diverse literary production experienced a life-cycle and continued from 1907 to 1962, when Algeria won its independence, being interrupted only during those periods when the Tunisian press itself came under strict censorship by the colonial authorities. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-74-1
160 Book Title: An Epic Poem by Babacar Ibn Hijab Prepared and Commented by Khadija Bint Al- Hassan Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 140 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1991 Price: 3 TND Foreign countries : 4 €
There are so many „broken rings‟ in the history chain of Mauritania, and these need „welding‟ through reliable local documentation, foreign sources and archaeological data. The poem by Ibn Babacar hijab which traces the history of the Kingdom of Trarza (1771-1896) is an important local source. The writer of this poem had actually witnessed most of the events that he recounts, and sometimes goes by eyewitnesses. It is therefore a relatively reliable source on the history of south-west Mauritania. Khadija Ben Al-Hassan, the author of this work, has read this poem in its historical and cultural context, giving us insight into the man‟s life, a sharp, quick thinker and well-read aristocrat living close to the Emirs in power. Once categorized, the themes addressed by Ibn hijab cast much light on the belligerent nature of Ouled Diman and Ouled Ahmad Ibn Damane tribes; and especially on the Trarza dynasty which had reigned for over a century. There is also further information concerning the most outstanding men of culture and the disasters that had afflicted the region, etc ... However, the question of the Trarza relationship with the Europeans is hardly raised, nor is the question of the foreign war adventures undertaken by the Kingdom. In an attempt to fill the void in the original text, the author had to resort to several Arab and French sources, some manuscripts, and in some cases, to the oral tradition.. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-64-4
161 Book Title: Anthology of Contemporary Maghrebine Novel (2 volumes) Author: Ben Jemaa Bouchoucha Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: V1: 316, V.2: 334 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1992 Price: 10.500 TND (2 volumes) Foreign countries : 17 €
During the colonial period, Maghrebine literature of Arabic expression had always faced obstacles that had delayed its development and expansion. It was far from rivaling Maghrebine literature of French expression. There were only a few attempts which were closer to the story than to the novel. The delay was also due to the fact that the novel is a strange literary genre to classical Arabic literature, which has always preferred oral forms of expression. There was no rich novel writing tradition for the Maghrebine novelists to draw on as is the case in Europe for instance. It is, in fact, a new literary genre, as the experience does not exceed three decades in Tunisia, Libya and Morocco, two in Algeria and only one decade in Mauretania. The production is also scarce and poorly supported, with writers rather trying their hand at novel writing. But since the 1970‟s and 80‟s, novelists in the Maghreb have been looking for some momentum. The new generation of novelists has abandoned the traditional narrative forms that marked the Arabic novel in the Mashreq and even in the West and is now trying to assert itself in new forms of writing closer to the modernist currents; and as such, we can notice, in terms of expression, a kind of openness to the vernacular. The selections that make up this collection are meant to be as much representative of the artistic trends and the different currents of thought of Maghrebine fictional creation as possible. Presented by country and in the alphabetical order of the names of their authors, these texts are not classified chronologically or thematically.
I.S.B.N : 9973-911-92-X
162
163 Book Title: Participation of Iran in the Development of Islamic Culture in the Past and Now Author: Atallah Muhajirani Topic: International Relations Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 44 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2000 Price: 2 TND Foreign countries : 3 €
This conference was given by Professor Atallah Muhajirani, Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Education, in the context of “Forums of Beit al-Hikma”. An eminent man of culture, he has published numerous books including a refutation of "The Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie. After a brief sketch of ancient Persia, the speaker stressed its contribution to civilization, science and the arts. With the advent of the Islamic period, schools of Coranic exegesis and jurisprudence (fiqh) sprang up nearly everywhere. But under the Umayyad rule, non-Arabs weren‟t allowed to distinguish themselves. However, despite all the obstacles, Persian scientists excelled in several scientific fields, especially in medicine, history, astronomy, etc. The Umayyads would even be forced to draw their inspiration from the Persian office institutions to organize their own administrative offices (diwans).Thus the post office would originate, followed by others: The tax office, the seal office, etc. But the Abassides, who came to power through the support of Persians from the Khorassan region, would be friendlier towards them. The most outstanding representatives of the Iranian culture were famous grammarians (Sibawayh, in particular), scholastic theologians (mutakallimun) and exegetes of the Coran. Under the reign of the Abasside Caliph, Al-Mansour, the Gundayssapour School of Medicine would even have the right to get established in Baghdad. This school later reached its golden age with al-Razi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Jorjani and many others. This period was characterized by the rise of rationalism, encouraging all efforts to ijtihad and the spirit of tolerance. The conference was followed by an impassioned debate on the current participation of Iran in the advancement of culture. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-63-2
164 Book Title: Tunisia and Japan Relations Author: Kazuo Miyaji Topic: International Relations Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 48 Language: French Publication Date: 2000 Price: 2 TND Foreign countries : 3 €
This book is a publication of the lecture given by Professor Kazuo Miyaji within the framework of “Forums of Beit Al-Hikma”. He is a leading Japanese researcher, author of numerous scholarly publications including "Contemporary History of North Africa" (1978) and "The Democratic Process and Social Movements in the Maghreb" (1988), and has been a Professor at Keisen University in Tokyo since 1993. He has also been for a long time a researcher at the CERES (Centre for Economic and Social Research and Studies in Tunis). Therefore, he is someone who knows our country quite well, and as such, he spoke mainly of the Japan-Tunisia relations in his conference. He thinks that these relations are still lagging far behind at a rudimentary level because of the huge geographical distance between the two countries. Then he proceeded to an assessment of the diplomatic, trade and cultural relations between the two countries and came to a simple conclusion: that the geographical distance is not the only reason hindering closer ties between them, but more importantly the psychological barriers, which he went on to explain exhaustively in terms of causes and manifestations. With a view to opening up new prospects for a rapprochement between the two countries in the twenty-first century, and living up to the challenges of globalization, the speaker suggested some practical solutions of methodological and strategic nature and offered a more concrete measure: The restoration of the crumbling Tunisian village of Takrouna, with the participation of the locals and the close collaboration of Tunisia and Japan. Following the conference, a friendly and constructive chat ensued, during which the participants commended Professor Kazuo for his suggestions and the depth of his analysis. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-64-0
165 Book Title: The Dilogue of Cultures and Civilizations Author: Sayed Kamal Kharrazi Topic: International Relations Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 44 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2001 Price: 2 TND Foreign countries : 3 €
This book is a publication of the conference given by Professor Sayed Kamel Kharrazi, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs within the framework of “Forums of Beit al-Hikma”. An eminent man of culture in his country, he has also assumed key political responsibilities under President Khatami leadership. He first drew attention to the fact that throughout history, civilizations and cultures have only really progressed through dialogue and interaction. Referring to the relations between Islamic and Western civilizations, he stressed the role of translations in philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, literature, music, botany, agriculture and chemistry, for the greatest benefit of the peoples involved. Regarding the present and future possibilities, the minister considered it necessary that the proposed dialogue among civilizations should be achieved through consultation and cooperation at Islamic world level or globally. It would succeed only when the culture of tolerance prevails over that of violence. The minister‟s conference was followed by a debate in which many Tunisian intellectuals took part. The debate centered on the prospects for dialogue within the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the United Nations General Assembly.
I.S.B.N : 9973-929-72-1
166 Book Title: On the Arabic Thesaurus "An-Nafis" Proceedings of the symposium held at Beit al-Hikma in November 2001 Topic: Lexicography Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 110 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2002 Price: 2.500 TND Foreign countries : 3 €
This booklet was published in the series "Forums of Beit al-Hikma," and it contains the lectures given on the occasion of the symposium that was held as a tribute to Professor Mohamed Khalifa Tellissi, a Libyan man of letters, famous for his contributions to many cultural events and member of several Arab academies and scientific societies. The ceremony brought together a panel of Tunisian and Libyan researchers and academics who saluted him for the publication of his dictionary "An- Nafis" which, as its name suggests (in Arabic), is a valuable thesaurus insofar as it meets an urgent need for defending the Arabic language against linguistic invasion , as it has the worst effect on our language and civilization. The dictionary consists of four volumes and includes 2547 pages. This gigantic work had taken Pr.Tellissi years of strenuous efforts in the company of “Taj Al-Arous” by Al-Mortetha Al-Zoubeidi, from which he drew the material for his thesaurus “An- Nafis”. The author admits that he had three aims in mind. First, it was for his own personal satisfaction. Secondly, he was driven by his pan-arab convictions that pushed him to do something to “preserve the Arabic language and shield it from the dangers that are threatening it”, especially that some Arab satellite television channels are openly calling for the consolidation of local dialects at the expense of standard Arabic. His third aim is purely educational; he wanted to make Al-Zoubeidi‟s “Taj Al-Arous” more useful and more easily accessible to people and especially to young students. For this end, he simplified the task of using this thesaurus by proceeding to a careful selection from a huge quantity of lexical items, excluding those that have more or less fallen into disuse and providing significant refinements to “Taj Al-Arous” by eliminating lengthy explanations and discussions of encyclopaedic nature. “An Nafis” is therefore closer to a modern dictionary. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-75-6
167 Book Title: Reason and Unreason of Poetry Author: Salah Stétié Topic: Arts Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 44 Language: French Publication Date: 2002 Price: 2 TND Foreign countries : 3 €
This booklet is a publication of the conference given by the great poet Salah Stétié within the framework of "Forums of Beit al-Hikma". Former Ambassador of Lebanon to UNESCO, he has written numerous books in Arabic and French and is also an outstanding poet in Francophone literature. "Reason and Unreason of Poetry" deals with the multiple dimensions of the poetic word and the different registers in which it is embedded. According to Salah Stétié, "The greatest pieces of writing in human history, those where we can sense a commitment to the destiny of Man in the noblest connotations of the term (maybe delusively, maybe not, this is not to the point), where the fate of his being, his soul if you like, is played, are those conveyed by poetry, which is perhaps no more than the human language he uses when he addresses himself to himself as a witness and as a mediator of the whole cosmos". Accordingly, "The Book of the Dead" (the ancient Egyptian funerary text) is poetry, the Upanishads (the Hindu scriptures) are poetry, the Bible is poetry, the Padma Dict is poetry, the Popol Vuh (the Book of the Community) is poetry, the Gospels are poetry, and the ontological suras of the Coran are poetry". "Before being the progeny of his parents, man is an offshoot of the word, crowned with poetry beads like a rose, in its sublime vulnerability, blurred in the early morning mists and fog." I.S.B.N : 9973-929-79-9
168 Book Title: Reason and Unreason of Poetry Author: Salah Stétié Topic: Arts Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 44 Language: French Publication Date: 2002 Price: 2 TND Foreign countries : 3 €
This booklet is a publication of the conference given by the great poet Salah Stétié within the framework of "Forums of Beit al-Hikma". Former Ambassador of Lebanon to UNESCO, he has written numerous books in Arabic and French and is also an outstanding poet in Francophone literature. "Reason and Unreason of Poetry" deals with the multiple dimensions of the poetic word and the different registers in which it is embedded. According to Salah Stétié, "The greatest pieces of writing in human history, those where we can sense a commitment to the destiny of Man in the noblest connotations of the term (maybe delusively, maybe not, this is not to the point), where the fate of his being, his soul if you like, is played, are those conveyed by poetry, which is perhaps no more than the human language he uses when he addresses himself to himself as a witness and as a mediator of the whole cosmos". Accordingly, "The Book of the Dead" (the ancient Egyptian funerary text) is poetry, the Upanishads (the Hindu scriptures) are poetry, the Bible is poetry, the Padma Dict is poetry, the Popol Vuh (the Book of the Community) is poetry, the Gospels are poetry, and the ontological suras of the Coran are poetry". "Before being the progeny of his parents, man is an offshoot of the word, crowned with poetry beads like a rose, in its sublime vulnerability, blurred in the early morning mists and fog." I.S.B.N : 9973-929-80-2
169 Book Title: The Contribution of Professor Ahmad Abdesselem to the Enrichment of Tunisian Culture Author: Mohamed Yaalaoui Topic: Culture Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 23 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2003 Price: 2.000 TND Foreign countries : 2 €
This book is a publication of the lecture, given within the framework of "Platforms of Beit al-Hikma" by Professor Mohamed Yaalaoui, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Tunisian Academy and in honour of its first president, Professor Ahmad Abdesselem. The speaker reminded the audience that the Tunisian University owes Professor Ahmad Abdesselem a lot. Generations of former graduates have pioneered this institution, which quickly liberated itself from foreign control. Professor of contemporary Arab civilization, Ahmad Abdesselem was particularly interested in the cultural history of Tunisia in his doctoral thesis entitled: "The Tunisian Historians of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries", in which he brilliantly explored the key roles that Khereddine and Ahmad Ibn Abi Dhiaf had played. A most renowned researcher, Professor Abdesselem was distinguished for his intellectual integrity and scientific rigour. In the literary field, several articles in the magazine "Al-Mabahith" testify to his interest in the tale, short story, drama and the problems of classical Arabic and dialectal Arabic, etc ... He was also a trade unionist and assumed key administrative and academic functions. He co-founded the magazine "Hawlilyat" (Annals). Through his various activities within Arab and foreign scientific institutions, he has also contributed to the cultural influence of Tunisia. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-92-6
170 Book Title: Japan and China Relations from a Historical Standpoint Author: Kai Noritake Topic: International Relations Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 32 Language: French Date of Publication: 2003 Price: 2 TND Foreign countries : 2 €
This book is a publication of the lecture given by the Ambassador of Japan in Tunisia in the framework of " Forums of Beit-Al Hikma" in his quality as specialist researcher on Asian affairs. At the beginning of his lecture, he gave a historical overview of the Japan-China relations stressing straightaway that the two countries have been united by a long and deep history dating back to ancient times, when Japan had been kind of vassal of China, adapting to Chinese culture and even adopting the Chinese ideograms, and Buddhism. But during the 19th century, Japan decided to put an end to 300 years of isolationism, which had protected it from European or American invasion, and gradually began to assimilate the western culture; and that marks a reversal of roles, with China adopting a lot from Japan‟s modernization process in that nowadays, many Chinese technicians and students go to Japan for training or further studies. Although the natural conditions and the geography of the two countries are very different (Japan is a set of small islands while China is a vast sub-continent); even if there are about fifty ethnicities in China while the Japanese have for a long time been the descendants of the same ethnicity; and even if Chinese traders are world famous for their skills and knowhow and the Chinese outdistance the Japanese in culinary skills, it is essential that Japan and China respect their differences and deepen their ties of friendship and good neighbourliness. The speaker concludes by referring to a famous adage: there will be no peace in Asia if there is no peace between China and Japan. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-93-4
171 Book Title: Globalization in a Unipolar World Author: Egon Matzner Topic: International Relations Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 28 Language: French Date of Publication: 2003 Price: 2 TND Foreign countries : 2 €
This book is a publication of the lecture given by Professor Egon Matzner in the framework of " Forums of Beit-Al Hikma" in February 2003. He is an Austrian specialist in economics and social sciences; he is also a scientific adviser to German and Austrian ministries and many international organizations. He started his talk by analyzing the foundations of the hegemony of the USA stating that it rests on a „tripod‟, with the three „legs‟ representing: the military and technological complex, the financial and industrial complex, and the third is the ideological influence through the media. Then tackling the question of globalization, he defines it as the constant growth of world trade, the expansion of multinational companies, the dissemination of information technologies, and the increase in direct foreign investment or the volume and speed of financial transactions. But Pr.Matzner states that there are three different interpretations for the term „globalization‟: It is first perceived as the establishment of standard rules globally applicable (e.g. the terms of granting loans by the IMF or that American laws must be applicable in case of conflict between American and foreign interests). The second concerns the advantages of globalization (the eradication of epidemics) and the drawbacks (the greenhouse effect). The third interpretation is that globalization means the supply at global level of goods produced by private companies (Coca Cola or Microsoft). Prof. Matzner concludes that a multipolar world order would create the conditions for a global cooperation, where the profits would be for the benefit of all, whereas a unipolar world would only benefit a few private companies. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-94-2
172 Book Title: Economic Reform in China Author: Li Tieying Topic: International Relations Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 32 Language: French Date of publication: 2004 Price: 2 TND Foreign countries : 2 €
This book is a publication of the lecture given by Professor Li Tieying, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Assembly of China, within the framework of „Forums of Beit-Al Hikma‟ in November 2003. It is part of the process of strengthening the friendly relations between China and Africa in general and between China and Tunisia in particular. It is commonly known that one of the landmark events in modern China history is its decision to open to the outside world through a four-stage process of economic reform launched in 1978. The first stage was mainly concerned with agrarian reforms, leading to a considerable increase in food production but at the same to a massive influx of peasants into urban areas in search of work. Efforts were then focused on cities, boosting the private sector and encouraging foreign investment, which resulted in an increase in inflation rates and brought some chaos to the economic situation in general. The authorities have reacted promptly by introducing a new economic policy, the socialist market economy, giving a predominant position to public ownership, but at the same time encouraging various sectors to develop simultaneously. The fourth stage (starting 2002), is marked by a series of measures designed to entrench an advanced system of the socialist market economy and adapt it to the international environment characterized by globalization and progress in science and technology. Ultimately, it is safe to say that through its economic reform policy, China has, apart from the practical results, achieved so much in terms of theoretical and doctrinal experience. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-000-2
173 Book title: Arab-US Relations Author: Henry Laurens Topic: International relations Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 38 Language: French Date of publication: 2004 Price: 3 TND Foreign countries : 2 €
This work is a publication of the conference given, within the context of " Platforms of Beït Al-Hikma ", by Pr. Henry Laurens, Professor at the „College de France‟ , eminent historian and a specialist in the affairs of the contemporary Arab world.
