Fadhil Al-Jamali
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Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali () (20 April 1903 – 24 May 1997) was an Iraqi statesman, educator, politician and diplomat, who held important posts in the government of Iraq, during the royal era. Most notably he served as Iraq's prime minister two times and foreign minister from 1946 to 1948 and was also the Director of Foreign Affairs and a member of the Arab Federation Council in 1958. Born to a Shi'ite family in al-Kadhimiya neighborhood of Baghdad, they were traditionally custodians of
Al-Kadhimiya Mosque Al-Kadhimiyya Mosque () is a Shi'a Islamic mosque and shrine located in the Kādhimiya suburb of Baghdad, Iraq. It contains the tombs of the seventh and ninth Twelver Shī'ī Imāms, respectively Mūsā al-Kādhim and his grandson Muhammad al- ...
. He began his political career in 1943. During the 1945 United Nations conference, al-Jamali, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, signed the
Charter of the United Nations The Charter of the United Nations is the foundational treaty of the United Nations (UN). It establishes the purposes, governing structure, and overall framework of the UN system, including its six principal organs: the Secretariat, the G ...
on behalf of his country and continued to represent Iraq several times during the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
meetings. He played an important role in the independence of Tunisia. After the
14 July Revolution The 14 July Revolution, also known as the 1958 Iraqi military coup, was a ''coup d'état'' that took place on 14 July 1958 in Iraq, resulting in the toppling of King Faisal II and the overthrow of the Hashemite-led Kingdom of Iraq. The Ira ...
in 1958, al-Jamali was exile to Tunisia, where he served as an advisor to
Habib Bourguiba Habib Bourguiba (3 August 19036 April 2000) was a Tunisian politician and statesman who served as the Head of Government of Tunisia, prime minister of the Kingdom of Tunisia from 1956 to 1957, and then as the first president of Tunisia from 1 ...
. He died on 24 May 1997, at the age of 94. Al-Jamali is considered one of the most prominent figures in politics and education in Iraq and the
Arab World The Arab world ( '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, comprises a large group of countries, mainly located in West Asia and North Africa. While the majority of people in ...
along with being one of the most notable and well-known prime ministers during the Royal era of Iraq, his academic excellence qualified him to obtain the most prestigious scientific degrees in the most prestigious universities in the world despite his upbringing in a
conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
and religious environment. He was also the first Iraqi to hold a doctorate in education from
Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...
.


