On this very day, 124 years ago, Abdelsalam Al-Nabulsi was born in a village near Tripoli in northern Lebanon. Little did he know that he would later become one of Egypt’s most celebrated comedians at the height of the Arab world’s golden age of cinema. However, in his early days, Al-Nabulsi never imagined this life for himself. In fact, he believed his future was settled even before he could make his own choices. Al-Nabulsi’s devout Muslim family had a clear plan for him: to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a judge in the Sharia courts. Despite his interest in arts and humanities, it was not a surprise when he was sent to Cairo at the age of 20 to study at the renowned Al-Azhar University. Unbeknownst to the young man, destiny had something else in store. In Egypt, in the embrace of Al-Azhar’s study circles, he memorized the Quran aided by his brilliance in the Arabic language. Al-Nabulsi was on his way to becoming the man his family wanted him to be. It was not until the events of the 1919 Revolution and the cultural renaissance that followed…
Celebrating the Life of Abdelsalam Al-Nabulsi: Icon of Egyptian Comedy
August 23, 2023
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