Many have often held out hopes of the United States using all their might and influence in helping the peoples of the Middle East, and especially the Arabs materialize their legitimate aspirations for independence, development and, by the same token, democracy and social justice. However, as the years went by, these hopes vanished into thin air, especially because of the unconditional support to Israel and the strange and benevolent protection granted to all forms of oppression, odious as they are, from which the Palestinian people have been suffering. The two wars in Iraq have turned the feeling of doubt and circumspection into true hatred towards a country which, in other circumstances, could have been a friend of the Arab countries.
In this conference, Pr. Henry Laurens presented a comprehensive and eloquent dossier concerning the gradual deterioration of the relations between the United States and the Arab World. More particularly, he tried to elucidate the reasons why the Arabs have lost any influence on American policies and why the Americans have lost their credibility in the Arab world. Pr.Laurens claims that the Americans “ are not fully aware of the negative repercussions of their policies in the region… the djihadist movements, and many other forms of resistance to the American hegemony in the region, would be, since the early nineties defined, labelled and then propagated throughout the world under the broad term of terrorism” I.S.B.N : 9973-49-010-X
174 Book Title: The Culture of Peace in Africa Author: Cheïkh Hamidou Kane Topic: Culture/Politics Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 30 Language: French Date of publication: 2007 Price: 3 TND Foreign countries : 2 €
This work is a publication of the conference given by Professor Sheik Hamidou Kane within the framework of " Platforms of Beït Al-Hikma ". A great novelist, he was born in Senegal and, ever since his early youth, he was deeply-rooted in his black African and Muslim identity before immersing himself in the Western culture. He had studied philosophy, economics and law. In 1961, he published his first novel " the Ambiguous Adventure " which was a blockbuster. His second novel, "the Guards of the temple», published in 1996, was awarded the Rachid Mimouni prize. Concurrently with his literary career, Sheik Hamidou Kane has taken up many ministerial positions and played a significant role in international organizations like the UNICEF and the famous ONG " Enda Third World ". The conference deals with " the role and scope of mediation in the African societies and adaptation to the current context ". Right from the start, he brings up an important question: Why should the governing elites in modern Africa be concerned with this mediation in their effort of construction and modernization? He answers by a series of arguments drawn from the lessons, precepts and manners of the African cultural heritage, stressing the importance of dialogue in the African culture and mentioning the wisdom of eminent people like Sheik Anta Diop, Nelson Mandela or Soundjata Keita. In front of the obscene violence, intolerance and ethnic conflicts which are devastating Africa, Sheik Hamidou Kane concludes with a proverb: "can there be favorable winds for someone who has lost touch with his origins?" I.S.B.N : 9973-49-043-8
175 Book Title: Destinies Intersecting in the Mediterranean Author: Mounira Chapoutot - Remadi Topic: History Size: 11x20 Number of pages: 30 Language: French Date of Publication: 2007 Price: 3 TND .Foreign countries : 2 €
This book is a publication of the lecture given by Professor Mounira Chapoutot - Remadi in the context of "Forums of Beit Al-Hikma." The subject is both historical and literary. The lecturer opens by referring to two real historical characters who have been the subject of two novels where reality and fiction are intertwined, both to reconstruct a "moment" and convey a "message". These two characters are Leo The African (alias Al-Hassan al-Wazzan) and François Cocardon (alias Mustafa of the Six- Furnaces). The two novels are: "Leo The African" by Amin Maalouf and "The tribulations of Mustafa of the Six-Furnaces"by Bartholomé Benassar. The destiny of both characters intersects in the Mediterranean, midway between the Arab-Islamic world and Christian Europe.Then the speaker relates the real stories, both parallel and intersecting at the same time, of the two characters, both of whom having experienced the tribulations of captivity. She also deals with the structure of the plot in both novels, and raises the question of identity, and she concludes by saying that the story of both characters is a call for tolerance through an intimate encounter with the Other. As a conclusion, "both in history and in these two novels, we can see the unity of the scene : the sea and its shores; of time : the century of piracy; and of action : the journey that expresses a keen desire for travelling and a tendency no less profound to meet the Other. " I.S.B.N : 9973-49-044-5
176 Book Title : National Resistance and Terrorism Author : Ahmed Abderraouf Wnaïes Topic : International Relations Size : 12x20 Number of pages : 32 Language : English Date of publication : 2009 Price : 2 D.T. Foreign countries : 2 €
Published in the series «Forums of Beït al-Hikma », this conference was given at the eleventh session of the International Meetings of Carthage in April 2008, and devoted to the issue of violence. The lecturer believes that the dialogue between the Arab world and the West is running up against two major pitfalls: the general confusion between the concept of terrorism and that of resistance on the one hand, and the true nature of the Palestinian resistance, on the other. First he tries to clear the ambiguity deliberately maintained between Islam and violence. Then he shows that resistance can never be equated with blind terrorism, as it is fundamentally a legitimate response to foreign occupation. It is therefore a sacred duty, that of defending the homeland and safeguarding its honour. Within this context, martyrdom simply regenerates the conditions and rules of an insane and disproportionate war. There is no martyrdom, he reaffirms, without a great and noble cause. Reviewing the lessons learned from European history, the author brings back the horrors suffered by people during the bombing Dresden, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He is greatly astonished by the fact that when it comes to the Lebanese or Palestinian resistance, some deeply cherished ethical principles are invoked in the West by those very people who have ignored or even violated them during the Second World War. He concludes that calling upon the Palestinians to cease any resistance simply means subjecting this people forever to total submission to the Israeli occupation and denial of their political rights on the land of his ancestors. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-072-8
177 Book Title: National Resistance and Terrorism Author: Ahmed Abderraouf Ounaïes Topic: International Relations Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 32 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2009 Price: 2 D.T Foreign countries : 2 €
Published in the series "Forums of Beit al-Hikma", this conference was given at the eleventh session of the International Meetings of Carthage, on the issue of violence (April 2008). The lecturer believes that the dialogue between the Arab World and the West is running up against two major pitfalls: the confusion between terrorism and resistance on the one hand, and the true nature of the Palestinian resistance on the other hand. He begins by clearing the ambiguity, deliberately fostered, between Islam and violence; then he tries to show that in no way can resistance ever be equated with blind terrorism, as it is basically a legitimate response to foreign occupation. Therefore, it is a sacred duty, that of defending your country and safeguarding its honour. In this context, martyrdom is a regeneration of the conditions and rules of an insane and disproportionate war. There is no martyr without a great and noble cause, he says. Looking over the lessons of the recent European history, the author describes the horrors accompanying the bombing of Dresden, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He wonders at the fact that universal ethical principles are invoked in the West, when it comes to the Lebanese and Palestinian resistance, by those very people who have ignored or even violated them during the Second World War. Calling upon the Palestinian people to cease any resistance, he says, is simply compelling them to eternal submission to the Israeli occupation and losing their unalienable political rights and claims on the land of their ancestors. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-071-1
178 Book Title: Pain and Suffering Author: Patrice Queneau Topic : Medicine Size: 12x20 Number of pages: 40 Language: French Date of Publication: 2010 Price: 4 TND Foreign countries : 4 €
Within the context of “Forums of Beit al-Hikma” Professor Patrice Queneau, member of the French Academy of Medicine, has brilliantly formulated the idea of human suffering which, as he put it, is as old as mankind. The behavioural significance of suffering has always been one of the major existential issues all through history. As for the responses to pain, they have evolved over time, greatly conditioned by the potentials of analgesia at different times. Nowadays, the effective relief of pain is almost always possible. But to comfort his patient, the doctor also has his own empathy at his disposal: his words and his presence have a most welcome analgesic effect on the patient, along with the pharmacodynamics of his prescription. Professor Queneau then touched on the connection between pain and suffering: they are closely tied, tangled and interactive. He noted that any patient needs to vent his pain, to put it into words and find an attentive, compassionate and empathetic ear to pick it up. Venting your agony, your pain and suffering, naming it, describing it, is already becoming familiar with it. The lecturer concluded his conference by stressing the importance of training future doctors and caregivers, deemed essential, especially with regard to relieving pain and suffering.
I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-095-
179
180 Book Title: On the Historical Dictionary of Arabic Proceedings of the Symposium organized by the Association of Arabic Lexicography of Tunis Topic: Lexicography Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 520 Language: Arabic, French and English Publication Date: 1991 Price: 11 TND Foreign countries : 9 €
Several lexicographers and lexicologists from Morocco, Egypt, Syria, France, Britain, Jordan, Yemen and Bahrain, in addition to Tunisian researchers took part in the symposium held at the Tunisian Academy "Beit al-Hikma," about the "Historical Dictionary of Arabic: Related Problems and Means of Realizing it." After fourteen centuries, the Arab-Muslim world has not yet compiled its historical dictionary, which would be a faithful image of its culture, discourse, thought and heritage, just like any other great human civilization having, since long, indexed and readied itself for the future. The participants were unanimously convinced that the historical dictionary of Arabic has become a necessity in an era characterized by the computerization of knowledge in all areas. Being our civilizational, cultural and linguistic memory, such a dictionary would be our reference; it would provide users with interesting views on our societies and their historical development. Encouraging new factors have pushed forward the idea of realizing this dictionary: 1) Linguistics in general and particularly lexicography in Arab countries have blossomed. 2) The establishment of the Association of Arabic Lexicography of Tunis, which has pledged to actively participate in the realization of this historical dictionary. 3) The support of the Tunisian Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Higher Education. The project has then been launched ...
I.S.B.N : 9973-911-67-9
181 Book Title:The Maghreb in front of International Transformations Proceedings of the Symposium of Beit al- Hikma (May 1990) Topic: International Relations Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 164 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1993 Price: 3 TND Foreign countries : 4 €
The conferences given and the debate that followed during this symposium were an opportunity to tackle several issues that are still standing, among which we can cite the following: The scope and significance of the drastic upheavals in Eastern Europe, the impact of these changes on the European community and the consequences of all these mutations on the Maghreb community. Indeed, the collapse of Marxism-Leninism is an archetypal historic event for the whole world. All the parameters of geopolitics have been shaken up to the roots, a whole political repertoire common to both the European left and the intelligentsia of Third World countries has ceased to exist and would quickly fall into disuse. The implosion of communism has left the doors wide open for the liberal discourse: We are now even more boastful about the wonders of the market economy, private ownership and management, as if these were sufficient conditions for the universal welfare and happiness. But there is in fact no reason to celebrate and announce "the end of history": the huge gap between the haves and the have-nots, whose condition is only getting worse, remains incontrovertible. In addition, both in Europe and other parts of the Third World including the Maghreb region, the crushing defeat of communism has invigorated the philosophy of human rights issues, the rule of law and civil society. The only thing that has been questioned is the cult of the single truth. The participants have debated the issue as free intellectuals.