Early life and education

Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali was born in 20 April 1903 in al-Kadhimiya, near Baghdad, the son of a Shi'a Muslim cleric,
Sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...
Abbas al-Jamali. He belongs to a religious family that participates in the custodianship of the shrine of
al-Kadhimiya Mosque Al-Kadhimiyya Mosque () is a Shi'a Islamic mosque and shrine located in the Kādhimiya suburb of Baghdad, Iraq. It contains the tombs of the seventh and ninth Twelver Shī'ī Imāms, respectively Mūsā al-Kādhim and his grandson Muhammad al- ...
and originally came from
Bani Shaiba The Bani Shaiba (, ) are an Arab clan belonging to the Banu Abd al-Dar sub-clan, that are part of the larger erstwhile Quraysh tribal confederation in the Hejaz region of modern Saudi Arabia. They comprise mainly of the descendants of Uthman ibn ...
. The family have in their keeping a royal
firman A firman (; ), at the constitutional level, was a royal mandate or decree issued by a sovereign in an Islamic state. During various periods such firmans were collected and applied as traditional bodies of law. The English word ''firman'' co ...
issued on the month of
Muharram Al-Muharram () is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is banned. It precedes the month of Safar. The tenth of Muharram is known as Ashura, an important day of commemoration in ...
, 1020 AH (1611 AD) from the Ottoman Sultan and Caliph
Ahmed I Ahmed I ( '; ; 18 April 1590 – 22 November 1617) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1603 to 1617. Ahmed's reign is noteworthy for marking the first breach in the Ottoman tradition of royal fratricide; henceforth, Ottoman rulers would no ...
that grants the Jamal ed-Din bin Mullah Ali, an ancestor of the al-Jamali family whom the family gets its name from, full care of the mosque and shrine. Al-Jamali lived near the mosque in a strict and conservative environment and frequently went to the golden mosque for prayers and Quranic learning. Visitors coming to the mosque also used to consult his father. During
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, the
Arab Revolt The Arab Revolt ( ), also known as the Great Arab Revolt ( ), was an armed uprising by the Hashemite-led Arabs of the Hejaz against the Ottoman Empire amidst the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. On the basis of the McMahon–Hussein Co ...
, with
Faisal I Faisal I bin Hussein bin Ali Al-Hashemi (, ''Fayṣal al-Awwal bin Ḥusayn bin ʻAlī al-Hāshimī''; 20 May 1885 – 8 September 1933) was King of Iraq from 23 August 1921 until his death in 1933. A member of the Hashemites, Hashemite family, ...
being in it, swept across the Middle East, and Faisal I would later become the first King of Iraq. Faisal's actions would personify
Arab nationalism Arab nationalism () is a political ideology asserting that Arabs constitute a single nation. As a traditional nationalist ideology, it promotes Arab culture and civilization, celebrates Arab history, the Arabic language and Arabic literatur ...
for al-Jamali's generation. His entourage to Iraq, the idea of liberation and Arab unity would inspire a young al-Jamali and leave a deep impression on him. Al-Jamali's mother, a well-known poet from
Hillah Hillah ( ''al-Ḥillah''), also spelled Hilla, is a city in central Iraq. On the Hilla branch of the Euphrates River, it is south of Baghdad. The population was estimated to be about 455,700 in 2018. It is the capital of Babylon Province and is ...
, would pass away in 1938 with his father following in just three years. Al-Jamali would later describe the habits and attitudes he learned in Childhood which he had to overcome later in life as he grew up, these included:
"A negative attitude toward
Sunni Muslims Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Musli ...
, believing that God would send them to Hell; the feeling that he had to go daily to Kadhimiya Mosque to pray; that he must not look at women's faces or even listen to their voices except for members of his own family; the obligation to pay respect to great religious personalities, kissing their right hands on meeting; a negative attitude toward government officials, believing that, since they were Sunnis, they could not be honest people."
His early education was a religious one, attending the religious seminary of Sheikh Mehdi Al-Khalissi. He used to go to the Alliance School every Friday to acquire
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
books and learn the French language.Political Signs in Modern Iraq
- Mir Basri - Part Two - Dar Al-Hikma London - First Edition 2004 - Page 7, 8
He practiced the profession of teaching in Iraq which made him suitable for becoming a primary teacher. He then continued his studies at the
American University of Beirut The American University of Beirut (AUB; ) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its main campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, autonomous board of trustees and offers programs le ...
with a government scholarship. Then he returned to Baghdad for a short time and lectured at the university he graduated from, before moving to the United States. Although his conservative family refused to approve of his travels, the Sheikhs of al-Kadhimiya approved, even if he studied at a Christian university. After graduating from the American University in Beirut, and Teachers College of
Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, he taught for some time in Iraq before entering public life. He obtained the degree of Professor of Arts in Education from Teachers College at Columbia University in 1930, after which he obtained a doctorate in philosophy in 1934, and the topic of the thesis he submitted for obtaining his doctorate was called "''New Iraq''", then Columbia University awarded him an honorary doctorate in law in 1954.
Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...
awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1956. In 1944, he joined the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Later he served as Director General of Education. Although he was a Shi'a Muslim, he promoted harmony and educational equality with Sunni Muslims when he was Director General of Education. He also undermined the power of the ancient Shi'a in the shrine cities of Kadhimiya,
Najaf Najaf is the capital city of the Najaf Governorate in central Iraq, about 160 km (99 mi) south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2024 is about 1.41 million people. It is widely considered amongst the holiest cities of Shia Islam an ...
and
Karbala Karbala is a major city in central Iraq. It is the capital of Karbala Governorate. With an estimated population of 691,100 people in 2024, Karbala is the second largest city in central Iraq, after Baghdad. The city is located about southwest ...
. Due to being an
Arab nationalist Arab nationalism () is a political ideology asserting that Arabs constitute a single nation. As a traditional nationalist ideology, it promotes Arab culture and civilization, celebrates Arab history, the Arabic language and Arabic literatur ...
, he constantly urged Sunni Muslims and Shi'a Muslims to identify themselves with Iraq rather than with
sectarian Sectarianism is a debated concept. Some scholars and journalists define it as pre-existing fixed communal categories in society, and use it to explain political, cultural, or religious conflicts between groups. Others conceive of sectarianism a ...
communities or tribes. However, it was noted that he appointed many more Shi'a teachers than Sunni teachers. Al-Jamali enjoyed great influence in directing education and student knowledge in Iraq from 1932 to 1942.


