Marun Al Naqqash

Marun Al Naqqash (Arabic: مارون النقاش) (1855–1817) was a Sidon-born Maronite merchant who produced the first theatre play texts in Arabic language.

Early life and education
Al Naqqash was born in Sidon on 9 February 1817 into a Maronite family. In 1825 his family moved to Beirut where he studied Arabic language, literature in addition to law and foreign languages, including French, Italian and Turkish. He also involved in poetry, Oriental music and was educated as a bookkeeper.

Career and activities
Following the completion of his studies Al Naqqash began to work as a chief clerk at the customs department and became a member of the chamber of commerce in Beirut. He traveled to Damascus, Aleppo and Egypt for business. In 1846 he went to Italy where he was introduced the Italian theatre and opera. After he returned to Lebanon he translated The Miser, a play by Molière, into Arabic and published it with the title Al-bakhīl in 1847 which was the first Arabic play text. Al-bakhīl was written in the standard Arabic and in verse rather than in prose which made it ready for musical performance. It was staged in 1847. The Ottoman Sultan Abdulmejid was praised in the play.

Al Naqqash also established a theatre near to his Beirut home after granting a permission from the Ottomans where Al-bakhīl was performed in 1847. Then he produced two original plays. The first one was Abu Al Hasan al-Mughaffal aw Harun Al Rashid (Arabic: Abu Al Hasan the Gullible or the Caliph Harun Al Rashid) which was an adaptation of the One Thousand and One Nights and was performed at his theatre in 1850. His last play was entitled Al Salit al-Hasud (Arabic: The Impudent and Jealous Young Man) which was staged in 1852.

The content of Al Naqqash's plays was patriotic and loyal to the Ottoman Empire. Al Naqaash also wrote political poems in which he praised the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid and the Egyptian governor.

Personal life and death
His nephew, Salim Al Naqqash, also involved in theatre and formed a theatrical troupe.

Al Naqqash went to Tarsus on 19 September 1854 for business where he died of fever on 1 June 1855 at age 38.