I.S.B.N : 9973-929-07-1
182 Book Title: Centennial of Taha Hussein Proceedings of the symposium organized by Beit al-Hikma in January 1990 Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 540 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1993 Price: 7.500 TND Foreign countries : 12 €
Taha Hussein is a great name in the world of Arab literature. He is the only one to have achieved fame during his lifetime and after his death, not only in Arab-Muslim countries but throughout the world. International cultural organizations, above all the UNESCO, took part in the celebration of his centenary in 1989. Tunisia was among the first countries to commemorate this anniversary as he was a prestigious personality in this country with which he had established strong ties that Professor Kerrou sought to elucidate. Professor Tarchouna, for his part, gave a lecture on "Taha Hussein as mirrored by his opponents." The linguist Mohamed Rashid Hamzaoui appraised his contributions to the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo. Professor Sammoud dealt with the issues raised by Taha Hussein in his book: "Polemics and Criticism." Professor Trabelsi focused on Taha Hussein‟s literary style, which was also the topic of a paper by Professor Soula, entitled: "Does style reflect man or is man a reflection of style?" For his part, Professor Al-Qadhi dealt with the issue of explicitness and implicitness in his Al-ayem (the "Book of Days"). The historian Omar Al Mokdad Jemni demonstrated that Taha Hussein‟s historical views are, to a large extent, inspired by a positivist methodology. And finally Professor Jemaa Chikha listed the university studies devoted to Taha Hussein. The book ends with the public lecture that Taha Hussein gave on 3 July 1957 in Tunis during his first visit to Tunisia, just after independence. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-12-8
183 Book Title: Studies on Tolerance Authors: Abdelfattah Amor, Néji Baccouche, Mohamed Talbi. Topic: Religion Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 230 Language: Arabic, French and English Publication Date: 1995 Price: 7 TND Foreign countries : 8 €
These studies are published under the auspices of the Tunisian Academy Beit al- Hikma and the Arab Institute for Human Rights, but their authors solely are liable for the views expressed therein. The book opens with a statement on tolerance by the UN issued on the occasion of the preparations for the United Nations Tolerance Year in 1995. In his study, Professor Néji Baccouche deals with "Tolerance, the foundation of human rights". He begins by defining the concept of tolerance, considering its religious, philosophical and ethical foundations, and then he goes on with the different manifestations of tolerance at international and national levels and lists the requirements for strengthening and entrenching it. Professor Mohamed Talbi, reveals his reflections on the necessity of "Integrating faith within the spiritual demands of our time" and raises the question: "Religious freedom: a human right or a human destiny?" He concludes that: "generally speaking, there is no such thing as real spirituality without true freedom… The freedom to choose is inherent to the essence of man. It is more than a right. It is a structuring and crucial propensity ". As for Professor Abdelfattah Amor, he begins by wondering whether "the religious phenomenon will be based on the values of respect and tolerance or extremism, violence and interference in the convictions and behaviour of others". It is indeed a crucial issue concerning the right of individuals and peoples for peace. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-38-1
184 Book Title: Being free today Proceedings of the first International Meeting of Carthage (May 1996) Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 338 Language: Arabic and French Date of publication: 1998 Price: 4.500 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
When defining freedom, philosophers are often inclined to do it from a particular standpoint. Some would confine it to political freedom and are only interested in the legal or civil dimension. Others would focus on the social and economic aspects of freedom; while others would insist on its cultural components. Yet it might be preferable to consider freedom in its entirety and the complementarity of its different components away from any itemization, as any step made by the social community or the individual in preserving freedom is an achievement in itself, no matter how modest that step is; by the same token, even a giant leap would call for others. From this perspective, the problems are manifold: How could a democracy based on political, cultural and social pluralism create and spread an understanding of freedom without the fundamental choices being biased and favouring this lobby or that pressure group? Or adopt moderate positions and adhere to them? What about influencing our youth, intellectuals and workers away from oppression and tyranny? Can the civil authorities be fair? How can freedom, a culture of active political involvement, human rights and the rule of law be inculcated? How can law be firmly established as a common practice away from the enlightenment of the Reason or the momentum of freedom? All these questions and many others were discussed during the first "International Meeting of Carthage"; and this book is a reflection of the impassioned and fruitful debates. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-44-6
185 Book Title: On Rationality and Irrationality Proceedings of the 2nd International Meeting of Carthage (November 1997 Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 248 Language: Arabic, French and English Date of Publication: 2000 Price: 3.500 TND Foreign countries : 5 €
The 20th century may well be dubbed the century of systematic cruelty as we have witnessed all sorts of horrendous genocidal events and the emergence of particularly savage attitudes behind an aura of idealistic concepts. It has been a century during which irrationality has increasingly manifested itself to such an extent that we, in the Arab and Muslim world, have experienced the most horrible atrocities that humanity has ever known. Accordingly, it is quite safe to say that we are living in an irrational world. However, never in the history of mankind have knowledge, learning and reason itself been pushed to the extent they have reached these days in such many diverse fields. Is it temping to believe that reason is outdated? Or perhaps that it has stretched itself to breaking point, going beyond itself ? Or is it simply making use of those ingenious dodges of the mind in order to reach an intrinsic logic under cover of irrationality? Does it mean there is perhaps logic to what is illogical or a reason for what is unreasonable? In terms of where things stand, how can man avoid renouncing his basic function of being first and foremost a rational creature, and find peace and serenity at the same time? The participants were unanimous in stressing the need for living up to our human nature and closely watching our deeds; otherwise we will be the witnesses to the „death‟ of reason. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-58-6
186 Book Title: Auguste Comte and Positivism Proceedings of the Symposium organized by Beit al-Hikma in April 1999 Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 288 Language: French Publication Date: 2000 Price: 5 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
On the occasion of the bicentennial of Auguste Comte, the Tunisiann Academy wanted to do him justice. For Professor Abdelwahab Bouhdiba, Comte is "still living among us," he was "a sower of ideas." Pr. Zeineb Ben Said Cherni thinks that "the ideas of the founder of positivism are not monolithic" and compares him to Ibn Khaldun. Pr. Azzam Mahjoub succinctly sheds light on positivism from the economist‟s viewpoint. Pr. Michel Blay, for his part, deals with instantaneousness and continuity in the Comtian genesis of social evolutionism. Pr. Abdelkader Bachta proves that D'Alembert was a forerunner of Comte. As for Pr. Ben Mohamed Sassi, he is interested in mathematics and Comte‟s systematic and hierarchical classification of all sciences. Pr. Abdelaziz Labib draws a parallel between Comte and Condorcet concerning the philosophical implications of progress and perfectibility. Pr. Annie Petit deals with the foundation of "Sociology" in the west. We can also point out to the following presentations: A. Comte and the Rationality of Chemistry (Pr. Ben Aziza); A. Comte and The relationship between Affectivity and Reason (Pr Azzouz); A. Comte and the Philosophy of Language (Pr. Kremer - Marietti); Fichte and Comte: on the History and Reorganization of Western Thought (Pr Kopper); A. Comte and the Issue of Gender (Pr Pickering); Readings and Interpretations of A. Comte in Italy in the second half of the nineteenth century (Pr. Donzelli); The Constructive Alternative (Pr. Kridis); Positivism and "Republican Dictatorship" in Latin America (Pr. Trindade); The Thought of A. Comte between Norms and Historicity (Pr. Ben Said Cherni); Positivism and Post - Positivism (Pr. Boukraa); Neopositivism and Current Philosophical Issues (Pr. Robert). I.S.B.N : 9973-929-59-4
187 Book Title: On Religion Today Proceedings of the 3rd International Meeting of Carthage (February 1999) Topic: Religion Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 308 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 2000 Price: 5.300 TND Foreign countries : 7 €
Religion as an absolute social phenomenon is directly connected to all aspects of our life and closely linked to our society. The best approach to studying religion is to try and comprehend it as a whole and within the context of all the possibilities of interaction with other models of human thought at different levels: economic, political and cultural. The participants at the meeting stressed the fact that aberration and obscurantism should not hide the essential and legitimate functions of religions in all societies. Religions are in fact man‟s source of the serenity he needs to live up to all the anxieties that beset him regarding the afterlife, especially ever since the death of the great Prophets. They also act as a spur to man‟s willpower by helping him overcome his fears with regard to the future and the upheavals of history. New missions require religions to revive and change in perfect harmony with the concerns of today's world. After all, religion is a constant search for a necessary balance between the sincere recognition and spontaneous acceptance of the other; and in these respects, religion must be tolerant. Indeed, we need to be vigilant more than ever before, because any religion involves a readiness to listen to the other, within the limits of the freedom that is vested upon them. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-65-9
188 Book Title: Arabic Calligraphy Proceedings of the Conference on Arabic calligraphy (October 1997) Topic: Arts Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 272 Language: Arabic Publication date: 2001 Price: 7 TND Foreign countries : 8 €
The Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma has organized a conference on Arabic Calligraphy in close collaboration with the Centre for Studies on History, Arts and Islamic Culture in Istanbul, the participation of researchers, academics and calligraphers from Turkey, Algeria, Syria, Iraq, Mauretania and Tunisia, and the backing and partnership of several national and Islamic cultural organizations. The conference proceeded in a really industrious and festive atmosphere, bringing together a bunch of passionate believers in calligraphy, including high school and university students, teachers, professional calligraphers, and even ordinary citizens. As to the participants in the symposium, they were unanimous in stressing the fact that Arabic calligraphy in our civilization assumes an important role unequalled in other civilizations. Through the diversity of the shapes and sizes of its letters and words, and its aesthetic principles, Arabic calligraphy has a spiritual dimension reflecting the core values of the Moslem world, eastern and western, allowing Moslems to consolidate their faith, preserve their identity and stand up to their colonizers‟ attempts to assimilate them. Some speakers raised fears that modern printing techniques could marginalize Arabic calligraphy and make of it a kind of work of art ornamenting calligraphy museums that only connoisseurs and freaks of fine arts would visit. Famous artists (such as Nja Mahdaoui from Tunisia, and many others) have embroidered Arabic calligraphy with a new transcendent significance and aesthetic dimension. In fact, because of its intrinsic value and dynamism, this noble art will undoubtedly be constantly regenerating itself across the Arab-Muslim world. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-67-5
189 Book Title: What is life? Proceedings of the fourth International Meeting of Carthage (May 2000). Topic: Science / Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 428 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 2001 Price: 12.500 TND Foreign countries : 14 €
The tremendous progress of the life sciences, the unprecedented scientific breakthroughs and the huge amount of our rapidly growing knowledge of life, its origins, apparatuses and the transformations it has undergone, have all radically changed our conceptions of life. At the same time, these changes have endowed us with new tools which are equally challenging our traditional ideas, beliefs, and sensitivity and must, for fear of inanity, be reexamined and readjusted. This is not meant to be an indictment of science, but we must bear in mind that the social, financial and economic structures of society are eager to “integrate” the findings of science in order to take advantage of them, often wittingly, but not always, unfortunately. In addition, these structures derive valuable technologies from the findings of science and legitimately transform the knowledge gained into knowhow. At this level, the narrow interests, the vital necessity for profit and those equally important constraints including science, social and economic development policies come into play, leading to all sorts of excesses. As such, our conscience is strongly challenged by some practices which, although arising from a better understanding of life, have both serious and unexpected implications on it, like genetic manipulations, cloning and the use of bacteriology for destructive purposes. Is it at all acceptable that the life sciences backfire? So many breaches of life! These issues have called on the participants to this symposium to a serious legal, ethical and philosophical reflection. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-66-7
190 Book Title: The Topicality of Averroes (Ibn Rushd) Proceedings of the Conference Organized by Beit- al Hikma on the eighth Centennial of Averroes Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 268 Language: French Publication Date: 2001 Price: 7.500 TND Foreign countries : 9 €
There have been so many studies on Averroes‟ thought over the past decades that the need to make an inventory of the numerous books and articles written on this subject has been pressing. Nonetheless, many issues still require extensive research. Before and during 1998, all sorts of meetings were held in commemoration of the 8th centenary of the great Andalusian philosopher; in fact, there has been a real emulation between both Eastern and Western countries. The Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma took a decisive part in this commemoration, with the collaboration of the ALECSO and the UNESCO, convening an outstanding symposium on "The Topicality of Averroes" in February 1998. Researchers from different countries were invited to bring to light various aspects of a subtle and fecund mind. All the speakers agreed that there is a message to Averroes‟ thought which is strikingly appropriate and pertinent to all of us; a message that has never been so forceful. Many people today realize that we have not always been able, throughout our long history, to come to grips with this message. And yet, it boils down to a fine thrust: In front of the uncertainties, the irrationality and perplexing vagaries of history and the utter loneliness of man in front nature, the search for truth through reason is his safest escape route. This faith in reason is omnipresent all through Averroes‟ writings, but it also characterizes his social and personal life and his untiring efforts to promote the human condition. The papers presented at the symposium were written in several languages. In 1999, an Arabic version was published by the ALECSO. This book is a summarization by Pr Mokdad Mensia Arfa, and was published with the assistance of the UNESCO. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-69-1
191 Book Title: The Rejuvenation of Psychiatry in Tunisia Proceedings of the Symposium Dedicated to Sleïm Ammar Topic: Medicine Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 140 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 2001 Price: 3.300 TND Foreign countries : 4 €
This symposium, dedicated to the "Rejuvenation of Psychiatry in Tunisia", was organized at the initiative of Beit al-Hikma, in memory of Dr. Sleïm Ammar, a year after his death. Many of his colleagues, friends and disciples were very keen to pay tribute to him on this occasion, seeing in him a legend of contemporary medicine in Tunisia. An undisputed master, he combined the qualities of a leading pioneer, and certainly he was, with scholarship, loyalty to his roots, and above all, genuine persuasiveness and commitment, which made of him an exceptional communicator. Sleïm Ammar was a leading pioneer not only for having laid the foundations of psychiatry and clinical psychology in Tunisia, today holding an enviable legacy and rich in productive skills, but also because he succeeded, thanks to his visionary ideas, to be an innovator in so many areas. He was also a pioneer in his defence of the patient, in his fight against "wire fencing" and "straitjackets". The insane persons would be kindly led into believing that they are human beings, making them more actively involved, through a good quality occupational therapy and a well-suited social therapy leading them to feel they are useful, which will prove to be helpful with their rehabilitation later on. But science for Sleïm Ammar is not only his achievements; he had always wanted to dig into the underlying reasons for what he was doing. Thanks to him, the history of medicine has become a gesture; and doctors in Islamic and Arab and Maghrebine medicine of olden times have become a reality and a source of pride for all. The symposium, in which the Society of Psychiatry and the Tunisian Society of Psychology took part, was an opportunity for young Tunisian psychiatrists to show they are worthy successors of Dr. Ammar Sleïm and his achievements I.S.B.N : 9973-929-71-3
192 Book Title: Renaissance and its Implications in the Arab World and Japan since 19th century. Proceedings of the meeting at Beit al-Hikma in January 2001 Topic: International Relations Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 120 Language: Arabic Date of publication: 2001 Price: 4 TND Foreign countries : 5 €
People in the Arab world had been wondering for quite a while whether or not revival was possible without Europe, until Professor Messaoud Dhaher published his book: „Arab Revival and Japanese Boom: Similar Premises and Disparate Outcome‟. And with a view to taking advantage of the writer‟s long experience in Japan, as he had lived there for years, and had been a close witness to Japan‟s social and political development, the Tunisian Academy decided to invite him for a meeting in which Professors Ali Mahjoubi, Fathi Kasmi and Abdellatif Hanachi took part, among many others. It is certainly not gratuitous that Pr Messaoud Dhaher dedicates the book to a whole generation of Arab young people hoping they would be the generators of a long- awaited Arab revival after centuries of lethargy; “a generation that would avail itself of the outstanding innovative achievements practically everywhere in the world and particularly in Japan, and open up to science and technology without fear or inhibition so that the Arab countries can achieve true modernity” In his lecture, Professor Dhaher insisted on the fact that Japan has always managed to stand up for itself in front of the world vagaries, adapting quickly and mobilizing all its resources to defend its supreme national interests through peaceful means at times and military action if need be; and in both cases, Japan has been in the vanguard of modernity. It has greatly contributed to the enrichment of world culture while at the same time safeguarding the originality of its civilization and ancestral traditions. I.S.B. N : 9973-929-73-X
193 Book title: Tunisia into the 21st Century Proceedings of the symposium organized at Beït Al-Hikma in January 2001 Topic: History/Politics/Culture Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 528 Language: French Date of publication: 2002 Price: 16 TND Foreign countries : 17 €
The advent of the twenty first century is a moment of reflection; the future generations will have to face new challenges, and we need to ask ourselves some fundamental questions: Where are we standing now? Where have we been? Where are we heading for? These challenges can only be met in the light of a general appraisal of what has already been accomplished by the Tunisian society and an assessment of all the hidden dangers lurking around these days. To this end, a group of academics and researchers have harnessed themselves in this task at the request of the Tunisian Academy Beït Al-Hikma. Professor Timoumi presented a study on the historical intricacies in Tunisia during the twentieth century. The militant Rachid Driss, on his side, cast light on the political swindles. Professors Ben Slama, Mahjoub and Zghal appraised the economic developments and choices in Tunisia. Two specialists in demography, Professors Taamallah and Dittgen examined the weight of human communities in the past and future. And for a better understanding of the role of human communities, Pr Boukraa, a sociologist, and Pr Mannoubi, an economist, tried to draw a profile of a stereotype Tunisian during the twenty first century. As for Pr Chédli Klibi, who has played a leading role in the political and cultural life in Tunisia, he presented his vision of Tunisia and the Tunisians in the twenty first century. On his side, the great Arab thinker Mutaa Safadi spoke about the challenges lying ahead while Pr A. Moatassim dealt with the cultural data in the Maghreb area. And finally, it was Pr. J.Bindé, a futurologist and expert at the UNESCO, who tried to estimate the prospects for development in an emerging country like Tunisia. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-76-4
194 Titre de l‟ouvrage : La Tunisie d‟un siècle à l‟autre Actes du Colloque organisé à Beït al-Hikma en janvier 2001 Thème : Histoire / Politique / Culture Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 696 Langue : Arabe Date de parution : 2002 Prix de vente : 20.500 D.T. Foreign countries : 21 €