Political career

In 1943, under the orders of
Nuri al-Said Nuri Pasha al-Said Al-Qaraghuli CH (; December 1888 – 15 July 1958) was an Iraqi politician and statesman who served eight terms as Prime Minister of Iraq. He served in various key cabinet and governmental positions in Iraq during its Briti ...
, al-Jamali was appointed the Director General of Foreign Affairs because al-Said saw him as qualified for the role. This did not please al-Jamali at first but grew to the role. At the time, he was one of the only educated Iraqis with overseas experiences which further supported this career switch although there were rumors that al-Jamali had
Axis An axis (: axes) may refer to: Mathematics *A specific line (often a directed line) that plays an important role in some contexts. In particular: ** Coordinate axis of a coordinate system *** ''x''-axis, ''y''-axis, ''z''-axis, common names ...
leanings. Nevertheless, al-Jamali spared no opportunity to urge the need for the independence of
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
and
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
from the French mandates. Following the fall of
Vichy France Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the Battle of France, ...
, Lebanon and Syria gained their independence. In 1945, al-Jamali first became the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq, a position he held continuously for three years. As a representative of Iraq, he signed the Charter of the United Nations on behalf of his country. In 1949 he again became Minister of Foreign Affairs; At the same time, from 1947 to 1958 he was the head of the Iraqi representation at the United Nations, and in 1950 he was also Iraq's ambassador to
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
. Al-Jamali was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs twice more. The third in 1952 in the government of then-prime minister Mustafa al-Umari, and the fourth in the same year during the cabinet of Nureddin Mahmud.


United Nations

Iraq was considered a developing country then and was invited as part of the 45 nations to start the United Nations. Al-Jamali's debut at a major world conference was at the organizational meetings of the United Nations in San Francisco in the late spring of 1945. As Director General of Foreign Affairs, he was outranked by the other members of the Iraqi delegation such as Foreign Minister Arshad al-Umari; who represented the United States at the time, Ali Jawdat al-Ayyubi, and Nasrat al-Farisi. Nevertheless, he took part in the committees drafting the portions of the UN Charter that dealt with trusteeship and with the
UN Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...
. On the weekend of that week, the diplomats, including al-Jamali, visited
Curry Village Camp Curry, now known as Curry Village, was established in 1899 at the base of Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park. Developed as an alternative to the first-class Sentinel Hotel, it offered a more affordable, rustic lodging experience. Th ...
in
Yosemite Valley Yosemite Valley ( ; ''Yosemite'', Miwok for "killer") is a U-shaped valley, glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada mountains of Central California, United States. The valley is about long a ...
and was noted in the news for his modest attitude and open-mindedness towards seeking multicultural understanding. Wilson, Richard (2011)
Physics is Fun: Memoirs of a Life in Physics
''
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
. chpt. 64
Al-Jamali also took part in Arab delegations that wanted to ensure the independence of Syria, and Lebanon, and the protection of Palestine from Zionism. He was a member of both houses of the old Iraqi Parliament and was Minister of Foreign Affairs eight times in six ministries between 1946 and 1953. He was twice the
president of the Chamber of Deputies President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsidente ...
between October 1950 and September 1953. The Iraqi government chose him to sign the United Nations Charter in the name of Iraq and became the representative of Iraq at the founding ceremony of the
United Nations Organization The United Nations (UN) is the global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and security, to develop friendly relations among ...
in 1945. He also participated in the maintenance of the International Charter through his participation in two important committees of the conference, namely, the committee that drafted the Security Council. Because of the communist threat from the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
along Iraq's northeastern border, he advocated for a strong affiliation with the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, at a time when the United States of America seemed to be a good ally for the Arab world, but he later confessed his disappointment at the way America treated his country, the Arab world, and the problems in the middle east in general. Al-Jamali contributed to the development of modern national education in Iraq, as he prompted the Iraqi government to bring in the "Dabul Monroe Committee" from Columbia University to study the reality of education in Iraq. When the United States President
Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...
proposed aiding "Near East" countries, al-Jamali pointed out that Iraq has been feeling political and social danger for years due to the situations in the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
,
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, and
Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...
, and welcomed Eisenhower economic and military aid to protect Iraq from communism and subversion.