L‟adieu au siècle finissant nous donne l‟occasion de faire le point et de nous demander: où en sommes-nous ? Où en étiez-vous ? Où allons-nous ? Il y a des actions qui attendent les générations à venir. Nous ne pouvons les déterminer que par une évaluation de tout ce que la société tunisienne a accompli et de tous les dangers qui la guettent actuellement. Dans ce but, un certain nombre de savants et de chercheurs se sont attelés à cette évaluation, à la demande de l‟Académie Beït al-Hikma. Le Professeur Timoumi a présenté une étude des grandes articulations de notre histoire au siècle dernier. Le militant Rachid Driss a fait, de son côté, la lumière sur les fluctuations politiques qui se jouent de nous. Les Professeurs Ben Slama, Mahjoub et Zghal ont évalué le parcours de la Tunisie dans le domaine de l‟économie. Deux spécialistes en démographie, les Prs Taâmallah et Dittgen ont analysé le poids des collectivités humaines dans le passé et dans l‟avenir. Pour mieux comprendre cet impact, le Pr. Boukraâ, sociologue, et le Pr. Mannoubi, économiste, ont présenté le profil qu‟aura le Tunisien au cours du siècle prochain. Quant au Pr. Chédli Klibi, qui a joué un rôle éminent dans la vie politique et culturelle tunisienne, il a fait part de sa vision de la Tunisie et des Tunisiens à l‟orée du XXIe siècle. De son côté, le grand penseur arabe Mutaa Safadi a parlé des défis de l‟avenir et le Pr. A. Moatassim des données culturelles de l‟aire maghrébine. Enfin, c‟est le Pr. J.Bindé, futurologue et expert auprès de l‟UNESCO, qui a évalué les perspectives d‟évolution d‟un pays émergent comme le nôtre. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-77-2
195 Book Title: The Culture of Economy Proceedings of the Fifth International Meeting of Carthage (May2001) Topic: Culture Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 416 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 2002 Price: 13.500 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
Many participants in this conference have noted that lots of officials tend to see culture as a commodity much the same as any other, and likely to be simply and purely marketed, just like any other product, according to the laws of supply and demand and to deal with it in terms of markets. There has even been a double diminution: first of culture in general to some of its products and secondly a diminution of these products to the different ways of marketing them; to wit, the marketing of culture! Some participants have wondered if economy isn‟t, after all, the art of producing material wealth, of distributing this wealth for the best interests of social communities and to build on this wealth to create more material and non-material riches. Isn‟t trade more important and more far-reaching than the simple act of selling and accumulating profit? Trade in itself is a cultural act. It is a skill serving different kinds of exchange among the members of a society, without which we can hardly speak of society or community, or civilization in general. Many speakers emphasized the fact that we are living in a "globalizing world" and an" economy reducing itself to economism ". There is no room for mummified cultures. A Culture that does not revitalize itself is a dead culture. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-78-0
196 Book Title : Tunisia - Japan : Cultural Dialogue Proceedings of the symposium held at Beït al- Hikma in May 2001 Topic : International Relations Size : 16x24 Number of Pages : 180 Language : English Date of Publication : 2002 Price : 5.500 D.T. Foreign countries : 9 €
The symposium brought together a panel of Japanese and Tunisian researchers and academics and was an occasion to debate a certain number of issues. Several interveners tried to explain what brings Tunisia closer to Japan: the nineteenth century in Tunisia was marked by the advent of the «Nahdha» (renaissance), a reformist movement initiated by the «Fundamental Covenant» (1857) and was enshrined in the promulgation of the Constitution of 1861. The reformist movement was based on a parallelism between modernization and safeguarding our heritage. During roughly the same period, the Renaissance of the Meiji era in Japan established itself along the same lines and enabled the country to enter into modernity. While the modernization process in Tunisia was hindered by colonization, that did not prevent Tunisia from reviving the reformist movement, right after independence (1956) and achieving substantial progress. There is indeed a lot more in common between Tunisia and Japan. A Japanese proverb goes (literally): “If you want to make provisions for one year, sow only one seed, if you want to make provisions for a generation, plant a tree, and if you want to make provisions for a century, then put your stakes on the human being!” This is to say that both countries are betting on the human being: Having no natural resources, they only have to rely on the competence and know-how of their people. The interveners finally expressed their hope for the consolidation of the cultural dialogue between the two countries. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-85-3
197 Book Title: Tunisia - Japan: Cultural Dialogue Proceedings of the symposium held at Beit al- Hikma in May 2001 Topic: International Relations Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 180 Language: English Date of Publication: 2002 Price: 5.500 TND Foreign countries : 9 €
The symposium brought together a panel of Japanese and Tunisian researchers and academics and was an occasion to debate a certain number of issues. Among the questions raised, we can cite the following: Is there such a thing as a human identity without a culture, a culture without a heritage and a heritage without a history? Can there be a culture without dialogue? The participants were unanimous in admitting that the dialogue of cultures and civilizations is an obvious and consistent necessity, and that this dialogue, even when tainted by dissensions and rivalries, these are ultimately more likely to invigorate it. Several interveners tried to explain what brings Tunisia closer to Japan: the nineteenth century in Tunisia was marked by the advent of the "Nahdha" (renaissance), a reformist movement initiated by the "Fundamental Covenant" (1857) and was enshrined in the promulgation of the Constitution of 1861. The reformist movement was based on a parallelism between modernization and safeguarding our heritage. During roughly the same period, the Renaissance of the Meiji era in Japan established itself along the same lines and enabled the country to enter into modernity. While the modernization process in Tunisia was hindered by colonization, that did not prevent Tunisia from reviving the reformist movement, right after independence (1956) and achieving substantial progress. There is indeed a lot more in common between Tunisia and Japan. A Japanese proverb goes (literally): “If you want to make provisions for one year, sow only one seed, if you want to make provisions for a generation, plant a tree, and if you want to make provisions for a century, then put your stakes on the human being!” This is to say that both countries are betting on the human being: Having no natural resources, they only have to rely on the competence and know-how of their people. The interveners finally expressed their hope for the consolidation of the cultural dialogue between the two countries. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-86-1
198 Book Title: Interaction between Cultures and Literary Writing Proceedings of the symposium held at Beit al- Hikma in January 2002 Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 408 Language: Arabic and French Date of publication: 2003 Price: 7.500 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
Participants at the symposium were unanimous in stressing the fact that literary creation is yet another bond between the various components of human culture, despite its apparent diversity, or even divergence. Literary creation, even if it emanates from a particular social environment reflecting its immediate concerns, is bound to quickly open up to what is intrinsically human and universal, and as such, men of letters throughout history have always cherished more or less the same values, despite their diverse styles and the originality of their talents. Literature has always transcended individual and personal limits, exploring social and universal dimensions. The man of letters is an eternal researcher in quest of a spiritual adventure, that of human beings, regardless of ethnic, religious or social constraints. It is tempting to believe that there is a one-string universal harp plucked by the fingers of all the writers of the world reading the same symphony. The speakers have also addressed the question of the emotional use of language by the literary man, ignoring the usual utilitarian function, in order to dart at what is rather universal. And that is where all the languages of the world converge, expressing man‟s intimate thoughts, discovering the secrets of his inner being and revealing his unique eternal truth, despite the multiplicity of civilizations and the diversity of cultures. On the sidelines of the conference, a round table was organized about “Ego and Non- Ego in Contemporary Arab Literature” in which Tunisian researchers and writers as well as many guests from Arab sister countries took part. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-89-6
199 Book Title: Knowledge and Wisdom Proceedings of the 6th International Meeting of Carthage (2002) Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 412 Language: Arabic and French Date of Publication: 2003 Price: 11 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
The tremendous amount of our knowledge in itself proves that there is still room for wisdom, whose function hasn‟t yet gone down the drain, nor indeed has it said its last word. There is no doubt that the numerous warnings given by doctors, engineers, decision makers, politicians or heads of companies to the "experts" on ethics and humanities reveal a profound disarray, alarming and tragic. The "think-tank committees" within the UNESCO, the national medical ethics committees and many other specialist bodies are only the tip of the iceberg. But aren‟t these calls for help simply a way of shrugging off these problems and passing the responsibility onto the others with regard to the decisions that have to be made? But after all, is there in fac such a thing as „experts‟ on ethics or „wisdom wizards‟ who would qualify for „senior thinkers‟ for the world? Could it be possible, that after two centuries of critical thought, philosophy and epistemology, we simply have to revert to the old fashioned conceptions calling for the rule of the world by „the wise ones‟? The Participants at the meeting were unanimous in expressing their firm conviction that nowadays, more than at any other time in history, wisdom is so badly needed because of the progress itself of our knowledge. We need to restore wisdom, but especially to redefine its meaning, its scope and its conditions of legitimacy. This means that critical thinking and a sense of reflection must regain their functions without shunning a confrontation with what is believed to be correct. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-90-X
200 BookTitle: The Presence of Paul Ricoeur Proceedings of the Homage paid by Beit al- Hikma to Paul Ricoeur Topic:Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 124 Language: French DateofPublication:2003 Price:3.800TND Foreign countries : 5 €
Born in Valence in 1913, and orphaned in 1915, Paul Ricoeur was a companion of Gabriel Marcel and Emmanuel Mounier. He got a B.A then an M.A and took part in the Second World War. He was imprisoned until 1945. After the liberation of France, he became a research associate at the CNRS, and got a PhD in arts and theology in 1950. He taught in several high schools before joining the University of Strasbourg, the Sorbonne, Nanterre and the University of Chicago. Paying a tribute to Professor Paul Ricoeur is the opportunity to appreciate the value and diversity of his works and to shed light on his philosophical itinerary that led him, little by little, to the top of the ladder of great academics, thanks to his constant and passionate search for meaning, and his deep, original and breathtaking philosophical ideas but also to his passion for truth, his fervent defence of human dignity, and valuable contributions to world philosophical thought. It is also the opportunity to acknowledge the deep messages, through his abundant works, to the present and future generations. Friends and former students took part in the ceremony and contributed essays from which we can cite: "Souvenirs" A. Bouhdiba; "The emotions of recognition" O. Abel; "Testimony of a disciple" F. Haddad Chamkh; "Eulogy to roaming hermeneutics" by J. Greisch; "The philosophical route of Paul Ricoeur" by R. Mimoune; "Ricoeur, a philosopher of otherness" by F. Triki, "The stamp of Ricoeur in Tunisian philosophical writings" by M. Mahjoub; "Tribute to Paul Ricoeur" by A. Hasnawi, among many others. The biggest scoop of the ceremony was an essay presented by Professor Ricoeur himself and entitled: "Collective memory as recorded by history". The book is annotated by an extensive bibliography of his works. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-91-8
201 Book Title: Science for the Service of the Mediterranean Proceedings of the symposium held at Beit al- Hikma in September 2002 Topic: Ecology Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 228 Language: French Date of Publication: 2003 Price: 9 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
This conference was the result of a close collaboration between the UNESCO, the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma, the European Academy of Arts, Sciences and Humanities and the Network of Academies of the Mediterranean countries. It was the opportunity for exchanging ideas on cooperation in the field of exact sciences with a view to reducing tensions in the Mediterranean basin. Two key issues were raised: -- What role can science in the broad sense of the term (exact, physical, natural, and social sciences and humanities) play in the unification of the Mediterranean civilizations and the maintenance of peace and security in the region? -- What course of action needs to be taken at the regional level that is likely to give a boost to North-South cooperation for the establishment of peace? All the speakers stressed the fact that scientific research in different fields is undoubtedly crucial to this purpose. After all, the Mediterranean is still at the forefront of history as it is suffering from the most horrendous climatic and ecological imbalances and even from the socio-political disturbances that are shaking the world nowadays. It is worth noting that desertification claims about six million hectares a year; that the degradation of ecosystems and soils is progressing inexorably; that in 25 years, the demand for drinking water is expected to double. The solution to all these problems and many others rests on a global approach based on the solidarity of people of good will and the sustained efforts of scientists who should share knowledge and work together, exchanging ideas and expertise with a view to creating a better, more peaceful and secure world for all. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-95-0
202 Book title: Writing History Today Proceedings of the Symposium held at Beit al- Hikma in May 2003 Topic: History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 80 Language: Arabic and French Date of Publication: 2004 Price: 3.600 TND Foreign countries : 5 €
On the 20th anniversary commemoration of the foundation of the Tunisian Academy "Beit al-Hikma", a panel discussion was organized on a greatly important topic: "writing history". But have we ever stopped writing history? Certainly not. We have never stopped writing and rewriting history, as the recording of historical events has always emanated from the „present‟. All through any historical period, people have not only written history but also reviewed it in the light of new data. This is to say that in order to live and progress, man needs a historical perspective to build on. In Tunisia, history seems to be at the peak of the reviewing process thanks to a new generation of historians who have reached the stage of maturity and have now taken it upon themselves to rewrite the history of our country, taking advantage of new evidence provided by genetics, geology and astrophysics as enabling technologies, which make it possible to inject new evidence into any historical event, thus giving it a real-life aspect never equaled before. These scientific breakthroughs allow us to go as far back in history as possible, and to „relive the past‟. The ceremony was an opportunity to pay tribute to the first chairman of Beit al-Hikma, Professor Ahmad Abdessalem who, throughout his career, has encouraged the recording of history, urging scientists to undertake original research projects, setting the example himself, inasmuch as now, we can only see Ibn Abi Dhiaf, for example, as a mere chronicler and view Pr.Ahmad Abdessalam as a true historian of our social, cultural and political life. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-002-9
203 Book Title: Unity of the Human Being and Diversity of People Proceedings of the 7th International Meeting of Carthage (March 2003) Topic: Culture Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 416 language: Arabic and French Date of Publication: 2004 Price: 14.500 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
It goes without saying that cultural diversity and the dialogue of civilizations have become, in recent years, a major concern for humanity. The Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity has even more deeply entrenched these concerns. It emphasized the consistent and inalienable principles of anti-racism, on which the liberation movement of the past century was founded, along with its inference: the assertion of identity. However, the last few years have been marked by the publication of quite strange books, in their approach to cultural facts, revealing a tendency for disinterring ideas that had been defeated for long. Among these is the idea that the Arab mind differs from the European mind, or that the Islamic mind is incompatible with Reason, all against a backdrop of pseudo-ethnographic discourse. And on the other side, voices were raised by representatives of some States to justify – under the banner of specificity, identity and cultural diversity - a certain number of unacceptable practices, such as discrediting the role of women, female circumcision or the single party political system, etc… These claims must be courageously refuted, as human beings are the same, reason is the same, and human dignity everywhere is indivisible. All these principles were reasserted by the participants at this meeting, on the basis of the unity of the human being, which is in no way contradictory with freedom, creativity and originality. The real question then is: How to hold both ends of the conundrum? How to reconcile this Unity and that Diversity? I.S.B.N : 9973-49-004-5
204 Book title: Reality and Imagination about Women in the 20th century Maghreb Literature Proceedings of the symposium organized by Beït Al-Hikma in November 2002 Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 235 Language: French Date of publication: 2004 Price: 8 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
This conference was organized by the Unit of Research "Women and the Mediterranean" at the faculty of social sciences and humanities of Tunis. In fact, studies on women in the Mediterranean are not new. Historians, sociologists and anthropologists have also been fascinated by the topic for a long time. Expanding the scope of research into literature and arts, this collective work is an attempt to study the various forms of portraying reality and assessing the significance of imagination and how it impinges on reality. This continual movement to and fro between reality and imagination is the trigger for a reflection on the shaping of the image of femininity through the history and geography of people in the Maghreb region. Through the diversity of their viewpoints, the interveners have cast well-advised and new light on these issues, through debating the literary experience of two Tunisian women novelists. The first part of the book is devoted to the study of some portraits of women through the history of the Maghreb. The second part deals with reality and imagination about women in the literature and the cinema in the Maghreb. For Pr. A. Bouhdiba, President of Beït Al- Hikma, he believes that „it is often within the female world that the essence of life takes place, even though, seemingly, a triumphant patriarchal social order reduces the female presence in the complex forms of human existence to practically nought. Therefore, we really need a sharp and stringent eye so as to be able to decode the messages emanating from the female world. This is all the more so since the slide from objectivity to ideological rhetoric and moral and religious etiquette is generally so abrupt‟. As for Pr. Hadia Khadhar, director of the Unit of research „Women and the Mediterranean‟, she examined the various topics dealt with by the participants in the conference.
I.S.B.N : 9973-49-003-2
205 Book title: Forms of Creativity in the Works of Mnaouar Smadah Proceedings of the symposium organized by Beit Al-Hikma in December 2004 along with an anthology of prose texts Topic: Literature
Size: 16x24
Number of pages: 142
Language: Arabic
Date of publication: 2005 Price: 6 TND Foreign countries : 8 €
This conference, wholly devoted to the poet Mnaouar Smadah brought together a panel of university researchers who pondered on the diverse forms of creativity in his works. Professor Kamal Omrane stressed the poet‟s perceptions of colonialism in the articles he published in the local press without overlooking the man‟s courage and perspicacity in tackling the various facets of colonialism. As for Professor Mohamed Salah Ben Amor, he examined his perceptions of poetry through prose texts, making it clear that „poetry for him is not an art in its own sake but a poet must address social and political issues‟; in fact, during his life Mnaouar Smadah strove to abide by this conception of poetry. Professor Abderrahim Smadah then reported on the various steps he had undertaken so as to publish the works of his brother Mnaouar. Then Professor Fathi Kasmi endeavoured to show that Mnaouar Smadah is an avant- garde artist with quite original ideas without, for all that, overlooking the utopian side in his ideas. The second part of the work comprises extracts from a short autobiography (covering his life up to 1955), a narrative titled: "the giant ", several articles on the " messages " of poetry or songs and a number of other articles on a wide range of topics. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-014-2
206 Book Title: Kant: Aesthetic Modernity and Political Modernity. Proceedings of the symposium organized by Beït Al-Hikma in December 2004 Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 160 Language: Arabic and French Date of publication: 2005 Price: 6.500 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
The Tunisian Academy Beit Al-Hikma and the Tunisian Society for Philosophical Studies held a commemorative day to celebrate the bicentenary of the eminent philosopher Emmanuel Kant. The proceedings of this conference are published in this work. The Arab world has been late to discover the Kantian thought, despite the efforts of some Egyptian forerunners. In fact, there is no more pertinent means than the history of philosophical thinking, with its intrinsic complexity and its intricacies, to establish the connection between the present and the past, what is voiced and what is not voiced, and to predict the destiny of Man. What is even more important, is being aware of the serene and sound foundations relating to the dilemma of aesthetic creation and political action, which remain guided by the rational judgments of the intellect, and where reason surpasses itself and is diffracted like the light in a prism, flitting through higher levels of denotations which, at other times or among other thinkers, would have been qualified as irrational. However, with the magic word, "criticism", Kant could manage to connect and bring these denotations together in a perennial thinking paradigm. All eight interveners at this conference strove to show how people read Kant these days, which standpoint they interpret him from and according to what strategies they proceed, and finally how important Kant‟s philosophy is for us.
I.S.B.N : 9973-49-015-0
207 Book Title : A day in Palermo Proceedings of the Seminar devoted to the novel by Majid El Houssi Topic: Literature Size : 12x20 Number of pages: 63 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2005 Price: 3,500 TND Foreign countries : 5 €
"A day in Palermo" is part of a trilogy which might be entitled:"A trip to Italy ". El Houssi came to Palermo as if " on a pilgrimage" to the sources of the Arab-Norman civilization, the other Andalusia as it were. He had lived there for more than forty years, and he admits that the experience has aroused in him "a strong desire for a livelier Mediterranean that would build its renaissance on the basis of its profound experience, interwoven in the encounter of the Other, the relativity of identities, cultures and religions, with all the richness that would result "… This "breathtaking and thrilling novel", according to the President of Beit al-Hikma, Professor Bouhdiba, "plunges us deeply into the inner being of what the Mediterranean man has always been and will continue to be". For Professor Abderrazak Bannour, "when you recognize the Power of the Word, you will dread no borders." Pr M. H. Fantar, on his side, has evoked some racy aspects of Arab-Islamic Sicily, closing his intervention by saying that "from the ninth to the thirteenth centuries of the Christian era, there had been the expansion of the Arabs from Ifriqiya, whose cuttings, taking advantage of a soil already acclimatized, could put down roots, blossom and produce the fruits of a flamboyant civilization ". As for the journalist and essayist R. Kéfi, he has exhaustively traced the literary experience of Majid El Houssi.. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-017-9
208 Book title : Reality and Imagination in Politics, Art and Science Proceedings of the eighth international Meeting at Carthage (March 2004) Topic: Politics / Science / Art Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 696 Languages: Arabic and French Date of publication publication: 2005 Price: 28.500 TND Foreign countries : 30 €
Man has always given free rein to his imagination. Without the utopian political ideas, the governance of humans would have achieved no progress. An ideal deemed unrealistic at a given time, will turn out to be more practical than those ideas strictly subservient to daily life affairs. In other respects, it is a trite observation that art radiates from imagination. The most unforeseen and most unreal visions (as in the case of surrealism, for instance) will have given artistic expression a scale which realism could never have impelled. Even photography and the cinema have ended up digging into the imagination for means of surpassing expectations, thus shaking up our perception of reality to the roots. With regard to science, we have learnt that a sense of beauty and simplicity will pave the way for rethinking and reorganizing reality. In point of fact, we can say that nowadays, more than at any other time in human history, there is no reality without an imaginary dimension to it and that imagination would have no outlet for materializing without building on reality. In order to dig deeper into this issue, about twenty high level scholars came together and pooled ideas on the following three topics in a multidisciplinary approach: Political utopia, scientific prospecting and creative imagination. The proceedings of this conference were published in this work. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-021-6
209 Book title: A Tribute to Hichem Charabi Extracts from his books and Studies on his thought and works Topic: Culture / Politics Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 264 Language: Arabic Date of publication: 2005 Price: 9 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
Professor Hichem Charabi is an Arab intellectual of Palestinian origin. He had taught history of civilization and political sciences at the American University of Georgetown in Washington for a long time.
The first part of this book comprises an anthology made by H. Charabi himself a few weeks before his death, while the Tunisian Academy Beït Al-Hikma was readying itself to pay him a tribute in his lifetime. The second part consists of ten studies presented by academics and researchers who have closely followed his works and his avant-gardist ideas. A certain number of Arab intellectuals form both the Machreq and the Maghreb were expected to take part in the planned symposium. It was meant to be the occasion for a debate on the pre-eminent topics of the Arab culture from the standpoint of Hichem Charabi‟s original approach as it is academic, centered on a thorough analysis of the anthropological, social and psychological theories, and at the same time autobiographical in that it is also based on his personal experience. The daring trait of his ideas is due to his rich and exciting experience, which also explains his tendency to unveil what people hide out of hypocrisy, and denounce what they do out of cowardice. It was his latest intention, through his various creative activities, to support a new awakening that would likely lead to a radical change of reality. His criticism of civilization aimed at shaking the dominant discourse, even if it sometimes meant destroying it.
I.S.B.N : 9973-49-007-0
210 Book title: Arabization and the revival of Arab sciences. Proceedings of the symposium organized by Beït Al-Hikma, November 2005, and dedicated to Doctor Mohamed Souissi . Topic: Sciences Size: 16x24 number of pages: 284 Language: Arabic (except for one conference in French) Date of publication : 2006 Price: 13.500 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
Pr Mohamed Souissi studied the history of sciences in the Arab-Islamic world in general, and in Tunisia in particular, at a very early stage. He had a special passion for the mathematics heritage without at the same time neglecting the other branches of science. Throughout his prestigious career, Professor Souissi set up a true „school‟, accessible to his former high school and university students, all of whom quite keen on the idea of scientific research in Tunisia and in the Arab-Islamic countries. He managed to convince them that the key to success in scientific research lay in holding both ends of the conundrum: our scientific heritage, and openness to the significant breakthroughs of modern science. In this respect, the Arabization of sciences was his major concern. The proceedings of the symposium, primarily devoted to him, were basically focused on his works and the prospects for the future; while other academics drew attention to Arabic as a language of science, especially mathematics. It is also worth noting a study on a translation of „The Treaty of the Stones‟ of Aristotle, another on the „Eclipses of the Sun and their psychological and sociological impact on old societies‟, and a presentation on „cosmology in Arabic‟. As a conclusion, the conference has shown that the Arabic language is deeply ingrained in the history of sciences and that it is capable of keeping up with modern life and actively and confidently contributing to scientific progress.
I.S.B.N : 9973-49-315
211 Book Title: Psychoanalysis vis-a-vis Islam Proceedings of the symposium organized by Beït Al-Hikma in May 2005 Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 114 Language: French (except for one conference in Arabic) Date of publication: 2006 Price: 7.500TND ) Foreign countries : 10 €
Forty years ago, there were hardly any psychoanalysts in Tunisia. Psychiatrists did not use to believe in the virtue of words; but since then, things have changed dramatically and nowadays, psychoanalysts firmly believe that psychoanalysis can provide an essential contribution and play an important role in tackling the social disorders in our Islamic societies; this new attitude has led to substantial progress in psychoanalysis. The point is that the purely economic approach to social issues, has involved us in an unrestrained race for materialistic welfare; but most often, what we believed would be our emotional and material well-being turned out to be sheer discomfort, and all of a sudden, we realize that we are suffering from all kinds of social ailments. Therefore, what we really need is a true, quiet, collective introspection. We also need to adopt a friendly, but critical and visionary attitude to these afflictions for new insights into the extent of effort that still remains to be made. However, if psychiatric treatment may sometimes prove to be successful at individual level, the result is all the more doubtful in the case of a „collective‟ introspection, where things become methodologically, theoretically and practically much more demanding. In fact, there are several different means of collective psychological outlet and cleansing, but the psychiatric means per se still need to be researched. Research and studies, especially the original assumptions of the Freudian, Jungian and Adleran psychoanalytical schools, have made it possible for us to have a better understanding of reality. It is all part of our strive for a better awareness of the problem. We are deeply grateful to M.TColona, I.AL-Gharbi, L.Taratini, R.Ben Rejeb and M.Pignatelli for their contributions to this symposium.
I.S.B.N : 9973-49-030-8
212 Book title: The State and Its Citizens: New Responsibilities and the Need for a Reassignment of Roles. Proceedings of the symposium organized by Beït Al-Hikma March2005 Topic: Politics Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 314 Language: Arabic and French Date of publication:2006 Price:16 TND Foreign countries : 20 € The issue debated during this conference (the State and its citizens), is of paramount importance, due to the diverging opinions on the issue on the one hand, and the acknowledged effects of globalization on the other hand, which have made it necessary to redefine the concept itself of The State and confront it with the realities on the ground. The topic is so fascinating that it has triggered quite impassioned debates. Accordingly, the historian will go back to the origins of the State and show how it is deeply-rooted in History. The philosopher will look into the rudimentary and natural aspect of the original government institutions, or the dialectical and inevitable conflict between power and individual freedom. As new responsibilities are emerging, a reshuffle of roles is essential, in keeping with the upheavals imposed on contemporary societies by globalization. The lawyer, on his side, will reconsider the role of Law, at a time when the relationship between the State and its own citizens and the relations between States are changing at an incredible pace. With a view of casting more light on these issues, the Tunisian Academy, Beit Al- Hikma, has brought together some twenty eminent Arab, African and European scholars for a deeper insight. Their presentations dealt with the following topics: The notion of State in philosophical thinking: what are the limits of the legitimacy of the State? The theories of State through History The State and citizen involvement These issues have been probed from four different viewpoints: historical, philosophical, legal and political. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-033-9
213 Book Title: The Challenges to Modern Rationalism: Descartes, Locke and Leibnitz Proceedings of the International Symposium Directed by Taher Ben Guiza Topic: Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 432 Language: French Publication Date: 2007 Price: 19.500 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
This symposium was organized by the Academy Beit al-Hikma and the research unit "Philab" in Tunis in 2004. It is the result of fruitful cooperation between world scientific institutions like the Leibnitz Gesellschaft, the Cartesian Research Center, the Spanish Society for Leibnitz Research and the American Leibnitz Society. The debate on the thought of Gottfried Leibnitz and how it connects to other philosophical ideas of the seventeenth century has begun in Canada, continued in France, and is pursued in Tunisia. The speakers have shown that if in today's world, intellectual dogmatism and religious fanaticism are sensed as claims to freedom and grow, paradoxically, to the detriment of the values of progress and openness, then careful consideration of the challenges to rationalism as formulated by Descartes, Locke and Leibnitz becomes essential. A double challenge has to be met: reason as opposed to conviction, and action as opposed to reaction. Therefore, the Carthage Meeting has had a great symbolic value, especially by these modern times of extreme violence. It has helped to revive a true and fruitful dialogue between representatives of different cultures and languages. It was a token of international recognition of the efforts that the University of Tunis has never ceased to make. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-042-1
214 Book title: Enlightenment, Tolerance and the Renewal of Arab Thought Proceedings of the Symposium organized by Beït Al-Hikma December 2005 and dedicated to Hichem Charabi. Topic: Culture / Philosophy Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 532 Language: Arabic Date of publication: 2007 Price: 25.500 TND Foreign countries : 20 €
The 18th century in Europe was marked by enlightenment, which preached the supremacy of reason, exalted the values of freedom and stigmatized religious fanaticism, political despotism and the exploitation of man by man. Man was regarded as the creator and recipient of his own civilizing actions. These values also have deep roots in the history of Arab-Islamic thought. It should be recalled that the primary mission of Islam was to pull Humanity out of the darkness of olden ages to the light at the end of the tunnel, being guided by the teachings of reason, and banishing the servile imitation of habits, constraints and absolutism. Even when it was at its peak, the Islamic thought never shunned the other cultures; on the contrary, it was open to them without any self-centeredness or laying claim to the absolute truth. As such, Moslems have learned so much from other peoples and brought so much to them, away from any feeling of superiority. The most important questions that were debated during this conference are: What dynamics and what revival could be hoped for within the context of the social, economic and political transformations of modern times? What impact could be expected from the Arab-Islamic values of liberation and tolerance? What cognitive and methodological instruments could be used if we wanted to be actively involved in the battle of modernity? How can we establish a culture of progress in the Arab world? I.S.B.N : 9973-49-037-7
215 Book Title: Literary Criticism and its role in Arab Societies. Proceedings of the symposium held at Beit al- Hikma (March 2005). Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 216 Language: Arabic Date of publication: 2007 Price: 13 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
Literary criticism is a well-established literary genre in our Arab-Islamic culture. Classical literature used to be considered as an aesthetically unsurpassable model to which everybody had to comply. But over the last few decades, following "Nahdha", or Renaissance, a huge modernization wave swept through most Arab societies, with loud calls for a reappraisal of not only the ancestral literary primacy but also the prevailing artistic trends and philosophical beliefs. To debate these issues, the Tunisian Academy "Beit al-Hikma" invited a panel of researchers and academics from Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. It was revealed that research in general, and special monographs on the subject had already achieved substantial progress in Saudi Arabia as demonstrated by Professor Hussein Nuaymi (Fiction in Saudi Arabia), Professor Ahmad Bakader (The cultural scene in the Kingdom) and Professor Hussein Bafqih (Mutations in Politics and Culture). The Tunisian researchers, for their part, dealt with literary creativity from various perspectives, revealing a diversity of trends and concerns: "Ideas on criticism and creativity" (Pr Abdelaziz Kacem), "The Core Values of the Literary Renaissance "(Pr Moncef Jazzar), "Literary criticism through the Art of biography "taragim" (Pr Ahmad Taoufik Enneifar), "Literary criticism as a motive for creativity in the works of Halioui and Chabbi" (Pr . Riadh Marzouki)… I.S.B.N : 9973-49-036-0
216 Book title: On the Regeneration of Arab and Andalusian studies Proceedings of the symposium organized at Beït Al-Hikma in June 2004 Topic: Culture / History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 376 Languages: Arabic, French and Spanish Date of publication: 2006 Price: 15 TND Foreign countries : 20 €
On the opening of the conference, the President of the Tunisian Academy Beït Al- Hikma and the Ambassador of Spain in Tunisia stressed the exceptional nature of the historical, human, cultural and political relations between the two countries, to which new economic and trade dimensions have recently been added within the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean co-operation. This conference was the opportunity for a great number of intellectuals, academics, specialists and philosophers to meet together and give lectures of very high standard on a wide range of topics, inter alia: The Maghreb and Andalusia (Mohamed Souissi); Spain and Tunisia: History and the present (José Monléon); Seville, Barcelona and Tunisia during the period of the Hafside Dynasty (Mounira Chapoutot Remadi); The Mediterranean: conflict relativism (Maria – Angels Castling); The Character of the Spanish Orientalist Martinez Montavez (Leonor Merino); The Status and destiny of the tale " Hay Ibn Yakdhan " (Abdelmajid Ghannouchi); Moorish Studies in Tunisia (Mohamed Néjib Ben Jemia); The Influence of Qayrawani poets on Andalusian poets in mourning cities (Jaafar Majed); Linguistic Dialogue through the Arabic-Spanish dictionary (Mohamed Rached Hamzaoui); On an epistle written by Lissan Eddine Ibn Al-Khatib (Mohamed Habib Al-Hila); Between Tunisia and Spain: From Good Vicinity to Building Bridges (Kamel Omrane)... I.S.B.N : 9973-49-032-2
217 Book title: A Collection of Essays Dedicated to Professor Dominique Chevallier A collective work Topic: Culture / History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 348 Language: Arabic and French Date of publication: 2006 Price: 16 TND Foreign countries : 20 €
These essays, initiated by the Tunisian Academy Beït Al-Hikma, are a tribute paid by friends, colleagues, disciples and readers to Professor Dominique Chevallier, a man of culture and an academic of world renown, but also an old friend of Tunisia. He has actively contributed to the consolidation and diversification of studies on Islam and the Arab world and continues to focus a sharp and scholarly vision on the affairs of the contemporary arab-islamic world by formulating original ideas supported by an expert knowledge of the stakes that drive its history. The crucial works that he has written or directed, like “The Renewal of the Arab world” (1987) or “The Arabs from the Message to History” (1995) are a testimony to crystallized thoughts nourished by experience and scholarship.