Libya

In September 1946, al-Jamali represented Iraq at the
Paris Peace Conference Agreements and declarations resulting from meetings in Paris include: Listed by name Paris Accords may refer to: * Paris Accords, the agreements reached at the end of the London and Paris Conferences in 1954 concerning the post-war status of Germ ...
which was to decide the fate of the former Italian colony of Libya for which he asked for immediate independence from Italy. Despite his request, various countries at the conference had interests in Libya. The United Kingdom wanted
Cyrenaica Cyrenaica ( ) or Kyrenaika (, , after the city of Cyrene), is the eastern region of Libya. Cyrenaica includes all of the eastern part of Libya between the 16th and 25th meridians east, including the Kufra District. The coastal region, als ...
, Italy and the Soviet Union both wanted
Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis (from , meaning "three cities") may refer to: Places Greece *Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in the Pelasgiotis district, Thessaly, near Larissa ...
, France wanted the
Fezzan Fezzan ( , ; ; ; ) is the southwestern region of modern Libya. It is largely desert, but broken by mountains, uplands, and dry river valleys (wadis) in the north, where oases enable ancient towns and villages to survive deep in the otherwise in ...
, and the United States wanted an air base in Libya. Al-Jamali urged that, if the conference did not grant immediate independence, trusteeship powers should be exercised either by the Arab League or by a League member.


Palestine

Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali was known for defending Palestine in his speeches, writing, articles, and international forums. Whenever he was at a United Nations conference, he would mention Palestinians and their struggles and spoke highly of their heritage. He urged for a multicultural Palestinian state. Al-Jamali warned of
Zionism Zionism is an Ethnic nationalism, ethnocultural nationalist movement that emerged in History of Europe#From revolution to imperialism (1789–1914), Europe in the late 19th century that aimed to establish and maintain a national home for the ...
having "something in common with Hitlerite technique" as it combined religion, race, and state into a "fanatic and one-sided ideology."Al-Jamali had been following the question of Palestine very closely with deepening concern. Over time, the issue of Palestine became one of al-Jamali's most time-occupying matters. Under the pen name "Ibn al-Iraq", al-Jamali began in 1944 to write a series of newspaper articles to warn the public of Zionism which he saw as a threat. These were eventually collected in pamphlet form and printed in Cairo under the title "The Zionist Danger".
Ibn Saud Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (; 15 January 1875Ibn Saud's birth year has been a source of debate. It is generally accepted as 1876, although a few sources give it as 1880. According to British author Robert Lacey's book ''The Kingdom'', ...
of
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
, and Crown-Prince
Abd al-Ilah Abd al-Ilah of Hejaz () (; also written Abdul Ilah or Abdullah; 14 November 1913 – 14 July 1958) was a cousin and brother-in-law of King Ghazi of the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq and was regent for his nephew King Faisal II, from 4 April 1939 ...
, on behalf of
King Faisal II Faisal II (; 2 May 1935 – 14 July 1958) was the last King of Iraq. He reigned from 4 April 1939 until July 1958, when he was killed during the 14 July Revolution. This regicide marked the end of the thirty-seven-year-old Hashemite monarchy ...
, also wrote similar letters to US President Roosevelt arguing that Palestine legally belonged to its natives and reminded the President of Caliph Umar's taking of Palestine and the
Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...
. Al-Jamali helped to translate Abd al-Ilah's letter into English. In December 1944, al-Jamali helped establish Arab League Offices for Palestine in
Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...
and
America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
under the direction of Musa al-'Alami. Musa headed the Information offices funded by Iraq from 1944 until 1948. This led to defiance by the
Mufti of Jerusalem The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem is the Sunni Muslim cleric in charge of Jerusalem's Islamic holy places, including Al-Aqsa. The position was created by the British military government led by Ronald Storrs in 1918.See Islamic Leadership in Jerusal ...
, Hajj
Amin al-Husseini Mohammed Amin al-Husseini (; 4 July 1974) was a Palestinian Arab nationalist and Muslim leader in Mandatory Palestine. was the scion of the family of Jerusalemite Arab nobles, who trace their origins to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Hussein ...
, who saw this as a threat to his position. He would later meet with al-Jamali in
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
in 1947 in which he sought to improve relations with Iraq and express his innocence of encouraging
Rashid Ali al-Gaylani Rashid Ali al-Gaylani (Al-Gailani)in Arab standard pronunciation Rashid Aali al-Kaylani; also transliterated as Sayyid Rashid Aali al-Gillani, Sayyid Rashid Ali al-Gailani or sometimes Sayyad Rashid Ali el Keilany (" Sayyad" serves to address hig ...
's revolt in 1941. Al-Jamali, representing Iraq, also joined Egyptian Foreign Minister, Mansur Fahmy, in condemning Zionism as an aggressive and reactionary threat to Middle Eastern security. This was done in opposition to
Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...
's order of granting entry to 100,000 deported Jews into Palestine and the
Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry The Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry was a joint British and American committee assembled in Washington, D.C., on 4 January 1946. The committee was tasked to examine political, economic and social conditions in Mandatory Palestine and the well ...
. Al-Jamali invited the Committee to Baghdad to hear political leaders from there, both
Arab Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
and
Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...
. The Committee declined the invitation and concluded its agreement with Truman which caused an outrage in the Arab League. He would then propose to tell the United States that oil importation would stop if Palestine became partitioned but Arab delegations were opposed to the idea. Ex-Iraqi Prime Minister,
Hamdi al-Pachachi Hamdi al-Pachachi (Arabic: حمدي الباجه جي‎; 1886 – March 28, 1948), Iraqi politician born to a prominent family in Baghdad. He studied law at the Royal School in Istanbul, graduating in 1909. He taught at the Baghdad Law School f ...
, reportedly wanted his statement to be deleted to which al-Jamali would later reportedly reply with "Delete the words, but you cannot delete the situation. The facts still apply.''