It is little wonder then, that this book, dedicated to Dominique Chevallier, is an inter- and even trans-disciplinary work as it contains contributions by authors from a wide range of backgrounds. It is also consistent with the spirit of the person it seeks to honour, and aims at being lavishly rich in terms of points of view within a sense of the unity of concerns.
The book also contains five lectures given by Professor Chevallier himself, including two hitherto unpublished papers: “The Heady Fumes of Lived Times” (p. 285) and “The European balance in front of the Tensions of the Maghreb and the Arab-Islamic world” (p.293). It also includes an exhaustive bio-bibliographical note about the works of Pr. Chevallier, as well as an interview in Arabic, which he willingly agreed to give to the Lebanese journalist Samir Kassir.
I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-029-2
218 Book title: Modernity and the Renewal of religious thought. Opportunities and challenges Proceedings of the symposium organized by Beït Al-Hikma in May 2005 Topic: Islamic religion Size : 16x24 Number of pages : 272 Language: Arabic Date of publication: 2007 Price: 12.500 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
This symposium, organized in collaboration between Iranian and Tunisian researchers and scholars, has taken place at a time when the intellectuals in the context of the arab-islamic societies have to face up to multiple challenges and confront fundamental issues, such as: * What are the intellectual foundations on which the current Islamic thought might be based? * Does the solution lie in strictly adhering to the modern rationalist model as it evolved in its Western context? * Hasn‟t the West itself overstepped a lot of its own tenets which many among us still consider as unquestionable and inescapable? * Isn‟t it a negative stance as to be merely responding to the challenges we are facing and turning a blind eye to constructive initiatives, except on rare occasions? * Could it be possible to dig deep into the assets of Islamic thought and probe for solutions to the key issues of freedom of opinion and social beliefs, the rights of minorities, women‟s rights, the boundaries between universal and individual values, and the question of secularism? * What are the most desirable foundations for governance? Should religion have a say on these issues? This gathering has tried to tackle these problems with a view to understanding the stakes, and preparing the new generations for a future social context that will be constantly feeding them with new ideas and beliefs through countless and uncontrollable means of modern communication. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-041
219 Book Title: The reformer Sheik Salem Bouhajeb and the issues of his times Proceedings of the Seminar organized by Beït Al-Hikma in January 2006 Topic: Culture / History Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 212 Language: Arabic Date of publication: 2007 Price: 8 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
The merit of this work, devoted to Sheik Salem Bouhajeb (1827-1924), is the publication, for the first time, of the ideas of this great Tunisian reformer, who wrongfully fell into oblivion. It is the fruit of a joint initiative between the Tunisian Academy Beït Al-Hikma and the Tunisian Society for Studies and Research on the Tunisian intellectual heritage. During this seminar, eight participants presented a wide range of ideas and points of view. Pr. Ben Belghith revealed a discovery he made in the national archives of reports written by Cheïkh Bouhajeb following inspections he had carried at the judiciary councils. Pr. Draouil scrutinized the spirit of religious precepts and their objectives (maqasid), according to Sheik Bouhajeb. Pr. K. Omrane examined his sermons and revealed a keen interest in the everyday problems his fellow-citizens met. As for Pr. Kasmi, he pointed out, in particular, to the extent to which Sheik Bouhajeb departed from the generally accepted ideas in the spiritual, linguistic, political and religious fields. Pr. Deb, on his side, analyzed the contribution of Cheïkh Bouhajeb to the reformist thinking, centered on the social and religious aspects of life but dodging the political side. Then Pr. Amaïria talked about the ties Cheik Bouhajeb established with his peers in the Machreq and Mahgreb, all of them enthusiasts of reformism, while Pr. Gaha made the position of Sheik Bouhajeb clear with regard to banning „Ijtihad‟ and favouring free sermons. The work ends with a study by Pr. R. Marzouki who asserts having saved more than 170 verses composed by Sheik Bouhajeb, as his poetry (collected in 2 MS volumes) had unfortunately disappeared or remains scattered in private and public libraries. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-040-7
220 Book Title: The Third Gleanings Author: Mohamed Yaalaoui. Topic: Literature / culture. Size: 16x24. Number of pages: 292 . Language: Arabic and French. Publication Date: 2007. Price: 10 TND. Foreign countries : 15 €
An emeritus professor and renowned researcher, Mohamed Yaalaoui is an outstanding cultural figure belonging to the first generation of intellectuals to whom Tunisia owes its cultural renaissance after independence. He has written many books, research studies and newspaper articles, in Arabic and French, devoted mainly to modern and old Tunisian literature, (Ibn Hani In particular). He has also held key scientific, cultural and political positions. Part of the tribute that the Tunisian Academy "Beit al-Hikma" paid to him (in January 2008), it has published these "Third Gleanings", following the First and Second " Gleanings" , previously published by the author. The book includes twenty research studies relating to many different fields of knowledge, namely: 1) History and geography: The Sanhajite Zirid dynasty in Tunisia; Fatimid Mahdia; The Contribution of India to the Revival of Arab-Muslim Heritage ... 2) Bio-bibliographies: Hamadi Sahli, Historian of modern Tunisia; Dr Ali Boujnah, a man of culture; In Commemoration of Miss Amira; Ahmad Abdesselem and Tunisian culture ... 3) Literature: studies devoted to Mahmoud Messaadi, Ahmad Ibn Abi Dhiaf, Mustapha Filali, Adnane Zmerli, Nafla Dhahab, Mnaouar Smadah ... 4) Culture and Politics ; A colonial style war; The state of the Arab world; Arab culture, French culture, A. Kacem: affinity denied; Arabs and globalization; problems of Arab society, difficulties and remedies. All these studies combine considerable insight and originality to a fine style. ISBN : 9973.490.47.6.
221 Book Title: Getting to Know Queneau Proceedings of the Symposium held at Beit al- Hikma in December 2003 Topic: Foreign Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 235 Language: French Date of Publication: 2007 Price: 10 TND (2 Volumes)
Foreign countries : 15 €
The Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma has organized an international symposium on the centennial anniversary commemoration of Raymond Queneau. For Professor Abdelwaheb Bouhdiba, Chairman of the Tunisian Academy, "he made it possible for French literature to explore new horizons. He established the hoax as a literary genre or rather as a means of literary creation that has been from then on chiseled in golden letters in the French cultural heritage and consequently in the cultural heritage of humanity in general, while at the same time, he was collecting the material for his extraordinary encyclopedia "Galaxy". For the distinguished Tunisian "Queneaulogue" Hayet Ben Charrada, Queneau is an artist who had a go at practically all the literary genres, since he was a poet, novelist, playwright, screenwriter and even autobiographer and songwriter in his spare time. For her, this is to say that" he had a passion for trying his hand at writing; he was into everything, experimenting with all literary genres and „knocking at the different doors‟ of poetry writing, both known and unknown"; while Henri Godard, Marc Decimo and Cécile de Bary talked about fascinating aspects of this "writer not like the others"; whereas Mansour Mhenni, Jacques Neefs, Daniel Patrick Delbriel and Brunel talked about the "the jack of all trades". As for Ben Charrada, Jousset and Tango, they portrayed him in action; and A. Ferraro, H. Ouardi, Mr. N. Campana and J. Y. Pouilloux, depicted more intimate aspects of his personality. The book ends with a selected bibliography including recent new editions of works by Queneau, a selection of co-authored works and books, and special issues of literary journals devoted to him. I.S.B.N : 9973-49-045-2
222 Book Title: Rachid Driss, the Activist and the Man of Letters Proceedings of the study day at Beit al-Hikma (24 January 2007) Topic: Politics / Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 172 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 2008 Price: 10 TND Foreign countries : 12 €
With the close collaboration of the ATERPIT (the Tunisian Association for Research and Studies on the Tunisian Intellectual Heritage), the Tunisian Academy Beit al- Hikma organized a study day devoted to a leading Tunisian personality: Rachid Driss, the activist, the diplomat and the man of letters. Through different articles published in the newspaper “Young Tunisia”, Pr. K. Omrane referred to the beginnings of the man‟s struggle, while Pr. K. Abid dealt with his career within the neo-destour party in more detail. Politically, R. Driss held key positions, demonstrating, according to Pr. F. Kasmi, much perceptiveness and courage against conservatives, becoming the icon of human rights and fundamental liberties in Tunisia. For their part, M. Filali, M. Chemli, K. Chater, S. Abdella and L. Klai spoke emotionally of his humane qualities, his commitment to his principles and his undeniable influence as permanent representative of Tunisia to the United Nations. Literature, for R. Driss was a hobby; in fact he wrote many novels, which Pr. M. Tarchouna has finely reviewed. For his part, Pr. K. Ben Ouannes devoted a study to the man‟s poetry entitled: "The poet diplomat or songs of internal exile." According to him, "in his poetry, R. Driss is a chronicler of life and a minuter of the hustle and bustle of nations." I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-066-7
223 Book Title: On the Spirit of Islam. Proceedings of the Symposium held at Beit al- Hikma in June 2005 Topic: Islamic Religion Size: 16x24 Language: Arabic Number of pages: 182 Publication Date: 1st ed: 2006, 2nd ed: 2009. Price: 1st ed: 10 TND, 2nd ed: 9 TND. Foreign countries : 15 €
The finest research on Islamic jurisprudence, "fiqh", is particularly devoted to the spirit of Islam and, to some extent, calls to mind the "Spirit of Laws" by Montesquieu. It tends to break free from strict adherence to texts and to encourage the dynamics of human thought and history. It is in this spirit that the Grand Imam, Sheikh Mohamed Tahar Ben Achour (d. 1973), wrote his book “Maqasid al-Shariaa al-Islamia” (The Spirit of Islam), in which he undertook to free Islamic jurisprudence from a priori arguments, ready-made ijtihad judgments or dogmatic lecturing. In his opinion, legislators should come to grips with reality in the light of reasonable thinking so as to be more positive about the real purposes of religious precepts. The Ulemas (religious scholars), must relentlessly observe this approach, given the spatial and temporal chance circumstances and the social transformations generated by changing attitudes and scientific advances. With this in mind, Sheikh Mohamed Habib Belkhodja, set out to establish this book in three volumes. The Tunisian Academy "Beit al-Hikma" has brought together a panel of lecturers around the theme: "the spirit of religion" in the context of a dialogue on equal grounds with other cultures without any discrimination. It is the proceedings of this symposium that are published in this volume .ISBN : 978-9973-49-024-7
224 Book Title: To the Memory of Mohamed Souissi A Collective Posthumous Homage (19 October 2007) Topic: Sciences Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 124 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 2008 Price: 7 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
The Tunisian Academy "Beit al-Hikma" paid a posthumous tribute to Professor Mohamed Souissi. But the man had already been officially honoured during his lifetime; he was awarded the November 7 Creativity Prize in 1997 by the Head of State in person. The merits of the deceased were highlighted, and more light was cast on many aspects of the man‟s personality. - The devoted husband and father. (Radhi Jazi) - The researcher who could reconcile the requirements of science with those of literature. (F. Drissi) - The tolerant man of culture, open to modernity, but deeply committed to his Arab identity and Muslim religion. (Ahmed Dhiab) - The Emeritus Professor of the University of Tunis, the outstanding scientist, yet modest, a quality only the most eminent scientists can show. (Souad Triki) - The translator and fervent supporter of the Arabization of Sciences and the well-versed and erudite expert in the history of Arab sciences. (M. Megannem) - His colleague Mounira Chapoutot Remadi, for her part, mentioned "his quality as a very sharp, quick thinker, and swift with repartee, thus easily creating a homely and friendly atmosphere." - Concluding the ceremony, Professor Abdelwahab Bouhdiba, The President of Beit al- Hikma, noted that "we are not bidding Mohamed Souissi farewell, as he will always be with us." I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-065-0
225 Book Title: Salah al-Mahdi, the Story of a Great Musician Proceedings of the Symposium at Beit al-Hikma. December 2007 Topic: Arts Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 104 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 2008 Price: 6 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
It was a lively ceremony during which the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma paid tribute to the distinguished Tunisian and Arab musician Salah Mehdi. Several experts, colleagues and disciples spoke eloquently of his brilliant talents as an instrumentalist, composer, teacher and administrator. His repertoire includes works written in various styles and diverse musical language, combining classical and popular songs, instrumental western and oriental music in a wide range of musical forms and genres, like the “muwashah”, the “bachraf”, and chamber music; he also excelled at many musical instruments like the piano, nay, violin, and harp. Being deeply inspired by, and drawing upon the sources of the traditional Tunisian music, Salah al-Mahdi knew the famous musicians of long ago, like Khemaies Tarnane, whose disciple he was. He also cultivated a great desire for learning other forms of music and has always been interested in other cultures. A brilliant director, he had long been head of the Directorate of music at the Ministry of Culture, having represented Tunisia in various international organizations. In 1969 he founded the Tunisian Symphony Orchestra, entrusting the direction to Jean-Paul Nicollet the French, and calling for Bulgarian musicians, which has made it possible for the students of music at the conservatoire to learn to play western instruments and master new playing techniques and interpretation. In short, Salah Al- Mahdi has always been the embodiment of a lively synthesis of authenticity and modernity.. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-059-9
226 Book Title:The Culture of Science Among Arabs in the Past and Now Proceedings of the Tunisian-Syrian Symposium (April 2007) Topic: Sciences Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 216 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Price: 10 TND Foreign countries : 12 €
At the opening of the Symposium, the President of the Tunisian Academy "Beit al- Hikma" delivered a welcome speech in which he stressed the importance of the efforts made in Syria, Egypt and the Maghreb countries towards the appreciation of the valuable contribution of Arabs in the past to the advancement of sciences and to exalt the role that they are now playing in different scientific activities around the world. For his part, the Vice-President of the Syrian Academy traced the history of the development of sciences in ancient Mesopotamia (Iraq and Syria), which would later become part of the world heritage. Included in this book are the valuable lectures given during this symposium and relating to the following topics: - Translation in the modern era (Chehada Khouri - Syria) - The scientific truths in the Coran (Hassan Chaabani - Tunisia) - Islamic scientific achievements: the example of the astrolabe (Farhat Drissi - Tunisia) - Encryption and decryption among Arabs in the past (Muaffaq Daabul, Mohamed Mirayati and Marwan al-Bouab, Syria) - On the "Treatise of Mineralogy" by al-Kindi (Mongia Arfa Mensia , Tunisia) - Translation of Greek mathematics into Arabic and the transposition of arithmetic and geometry to algebra (Marwan Ben Milad - Tunisia) - Arabization of medical sciences in the modern era (Adnane Tikriti - Syria) - On the Arabic scientific discourse relating to heritage (Farhat Drissi Tunisia) I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-058-2
227 Book Title: Around Edouard Glissant Proceedings of the Symposium Held at Beit al- Hikma in April 2005 Topic: Literature Size: 15x21 Number of pages: 365 Language: French Publication Date: 2008 Price: 16 TND Foreign countries : 20 €
Isn‟t Carthage, "which had balanced out North and South, East and West" the most conducive scene to venerate and sound out Glissant‟s works, which have proved so convincing as to overturn identity and cultural hegemony attitudes? Twenty critics, specialists in poetics, philosophers, and linguists from far and wide came to compare their readings of these multiple works innervated by poetic connections. Glissant‟s poetics was tested against sample texts in all their generic forms, (essays, poetry collections, novels, drama); but also expanded in some comparative approaches to complex French expressions used by Maghrebine and Middle-eastern authors writing in French. Around Edouard Glissant, the symposium brought together writers of renown (Alain Borer, Patrick Chamoiseau, Abdelwaheb Meddeb, Pierre Oster, and Salah Stetié), friends and connoisseurs of his work. For Professor Abdelwahab Boudhiba, President of Beit al-Hikma, "Edouard Glissant could manage to make his way in a world… where the illusionary strong desire for power has led many countries into believing that the world is their private property; and that was through the subtlety of his expression, the prodigality of his mind and his exceptional clarity. " The French-Tunisian joint edition of this work is yet another sign of these exchanges between the Mediterranean and Atlantic Creole.. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-048-3
228 Book Title: Ibn Khaldun and the Origins of Modernity Proceedings of the Symposium Organized by Beit al-Hikma on the 6th Centenary of his Death Topic: History / Civilization Size: 16x24 Number of pages: Vol.1: 472; Vol.2: 464; Vol.3: 360 Language: Arabic (Vol.1 and Vol.2) French and other languages (Vol.3) Publication Date: 2008 Price: Vol.1 and Vol.2: 28 TND, Vol.3: 12 TND Foreign countries : 40 €
Part of the celebrations in 2006, “Ibn Khaldun Year”, marking the 6th centenary of his death, the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma called for an international symposium, to which about 90 specialists of great renown were invited to pool ideas about the prestigious intellectual heritage of Ibn Khaldun. The ultimate goal is to revive this heritage and make the most of it for the benefit of our Arab culture in order to meet the great challenges of modern times. For several speakers at the symposium, the “Book of Evidence” and its “Propaedeutics” today are more than ever before a topical issue. We can probe for a better understanding of the past and a more penetrating vision of the present, despite its highs and misfortunes. This is also true in the case of Averroes, who had lived about two centuries before him, and Shatibi, his contemporary. Ibn Khaldun tried to go beyond the commonplace view of things and get straight to the core issues, inventing, for that end, his own means of unscrambling the facts. Besides, he managed to show that human history is far from being an unexpected chain of events governed by the fickleness of fate, but rather by the will of man, himself being driven by social, economic, political and cultural factors, which have their own rules and constraints on the course of events. The third volume of this book includes the lectures given in English, French and German, which have mainly focused on the interpretations of Ibn Khaldun‟s thought in some European and Latin American countries. I.S.B.N: 978-9973-49-063-6
229
Book Title: Ibn Khaldun and the Origins of Modernity Proceedings of the Symposium Organized by Beit al-Hikma on the 6th Centenary of his Death Topic: History / Civilization Size: 16x24 Number of pages: Vol.1: 472; Vol.2: 464; Vol.3: 360 Language: Arabic (Vol.1 and Vol.2) French and other languages (Vol.3) Publication Date: 2008 Price: Vol.1 and Vol.2: 28 TND, Vol.3: 12 TND Foreign countries : 20 €
Part of the celebrations in 2006, “Ibn Khaldun Year”, marking the 6th centenary of his death, the Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma called for an international symposium, to which about 90 specialists of great renown were invited to pool ideas about the prestigious intellectual heritage of Ibn Khaldun. The ultimate goal is to revive this heritage and make the most of it for the benefit of our Arab culture in order to meet the great challenges of modern times. For several speakers at the symposium, the “Book of Evidence” and its “Propaedeutics” today are more than ever before a topical issue. We can probe for a better understanding of the past and a more penetrating vision of the present, despite its highs and misfortunes. This is also true in the case of Averroes, who had lived about two centuries before him, and Shatibi, his contemporary. Ibn Khaldun tried to go beyond the commonplace view of things and get straight to the core issues, inventing, for that end, his own means of unscrambling the facts. Besides, he managed to show that human history is far from being an unexpected chain of events governed by the fickleness of fate, but rather by the will of man, himself being driven by social, economic, political and cultural factors, which have their own rules and constraints on the course of events. The third volume of this book includes the lectures given in English, French and German, which have mainly focused on the interpretations of Ibn Khaldun‟s thought in some European and Latin American countries. I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-063-6
230 Book Title: Arabic Calligraphy between Artistic Expression and Communication Systems Collective Contributions to the symposium organized by Beit al-Hikma (May 2006) Topic: Arts Size: 24x32 Number of Pages: 309 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 2008 Price: 55 TND Foreign countries : 50 €
The Second edition of the Days of Arabic Calligraphy took place at Beit al-Hikma in May 2006, under the direction of Professor Khalil Gouiaa, and in collaboration with the Research Centre for History, Arts and Culture in Istanbul. The symposium brought together more than twenty researchers, historians, specialists in Arab and Islamic arts in general and calligraphy in particular from several sister countries: Turkey, Algeria, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq ... The speakers highlighted the exceptional contribution of Arabic calligraphy to modern creativity. Following the discussions, a "workshop" was organized, during which the awareness of software writers was drawn to the aesthetic and technical specificity of this ancient art. The professional calligrapher is therefore required to be open to modern technologies and to equip with digital media software and powerful computers especially in terms of design capabilities. The various conferences that were given during this symposium are published in this original book, a genuine work of art, with its splendid colour illustrations of several paintings, bas-reliefs, manuscripts, Qoranic verses and ancient coins. The incomparable beauty of Arabic calligraphy is combined with the tasteful printing, paper quality and binding.
I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-055-1
231 Book Title: Maulana Jalal-Eddin al-Rumi Proceedings of the Symposium of Beit al-Hikma (27 and 28 May 2007) Topic: Sufi Poetry
Size : 16x24 Language: Arabic
Number of pages: 244 Date of Publication: 2009
Price: 11 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
At the instigation of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Tunis, a major symposium has been dedicated to the great Sufi poet of Persian origin, Jalal Eddin al-Rumi (1207-1273), in commemoration of the eighth centenary of his death. For Professor Abdelwahab Bouhdiba, President of the Tunisian Academy, "we have learned, through al- Rumi‟s works, that love is at the heart of all social relations and that Islam is, par excellence, the religion of true love. In this respect, the works of al-Rumi are quite unique as they are unequalled in any other culture, a heritage we should be rightly proud of. " Various aspects of this heritage were highlighted by the participants at the symposium as listed in the following papers: "The Holy Quran Seen by Maulana" (Pr H.Ismat ), "al- Rumi and the Sublime Word" (Pr. T. Ben Ameur), "The Experience of Willpower in al- Rumi‟s works and among Moroccan Sufis” (Pr. M. Azzam)," The parable of the blind men and the elephant "(Pr. F. Ketata)," The Unity of Being: Parallels between al-Rumi and Ibn Arabi "(Pr. M. Bettaïeb), “ al-Rumi and the Mevlevi Order ( The Whirling Dervishes)" (M.R. Farhat), "The Recognition of Maulana: a Basic Need for People Nowadays" (Pr. K. Zamani) ... It should also be worth noting that, after having listed the works of Jalal Eddin al-Rumi (especially his mystical odes and quatrains "Ruba'iyat"), which have been translated into several foreign languages, and a bibliography of the studies devoted to the man, the life and works of Jalal Eddin al-Rumi were admirably dealt with by Pr. Mokdad Arfa Mensia, who showed the influence of his ideas on both Eastern and Western thought. . ISBN : 978-9973-49-086-5
232 Book Title: Violence Proceedings of the XI International Meeting of Carthage(April 2008) Topic: Sociology Size: 16x24 Language: Arabic and French Number of pages: 324 Date of Publication: 2009 Price: 15 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
Violence drives us into irrational behaviour on two counts, as it unleashes unbridled passions while at the same time being the product of man, so steeped, as it were, in reason. In an attempt to grasp the issue, the participants at the conference have tried to answer a certain number of queries: Is violence the driving force of history? Would peoples be able to make their voice heard without it? Isn‟t its climax a mark of the triumph, here on earth, of justice, freedom and dignity? Isn‟t violence itself no more than the stimulus to progress? Can violence be socialized? Doesn‟t violence at home or at school, so common these days, seal the failure of our educational approaches, so little socializing? Haven‟t the patterns come down to us from far back and deeper in history? Can our postmodern societies produce anything other than processed, commoditized, industrialized and widespread violence? Is torture, now an instrument of government in so many countries, anything other than the devilish grin of our complacency towards violence? Isn‟t it said that it is misleading to believe in such ideas, however well intentioned they might be, that dialogue and cultural exchange alone can reshape our world and lay the foundations for a lasting, non-violent culture? But all the same, does this prevent us from trying to exert our influence on the events, with our lucidity as our sole arm? ISBN : 978-9973-49-093-3
233 Book Title: Mohamed Yaalaoui, The Researcher and Man of letters Proceedings of the Symposium Organized in his Honour at Beit al-Hikma (January 2008) Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Language: Arabic and French Number of Pages: 194 Date of Publication: 2010 Price: 9,000 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
It is henceforward a well established tradition at the Tunisian Academy "Beit Al- Hikma" to celebrate the merits of those who have rendered distinguished services to this country in the scientific, literary or artistic fields. As a tribute to Pr. Mohamed Yaalaoui, the Tunisian Academy organized, in January 2008, a symposium which brought together a host of friends, colleagues and disciples. They tried to show the qualities of the Professor Emeritus, the rigorous researcher and the unparalleled translator, as evidenced by his "Gleanings", where he evokes "great figures and themes of classical Arabic poetry and examines some critical periods in the history of our Ifriqia. These leading articles are supplemented by bio-bibliographical references and reading notes (Abdelaziz Kacem). The proceedings of the 2008 symposium, which are the subject of this book, are somehow a "subtle blend" elaborated as a tribute to Pr. Yaalaoui by his colleagues and followers. The studies focus on his masterful thesis on Ibn Hani (H. Bouzouita- Trabelsi) and the great Egyptian historian Al-Maqrizi, author of "Al-Muqaffa", which was the occasion for Pr. Yaalaoui to "regenerate the history of the Fatimids out of the prospects of destruction and oblivion "(M. Chapoutot-Remadi). Other accounts by some of his closest friends ( Jilani ben Haj Yahia, Taieb Achèche) emphasize his great qualities of heart and mind .ISBN : 978-9973-49-098-8
234 Book Title: Man and Nature Proceedings of the Tenth International Meeting of Carthage (Feb 2010) Topic: Philosophy / Biology Size: 16x24 Language: Arabic and French Number of pages: 336 Date of Publication: 2010 Price: 15 TND Foreign countries : 15 €
Nature has, ever since the earliest Antiquity, been a favourable environment, a breeding ground, a yardstick, and sometimes the source of the most rewarding inspiration for man. Being the subject of philosophical contemplation, nature has also been a moral frame of reference, which, over time, has made it possible for man to define his position and consider himself at home. However, with the advent of the industrial revolution, the exploitation of nature has, over the years, transformed into a systematic violation of the environment to such an extent that nowadays, nearly everywhere in the world, there are growing outcries about whether it would be possible to continue living the way we have done so far, which means that we have become even more sensitive to those issues resulting from the interaction between man and nature, so long as before being a cultural phenomenon, man had been an act of nature. But the fact is that nowadays, we are on the horns of a dilemma involving man, nature and history, all at the same time. The symposium held at Beit al-Hikma on this issue was the opportunity for a thorough and multidisciplinary reflection that has brought together philosophers, biologists, naturalists, historians, and even archaeologists from many sister and friendly countries, along with their Tunisian counterparts. They have all made their valuable contribution to understanding a problem that has become particularly acute.
. ISBN : 978-9973-49-097-1
235 Book Title: Sheikh Mahmoud Kabadou - The Man and his Position in the History of Tunisian Literature. Proceedings of the Workshop Held at "Beit al- Hikma"(Jan 2008) Topic: Literature / History Size: 16x24 Language: Arabic Number of pages: 112 Publication Date: 2010 Price: 5,500 TND Foreign countries : 8 €
The poet Mahmoud Kabadou (1815-1871) was one of the pillars of the Tunisian reform movement during the nineteenth century. Unlike some other „Ulemas‟ (religious scholars), he did not shut himself away in the narrow circles of religious thought, but strove - along with other reformists, Khereddine Pacha, in particular - for a civilizing and liberating modernism. In the context of the cooperation between the Tunisian Academy “Beit al-Hikma” and the Tunisian Association for Studies and Research on the Tunisian Intellectual Heritage, a workshop brought together a panel of researchers and academics around topics as diverse as the epistolary works of Kabadou (M.A. Chtioui), his enmity for the missionary François Bourgade (H. Hemaïdi), his modern attitudes (R. Marzouki), his role in the military school of Bardo (A. Hammami) , his Sufi experience (M. Ben Taieb), his reformist discourse(J.Draouil), the historical role of some of his disciples (M. Bouali) and other aspects of his personality not commonly known (accounts given by Lilia Kabadou). The merit of all the lectures herein published is to correct some of the misconceptions about Kabadou, such as “court poet”, and his relationship with Khereddine and Ahmed Ibn Diaf. These lectures will also do him justice by refuting the accusations of his critics ISBN : 978-9973-49-100-8
236 BookTitle: Persian Poetry Proceedings of the Conference Organized by the Tunisian Academy “Beit Al Hikma” Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 132 Language: Arabic Date of Publication: 2010 Price: 8,000 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
Leading researchers and university professors from Iran, Egypt and Lebanon have participated, along with their Tunisian colleagues, at the conference organized by "Beit al-Hikma" and devoted to Persian poetry. Numerous and diverse subjects were debated, all deserving special mention: - The quatrains of Omar Khayyam as seen through translations (Pr Noureddine Sammoud) - The foundations of national identity in the poetry of Mahdi Akhwan III (Pr. Ismail Adher) - Textual Interference between Iranian thought and contemporary Persian gnomic poetry: decoding symbols in Murtadha Mutahar‟s poetry and his challenges (Pr. Adel Belkahla) - The revival of the amatory style in Persian poetry (Pr Kaous Hassan Li) - The Persian view of modern poetry “muallad” (Pr Mohamed Larbi Jelassi) - Thus spoke Saadi Shirazi (Pr. Yahya Daoud Abbes) - Ornithology symbolism at the service of political reform (Pr. Farhat Drissi) - Development of the Persian language in contemporary Iranian poetry (Pr. Imami Nasrallah) - Coranic spirituality in Persian poetry (Pr. Sayyid Hassan Ismat) - Modern Persian poetry, classical and innovative typology: Faridoun Muchiri, Shafe'i Kadanki, Ali Karmarudi, and Mohamed Ali Muallim (Pr. Victor al-Kik). I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-099-5
237 Titre de l‟ouvrage : The Influence of Kairawan Through History Actes du colloque organisé à Kairouan du 20 au 25 avril 2009 Thème : Civilisation Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 1 Volume en français 168/ 3 volumes en arabe 1064 Langues : 1 volume en langue française et 3 volumes en langue arabe Date de parution : 2010 Prix de vente : 10 D.T/(12 €), (Vol. en l.f.) 42 D.T/(40 €), (3 Vol. en langue arabe)
In 2004, Kairawan was chosen capital of Islamic culture for the year 2009, on a proposal by ISESCO and following the 4th Islamic Conference of the Ministers of Culture held in Algiers; an epochal moment that was Kairawan‟s apotheosis. President Zine el- Abidine Ben Ali gave the necessary instructions to ensure the success of this major cultural event all through the preparation of cultural events both nationally and internationally. Within this context, Beit al-Hikma organized an international conference devoted to the influence of Kairawan throughout history. The conference also provided an opportunity for an exchange of views between experts from various backgrounds with a view to enabling them to come to a better mutual understanding and comparing their different approaches. The studies collected in this volume deal with the following topics: - Political influence, the scholar and power (lectures given by Mohammed Mouwafak Ghigha Arnaout, Radhi Daghfous ...) - Religious influence (Abdehedi Tazi, Souad Kourim, Najmedine Hentati ...) - Cultural influence ( Mounir Rouis, Ali Khalsi, Mohamed Kojja Mokhtar Labidi ...) - Kairawan and Sicily ( Abdelaziz Boukonna ...) - Kairawan and Andalusia (Jeronimo Paez, Rafael Aznar, Anas Allani). I.S.B.N : 978-9973-49-112-1
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239 Book Title: A Treatise of Labour Law Author: Noë Ladhari Topic: Social and Legal Culture Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 557 Language: French Publication Date: 1991 Price: 12 TND Foreign countries : 8 €
The Tunisian society has undergone many changes on both economic and social levels (population growth, expansion and diversification of economic activities, continuing industrialization efforts, development of the services sector ...), and naturally the labor law has had to keep up with these changes, especially in terms of industrial relations, where substantial reforms were needed. There has been a recurrence of the free wage agreement policy, collective agreements have experienced a major revival, and significant progress has been made concerning working conditions and benefits granted to employees. The consultation bodies have been developed and the procedure for the settlement of collective disputes has been improved. At the same time, the coverage of social risks has grown. Not only employees but also self-employed people are insured. The social welfare system in Tunisia is no longer an enhancement of labor law; it has reached maturity and become independent. The author has placed the standards relating to employees in their doctrinal framework for a better understanding of their provisions, and the elucidation of the circumstances of their development within the economic, social and political context of the Tunisian society. The regulatory side is well detailed so as to respond to the concerns of legal practitioners, employers unions, administrators and lawyers, who are involved in professional law and need to find the right solution to a concrete problem. I.S.B.N: 9973-911-61-X
240 Book Title: Rhythms and Styles of Arabic Music. Author: Salah Al-Mahdi Topic: Arts Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 220 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1990 Price: 5 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
Professor Salah Al-Mahdi is a famous Tunisian musicologist whose career is closely linked to the prestigious Rachidi Institute of Arabic Music (as a student, teacher, director and finally as president). It is quite safe to consider this book as the first ever monograph devoted to the rhythms of traditional music, currently in vogue in all the Arab countries. The reader will find samples from the Arab heritage, compared to those presented at the first symposium of Arabic music in Cairo (1932) and to those mentioned in the old Islamic civilization works like Al-Kindi, Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and Al-Armaoui, and the Arabic poetic rhythms of Al-Khalil and the rhythms of Turkish music. This monograph is supplemented by a comprehensive study of the different types of traditional Arabic music (Sahraoui chanting, Algerian Houzi, Moroccan Barwalas, Egyptian Dour, Tunisian Ouroubi, etc ...) and also modern music, exemplified by the troops of Oum Kolthoum, Sheikh Mohamed Ghanem in Tunisia, Sheikh Laarbi Ben Sari in Algeria or the Iraqi singer Mohammed Qabbani. In short, this is a reference book for all music lovers and those readers enamored of the musical heritage of the Arab world. . I.S.B.N : 9973-911-62-8
241 Book Title: A Treatise of Labour Law Author: Noë Ladhari Topic: Social and Legal Culture Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 557 Language: French Publication Date: 1991 Price: 12 TND Foreign countries : 13 €