United Nations statement on Palestine

In a speech at the General Assembly Hall at Flushing Meadow, New York, on Friday, 28 November 1947, Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali included the following statement on the
United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine was a proposal by the United Nations to partition Mandatory Palestine at the end of the British Mandate. Drafted by the U.N. Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) on 3 September 1947, the Pl ...
:
Partition imposed against the will of the majority of the people will jeopardize peace and harmony in the
Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
. Not only the uprising of the Arabs of Palestine is to be expected, but the masses in the Arab world cannot be restrained. The Arab-Jewish relationship in the
Arab world The Arab world ( '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, comprises a large group of countries, mainly located in West Asia and North Africa. While the majority of people in ...
will greatly deteriorate. There are more Jews in the Arab world outside of Palestine than there are in Palestine. In Iraq alone, we have about one hundred and fifty thousand Jews who share with Muslims and Christians all the advantages of political and economic rights. Harmony prevails among Muslims, Christians, and Jews. But any injustice imposed upon the Arabs of Palestine will disturb the harmony among Jews and non-Jews in Iraq; it will breed inter-religious prejudice and hatred.


Israel

Despite al-Jamali's and the rest of the Arab delegations' best efforts, the partition of Palestine ensued and
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
gained its independence in 1948. The Soviet Union wanted to recognize Israel but later switched their support to the Arab countries. In response to the USSR's support of Israel, al-Jamali questioned Soviet Foreign Minister
Andrey Vyshinsky Andrey Yanuaryevich Vyshinsky (; ) ( – 22 November 1954) was a Soviet politician, jurist and diplomat. He is best known as a Procurator General of the Soviet Union, state prosecutor of Joseph Stalin's Moscow Trials and in the Nuremberg trial ...
several times about the USSR's involvement in establishing Israel despite calling Zionism a "reactionary force" in countless Soviet works. Vyshinsky had never given him a proper reply.
Abba Eban Abba Solomon Meir Eban (; ; born Aubrey Solomon Meir Eban; 2 February 1915 – 17 November 2002) was a History of the Jews in South Africa, South African-born Israeli diplomat and politician, and a scholar of the Arabic and Hebrew languages. D ...
, former Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, claimed an incident in which al-Jamali had placed a cigar between him and the Israel Minister since Iraq and Israel were seated next to each other in the UN, and another in which al-Jamali left a restaurant out of spite when Eban walked in. Al-Jamali would later deny these claims as he neither smoked nor left behind unfinished food.


Egypt

Al-Jamali, then a Minister Plenipotentiary, was dispatched to Cairo to meet with Nokrashy Pasha, who was a good friend of al-Jamali, in 1948. However,
King Abdullah I Abdullah I (Abdullah bin Hussein; 2 February 188220 July 1951) was the ruler of Jordan and its predecessor state Transjordan from 1921 until his assassination in 1951. He was the Emir of Transjordan, a British protectorate, until 1946, when he ...
of
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
would later inform him that the Egyptians hadn't arranged for a meeting. Al-Jamali then became Minister to Egypt for 25 days with Hashim Hilli, a worker at the foreign ministry, who accompanied him to Egypt and the two developed a friendship. The Iraqi government had to loan him 585 Iraqi dinars to buy a Chrysler Windsor (Series C-38) to help him at his post. King Farouk would also invite al-Jamali to attend
Friday Prayers Friday prayer, or congregational prayer (), is the meeting together of Muslims for communal prayer and service at midday every Friday. In Islam, the day itself is called ''Yawm al-Jum'ah'' (shortened to ''Jum'ah''), which translated from Arabic me ...
with him and planned to receive him. This, however, was discontinued when Nuri al-Said wanted al-Jamali to return to Baghdad. Al-Jamali would return three days later to bid his farewells to the King of Egypt and the Egyptian ambassador.