The Tunisian society has undergone many changes on both economic and social levels (population growth, expansion and diversification of economic activities, continuing industrialization efforts, development of the services sector ...), and naturally the labor law has had to keep up with these changes, especially in terms of industrial relations, where substantial reforms were needed. There has been a recurrence of the free wage agreement policy, collective agreements have experienced a major revival, and significant progress has been made concerning working conditions and benefits granted to employees. The consultation bodies have been developed and the procedure for the settlement of collective disputes has been improved. At the same time, the coverage of social risks has grown. Not only employees but also self-employed people are insured. The social welfare system in Tunisia is no longer an enhancement of labor law; it has reached maturity and become independent. The author has placed the standards relating to employees in their doctrinal framework for a better understanding of their provisions, and the elucidation of the circumstances of their development within the economic, social and political context of the Tunisian society. The regulatory side is well detailed so as to respond to the concerns of legal practitioners, employers unions, administrators and lawyers, who are involved in professional law and need to find the right solution to a concrete problem. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-61-X
242 Book Title: Abdelaziz Thaalbi in Arabic poetry Texts collected and prefaced by: Mohamed CHAABOUNI Topic: Literature Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 156 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1991 Price: 4.500 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
In this book, there is first a biographical note on Sheikh Abdelaziz Thaalbi (1876- 1944), founder of the Destour Party and one of the most outstanding figures, who left his imprint on reformism and the Tunisian national movement. His commitment to the Muslim community throughout his life was greatly cherished by the Tunisian poet Mohamed Chaabouni, who has also selected a number of poems to the glory of Sheikh Thaalbi. Obviously these poems were composed by Tunisians, mostly by the "Emir of Tunisian poets", Chedli Khaznadar, who was, in addition, an illustrious activist within the Destour Party and whose contribution, rich and diverse as it was, would in itself qualify for a separate volume. We shouldn‟t also fail to mention the contribution of two most famous Iraqi poets: Zahawi and Rusafi. Others from Algeria, Kuwait and Egypt also praised Cheikh Thaalbi. They recalled the man‟s role in the struggle against colonialism, his eloquence and the originality of his political, economic and social ideas. Other poets stressed his constant fight for a modernist Islam and Arab unity, which would favour liberation and foster development. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-70-9
243 Book Title: Music in the Liturgical Chants of the Religious Brotherhood "Sulamya" (Tunisia) Author: Fethi Zghonda Topic: Cultural Heritage Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 232 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 1991 Price: 6 TND Foreign countries : 6 €
The liturgical chants of the religious brotherhood "Sulamya" enjoy a privileged position in the oral musical traditions of Tunisia. The heritage of this art guild, subject matter of this study, consists mainly of religious invocations and chants in classical Arabic and Tunisian vernacular. Studies on the tradition of "turuq" (congregations) have focused on the origin of mystical thought, invocations (adhkar) and the interpretations given by Muslim exegetes on the question of music. But the musical analysis of Sufi singing has been neglected, either knowingly or simply by omission, as the music of religious congregations has long been considered of lower quality compared to other genres of music deemed "artistic". The approach of this research is aimed at bridging these gaps by focusing on the musical aspects in the chanting traditions of the "Sulamya"; as such, the analysis of patterns, rhythms, improvisations, hymns and other songs make up the dominating points in this study. Ultimately, the musical tradition of the "Sulamya" reveals itself as the most authentic manifestation expressing the basic foundations of the mystical thought of the believers, reflecting their commitment to the precepts of Islam and the principles of Sufism as preached by Sidi Abdessalam Lasmar, founder of the brotherhood. This expression, still vivid today, is a synthesis of the structural elements of Tunisian profane music; it is the unique bond between the traditional music, of Arab-Andalusian inspiration, and old folk music.
I.S.B.N : 9973-911-75-X
244 Book Title: The Human Side of Prophet Muhammad Author: Majed Jaafar Topic: Islamic Religion Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 248 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1991 Price: 6.500 TND Foreign countries : 8 €
It could be surprising why yet another book about the Prophet of Islam. So many writers have already written about this topic. However, the Sira of the Prophet (his life story) is extraordinarily rich in terms of events and teachings, so much so that the density of these writings about the Prophet and the similarity of the writers‟ literary background, especially in modern times, do not lend any monotony to their works. In fact, each book on Muhammad responded to the needs of a particular period for a specific objective. Yet, the past literature, across the board, no longer meets the necessities of this century marked by a tumult of conflicting ideas about Islam in general and the Prophet in particular. It was therefore essential to address this issue in a more appropriate way, and provide answers to the worries of Muslim youth, nowadays torn between contradictory ideological currents. Accordingly, it was necessary to introduce the Prophet as he was in his family environment, his behavior vis-à-vis the woman, his war strategies, his conception of the State, his intense spiritual life, etc. In addition to these fundamental aspects, the author strives to illustrate the human dimension in the personality of Prophet Muhammad. He relates aspects of his personal life, his appearance, his clothing; he was simply a man just like any other. It even happened to him to fall on hard times, not being able to provide his own needs or those of his family. He would content himself with little food and refuse to wear sumptuous clothes, even if these had been given as a gift. Loved by all, the man had constantly set the example for all Muslims. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-59-8
245 Book Title: The Cave Houses in the South-east of Tunisia Author: Abdesmad Zaïed Topic: Heritage Size: 16x24 Number of Pages: 278 Language: Arabic and French Publication Date: 1992 Price: 6TND Foreign countries : 7 €
The author of this book is not a professional historian, but he hails from the south east of Tunisia, a region he loves and wants to unveil its majesty for us. What we have in this book is an unmediated and living account on the cave houses (Ksours) which had played, and in some cases continue to play a key role in the life of the region. Bearing witness to an old civilization, which evolved out of insecurity in an arid and hostile nature, the Ksours adorn the peaks and ridges of southern Tunisia with their majestic rocky masses. Their number is impressive, a hundred and fifty, of which seventy are listed at the end of this book. They intrigue and hone our curiosity, and these days, you wouldn‟t mind entering the Ghorfas (rooms) if you would like to immerse in the age of the caves for a moment. But there are also plain ksours, evidencing the continuity of tradition, even when security has been restored. In these Ksours, a whole world continues to live and evolve at the pace of customs whose origins are to be probed not only in the old Berber traditions, but also in imitations to the Arabs, the blacks and even olden times. The author, drawing on his own experience and on oral sources, brings this fascinating world to life, both in terms of daily chores: sowing, harvesting olives and figs, oil extraction, making mats etc ... and in celebrations, among which the exuberant joys of marriage occupy a special place. And in all aspects of life, collective rites prevail, illustrating and strengthening group cohesion. This well-illustrated book, where pictures combine with the writer‟s testimony, is an insight into the life of southern Tunisia, very committed to its traditions, but also undergoing rapid changes. I.S.B.N : 9973-911-95-4
246 Titre de l‟ouvrage : Bizerte : Les monuments islamiques Auteur : Hédi Bouita Thème : Archéologie Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 170 Langues : arabe et française Date de parution : 1992 Prix de vente : 3.500 D.T. Foreign countries : 5 €
Cette étude porte sur les fortifications islamiques et pré-islamiques de Bizerte d‟un point de vue architectural et archéologique. Elle commence par une analyse des conditions historiques qui ont vu naître les monuments étudiés, suivie d‟une description architecturale (fonction, forme et structure), une description archéologique et une synthèse des apports spécifiques. L‟objet de cette étude est quadruple : - retrouver les modules architecturaux quand ils existent, - détecter les sens du rythme et de la symétrie dans la composition architecturale et décorative, - dégager les grands principes de l‟esthétique et de l‟art de la construction militaire tels qu‟ils apparaissent dans ces monuments, - procéder à une typologie des styles et retracer l‟évolution des techniques de construction. Dans la première partie, l‟auteur a étudié les monuments existants : les remparts, la Kasba, la Ksiba, le fort d‟Espagne. Dans la deuxième partie, il a étudié les monuments disparus : le fortin de Sidi Salem, les anciennes portes de Bizerte, le pont de Bab-Tounès et le pont de la Scala. En conclusion, il constate que Bizerte a toujours été présente dans l‟histoire militaire de la Tunisie et qu‟aucun moment crucial de cette histoire n‟a négligé l‟importance stratégique de ce port. Si Tunis est la « fille des routes » comme l‟a écrit Saladin, on peut dire que Bizerte est la « fille du port ». I.S.B.N : 9973-911-87-2
247 Book Title: Tunisian Music and the Challenges of the 21st Century Author: Mourad Sakli Topic: Arts Size: 16x24 Number of pages: 84 Language: Arabic Publication Date: 2008 Price: 7 TND Foreign countries : 10 €
Tunisian music is undergoing a critical phase in its history, marked by deep and rapid social changes, which have already have affected the general trend in terms of musical tastes and the general behaviour connected with musical production and preferences. It is clearly at a crossroads, facing two possibilities, either slow death and disappearance, or regeneration and survival. If the road to extinction seems paved, given the monopoly and control of the world of music by a few Arab and Western multinationals imposing their music on the market, along purely business lines , the road to survival remains open, but requires the implementation of adequate strategies. This work is a contribution to safeguarding Tunisian music, and suggests ways of resisting the full flow of globalization and standardization of musical expression. In order to meet this issue, the author builds on the reality on the ground, attempting to establish a kind of observation, and then proceeds to strategies. His analysis rests upon both the technical aspects of music in itself and watching the musical and social context in general. He concludes by stressing the need for safeguarding the originality of the Tunisian music as part of our national identity. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-92-6
248 Grands projets Book Title: Encyclopaedia of Tunisia A Collective Work Topic: Literature / Sciences / Arts Size: 18x26 Number of pages: 1st journal: 141, 2nd journal: 141 3rd journal: 163, 4th journal: 215, 5th journal 261 Language: Arabic Publication Dates: 1990 to 1995 Price: 32.500 TND Foreign countries : 40 €
The Tunisian Academy Beit al-Hikma took the initiative to publish, from 1990 to 1995, a reference book of encyclopaedic nature. Five trial editions have been published, containing various articles that fall into three main headings: Biographies of famous men; ancient and medieval toponymy, economy and society. On distinguished men and women, these are the personalities whose life and work are included: Ibn Abi Zayd, Ibn Abi Dhiaf, Ibn Khaldun, Mohamed Tahar Ibn Achour, Ibn Hani, Apuleius, Salem Bouhajeb, Zoubeïr Turki, Khemaïs Tarnane, Abdelaziz Thaalbi, Jazia al-Hilalia, Bashir Khraïef, Hannibal, Ali Douagi, Mahmoud Kabadou, Mohieddine Klibi, Mhamed Marzouki, Mahmoud Messaadi, Mohamed Nakhli, etc… The sites and towns studied include: The doors of Tunis, Beja, Testour, Zarziz, Raqada, Sidi Bou Said, Sabra Mansouria, Tabarka, the Abdellia Palace, Gabes, Castillia, Gafsa, Kawsarra, Kairouan, Kef, Mahdia, etc… The main economic and cultural subjects treated are: Folk literature in Tunisia, Arabic calligraphy, the olive tree, Ifriqya currency, the satirical press in Tunisia, mosaic art, the military school of Bardo , history of the theatre in Tunisia up until 1956, lexicography in Tunisia, etc… I.S.B.N : 0330-7344
249 Récits Titre de l‟ouvrage : Bellara Auteur : Béchir Khraïef Texte présenté et établi par Faouzi Zmerli Illustrations : Zoubeïr Turki Thème : Littérature Dimensions : 16x24 Nombre de pages : 270 Langue : arabe Date de parution : 1992 Prix de vente : 5 D.T. Foreign countries : 6 €
« Bellara » est le premier roman, laborieusement écrit par Béchir Khraïef à la fin des années 50, demeuré inédit pendant un quart de siècle et finalement publié à titre posthume. Pourtant l‟auteur s‟est longuement documenté, étudiant des dizaines d‟ouvrages historiques et des chroniques. Il a visité plusieurs monuments, lu de nombreuses biographies de santons et amassé une multitude de renseignements sur la vie quotidienne à l‟époque hafside. Il a pu ainsi imaginer, avec beaucoup de réalisme, les péripéties de la guerre menée au XVIe siècle contre les occupants espagnols et mettre à nu toutes sortes de machinations et de conspirations. Il a surtout révélé le vrai visage de la femme tunisienne, pleine de ressources et de courage. L‟amour de leur patrie a poussé trois jeunes princesses – dont Bellara, la fille du Hafside Hmida– à jouer un rôle de premier plan dans la défaite des oppresseurs. Habilement, B. Khraïef a réuni dans son roman personnages réels et personnages imaginaires, mariant admirablement l‟histoire avec l‟art et brossant un tableau saisissant de la réalité sociale, culturelle et politique de la Tunisie sous l‟occupation espagnole. Les scènes de bravoure, éblouissantes, donnent aux lecteurs tunisiens l‟occasion d‟être fiers de leurs ancêtres et de leurs alliés turcs : grâce à la solidarité islamique, ils sont parvenus à expulser leur ennemi commun. La publication par Beït al-Hikma de cette œuvre exhumée du « laboratoire » de Béchir Khraïef a permis de montrer, à l‟évidence, qu‟il est le véritable « père » du roman tunisien moderne. I.S.B.N : 9973-929-02-0
250 SOMMAIRE
PREsentation DE L’ACADEMIE ...... 5
PREface ...... 7
Série : Traduction ...... 9
Série : Etablissement des textes ...... 59
Série : Recherches et Etudes ...... 99
Série : index et références ...... 149
Série : Bibliothèque Culturelle Maghrébine ...161
Série : TRIBUNE DE BEïT al-hikma ...... 169
Série : Colloques ...... 187
Série : Connaissances pour tous ...... 247
Grands projets ...... 257
Récits ...... 258
INDEX DES AUTEURS ...... 259
Académie Tunisienne des Sciences, des Lettres et des Arts - Beït al-Hikma
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