Prime Minister of Iraq

On September 17, 1953, King Faisal II of Iraq entrusted Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali with the task of forming a new government. Al-Jamali appointed mainly young officials, including people who had already proposed land reform, social security, and government organizations. Al-Jamali also intended to improve state structures and increase their authority. More than half of the ministers were Shi'a Muslims, and the interior ministry was taken over by a
Kurd Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...
. The new cabinet was received positively as until then, most of the Iraqi elite was dominated by Sunni Muslims. He was further supported by Nuri al-Said who hoped that al-Jamali would promote the development of the country and stop the development of the
Iraqi Communist Party The Iraqi Communist Party ( '; ) is a communist party and the oldest active party in Iraq. Since its foundation in 1934, it has dominated the left in Iraqi politics. It played a prominent role in shaping the political history of Iraq between it ...
.Charles Tripp
A History of Iraq
p.168-171
That same month, al-Jamali abolished press censorship and ended the state of emergency in the country which was introduced a year earlier, lifting restrictions on the activities of political parties. Al-Jamali made sure to control the Iraqi Communist Party and trade unions. He declared a state of emergency in the provenance of Basra when oil workers working in
Basra Basra () is a port city in Iraq, southern Iraq. It is the capital of the eponymous Basra Governorate, as well as the List of largest cities of Iraq, third largest city in Iraq overall, behind Baghdad and Mosul. Located near the Iran–Iraq bor ...
declared a strike. In December 1954, al-Jamali presented proposals to moderate reforms of the taxation system and limited land reform. These reforms were opposed by landowners and meant breaking up the traditional networks of
Clientelism Clientelism or client politics is the exchange of goods and services for political support, often involving an implicit or explicit ''quid-pro-quo''. It is closely related to patronage politics and vote buying. Clientelism involves an asymmetri ...
that have persisted since independence. Al-Jamali's government also worked to establish an anti-communist alliance between Iraq,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
, Türkiye and Pakistan which it announced to the public in February 1954. Although there were many protests against Iraq joining an anti-Communist alliance. Due to this, al-Jamali wanted to step down as Prime Minister on March 7, 1954, but Nuri al-Said convinced him to stay. In the spring of 1954, large landowners, including both Sunni and Shi'a Muslim landowners, opposed rural reforms of the government. Some of the al-Jamali's associates, disappointed with the impossibility of implementing any changes, left the cabinet. Nuri al-Said eventually stopped supporting the new government and al-Jamali decided to resign from being Prime Minister.


Bandung Conference

After the end of World War II and the process of decolonization, new Asian and African countries needed a basis of association with each other and the Arab World was among them. At the time, Africans and Asians represented a minority in the United Nations. Al-Jamali would meet with several delegations such as Asaf Ali that concerned the Palestinian question and the founding stones of the Afro-Asian conference. In the late 1940s and the 1950s, al-Jamali would work with figures such as Charles Malik of Lebanon, Fares al-Khoury, Faris al-Khoury of Syria, and Mahmoud Fawzi, Mahmud Fawzi of
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
in consultation concerning the future of former colonies in Africa such as Libya and Eritrea. When the question of Morocco and Tunisia came up,
Habib Bourguiba Habib Bourguiba (3 August 19036 April 2000) was a Tunisian politician and statesman who served as the Head of Government of Tunisia, prime minister of the Kingdom of Tunisia from 1956 to 1957, and then as the first president of Tunisia from 1 ...
and other Tunisian leaders asked al-Jamali to pursue the Tunisian case during a luncheon for the heads of the Arab delegations. Al-Jamali first met Bourguiba in
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
in April 1946 and their friendship really began in 1951 in Paris at the General Assembly meeting. The Tunisians had failed in their negotiations with France for independence so al-Jamali helped advise Bourguiba on the case in which he brought up Faisal I of Iraq, King Faisal I's independence policy. The two didn't meet until 1956 when Tunisia got its Independence of Tunisia, independence and al-Jamali brought Iraq's congratulations on their achievement of independence and al-Jamali was made an honorary citizen of Tunisia. In April 1955, less than four months away from the agreed meeting, the meeting was agreed to be in Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia. Many nations of Africa and Asia including Iraq were invited for the discussion of Africa and Asia in the new setting of world politics and the Cold War. Nuri al-Said as the incumbent Prime Minister was naturally expected to lead the Iraq delegation. However, al-Said was preoccupied with domestic problems and with setting up the mechanism of the Baghdad Pact, so he requested King Faisal II to order al-Jamali to lead the delegation. Al-Jamali made his delegation and invited former cabinet colleagues such as Hashim Hilli. Being a conference of none-aligned countries, it was attended by many leaders such as former Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then-Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Most of the countries were neutral but some delegations were anti-communist, which was the sentiment al-Jamali and the Iraqi delegation held. Before the conference, al-Jamali attended Friday prayers at Grand Mosque of Bandung, Bandung's Great Mosque and visited a few schools. He also enjoyed watching Indonesian land when he was on car trips. When Sukarno, President Sukarno opened the meeting, Nehru urged that there be no opening speeches but that, if any delegations had statements to make, they could be printed and circulated. Al-Jamali objected strongly as did others, and they proved to be the majority. Al-Jamali wanted a half-hour limit, but a fifteen-minute limit was decided. Al-Jamali's opening statement nevertheless took twenty-three minutes. Al-Jamali, as well as other delegations, wanted to discuss the Palestinian problem, however, Myanmar, Burma's Prime Minister of Myanmar, prime Minister U Nu threatened to withdraw Burma from the conference. Despite this, al-Jamali talked about the threats of Western colonialism,
Zionism Zionism is an Ethnic nationalism, ethnocultural nationalist movement that emerged in History of Europe#From revolution to imperialism (1789–1914), Europe in the late 19th century that aimed to establish and maintain a national home for the ...
, and communism to world peace and discussed the importance of East–West dichotomy, Western values and the values of large Spiritual religions. The New York Times reported the conference fully and remarked that al-Jamali's speech received more applause than that of any other delegate, noting that it was "a vigorous anti-communist attack." A popular recent rumor concerning al-Jamali and Bourguiba concerns that in 1954, al-Jamali met and gave Bourguiba an Iraqi passport to enter the Headquarters of the United Nations, UN headquarters in New York City to give a speech on behalf of Tunisia which resulted in the French delegation leaving and helping Tunisia's independence. However, there's no evidence of such an event happening or al-Jamali carrying extra Iraqi passports casually. Al-Jamali also did not have permission for citizenship or an Iraqi passport for anyone he pleased. Even if such an event happened, it would likely get Iraq into an international crisis and controversy. Although this rumor helped al-Jamali become a national hero.


Arab Federation

During the Arab Federation, in which Iraq and Jordan united into a union, then-prime minister Nuri al-Said appointed al-Jamali as a member of the Arab Union Council in 21 May 1958 until 14 July of that year.


Exile and later life


14 July Revolution

After the Iraqi monarchy was overthrown in the 14 July Revolution, 14 July 1958 Revolution, al-Jamali was pursued and arrested at a friend's home. During his imprisonment in which he faced various accusations of treason and conspiracy against Palestine despite defending Palestine throughout his life, al-Jamali wrote and published five articles that he published in newspapers in which he defended himself using historical facts and talked about his patriotism. Abd al-Karim Qasim sentenced him to death, but this was later commuted to 10 years imprisonment; he was released in 1961 after serving three years where he lived as a political refugee in Switzerland. His release came after global condemnation and pressure from many important international figures such as Mohammed V of Morocco, King Muhammad V of Morocco, Dag Hammarskjöld, Dag Hammarskjold, and Pope John XXIII. While in prison, al-Jamali delved deeply into the study of the Quran, Qur'an and the rituals of Islam. While al-Jamali was a devout Muslim and believed in the religion's principles, his time in prison increased his faith even more. Al-Jamali wrote letters to his son in prison about Islam which later got published in a book. After his release, al-Jamali was met by several Baghdadis in his house overlooking the Tigris river located in the Necib Pasha locality in Adhamiyah, al-A'dhamiyya to take care of him and discuss the events with al-Jamali. Reportedly, al-Jamali felt grief over the tragic events of the coup.


Life during exile

After his exile, he was granted Tunisian citizenship by Tunisia's President Habib Bourguiba, whom he helped Tunisia become independent. Before that, he was also invited by Hussein of Jordan, King Hussein of
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
and Hassan II of Morocco, King Hassan of Morocco. Starting in the 1960s until 1988, he taught as Professor of Philosophy of Education, at the University of Tunis. Although the age of retirement in the university was 60, that was the age al-Jamali started to teach. There he was able to spread the Islamic beliefs that he had developed in several books. Al-Jamali lectured also Arabic history in the Arabic language. Since he was an international diplomat, al-Jamali was rewarded with many medals and honors. Those include ones from countries such as Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Pahlavi Iran, Iran, Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China, Tunisia, Spain, the Vatican City among more.


Death

Al-Jamali passed away in 1997 at the age of 94, he was buried in Tunisia.Remembering Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali in a shabby Iraqi political era, 2013
/ref> Upon his death, his body was transported back from Tunisia to Iraq where it was buried at the Wadi-us-Salaam, Wadi al-Salam cemetery in
Najaf Najaf is the capital city of the Najaf Governorate in central Iraq, about 160 km (99 mi) south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2024 is about 1.41 million people. It is widely considered amongst the holiest cities of Shia Islam an ...
.


Personal life


Marriage and children

In 1932, al-Jamali was married to Sarah Powell (February 22, 1908—March 3, 2000), who was born in Saskatchewan, Canada to United States, American parents. They met while studying at the Teachers College of Columbia University in the late 1920s. She moved to Iraq with Fadhel al-Jamali and they had three sons: Laith, Usama, and Abbas. At a young age, Laith was stricken with encephalitis, which arrested his mental development. From her experience in caring for Laith, Sarah promoted public awareness of intellectual disability and wrote a book of her movement: ''The Story of Laith and His Life After Encephalitis''. She also wrote ''Folktales from the City of the Golden Dome'', a compilation of Iraqi folktales.


Writings

While in prison he wrote a series of letters to his son setting out the teaching and practice of Islam and its relevance to the problems and experience of the modern world. Following his release from prison, he compiled those letters into a book ''Letters on Islam''. In one of his memoirs, he stated:
"The great shortcoming in the Iraqi state is: We did not educate the Iraqi people as it should be. As responsible for education, I bear part of the responsibility for the deterioration of education in Iraq. We adopted secularism in the state curricula and this was a grave mistake, it was assumed Education should be Islamic, as most Iraqis are Muslims."
The book's topics are man's need for religious faith; the Qur'an as guidance; the significance of fasting; science and faith; the nature of religious experience; the meaning of Islam; science, philosophy, and religion; the Islamic creed; Islamic rituals; the social system of Islam (legislation, the family, characteristics, economic principles, social, and government); and morality in Islam. In the book, al-Jamali detailed his beliefs:
"My faith calls for scientific research, especially in the field of natural science and social studies and the acceptance of the concept of evolution. I believe in the freedom of thought, and my faith in it is deep, provided it is associated with intellectual honesty."
Throughout al-Jamali's life, he wrote many books and published many articles in Arab, English, American, and French newspapers and magazines. Among his works are ''Suggested Directions for Education in England after the War'' (1943), ''The Future of Education in Iraq'' (1944), ''Raising the New Man'' (1947), ''Iraq's call to the Arab Union'' (1954), ''Iraq between yesterday and today'' (1954), ''An Open Letter to the honorable Iraqi People'' (1969), ''The Prospects for modern education in Developing Countries'' (1988), ''The Gulf Tragedy and Western Hegemony'' (1992), and ''Let the sun shine again on the Arab Nation'' (1996).


Legacy

The academic and researcher in political science, Dr. Yasser Abd al-Hussein, described al-Jamali as "the immortal icon of Iraqi diplomacy." Muhammad Fadhel Al-Jamali is remembered for his ethics compared to other politicians in which al-Jamali showed respect to his opponents. Following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, al-Jamali's writings became more popular throughout Iraq. His books appealed to the Iraqis: urged Muslims to comply with the Quran, Qur'an, but appealed to them to study modern science to keep pace with the Western world, West.


References


Works cited

* * *


Bibliography

* *Sara P. Jamali, ''Folktales from the City of the Golden Dome''. *Mohammad Fadhel Jamali, ''Letters on Islam'', Oxford University Press, London, 1965. *Alan Rush, "Obituary Mohammad Fadhel Jamali", ''The Independent'' (London), June 3, 1997. *Charis Waddy, "Obituary Sarah Parker Jamali", ''The Independent'' (London), March 27, 2000. *Sarah P. Jamali, ''The Story of Laith and His Life after Encephalitis'', Amman, 2000. *Mohammad Fadhel Jamali, "Experiences in Arab Affairs: 1943-1958" available on the Internet at

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jamali, Muhammad fadhel 1903 births 1997 deaths Teachers College, Columbia University alumni Prime ministers of Iraq Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies of Iraq Iraqi Shia Muslims Academic staff of Tunis University American University of Beirut alumni Ministers of foreign affairs of Iraq Anti-communism in Iraq People from Baghdad