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Ballroom Of The Blind (features Dr. Aref El-Aref)'

A lustrous noun in Literature, Dr. Aref El-Aref was one of the first Lebanese PhDs in Law from Sorbonne Paris 2, his blindness never prevented to evolve his ears and imagination were his ability to memorize every single detail, gained his three diplomas, in political science and political economy, and Law, in addition to a literature diploma The life belongs to the person who wants it

Dr. Aref El Aref (1907-1987) a lustrous noun in the literature and legal practice in Lebanon, he was born in "Zara" at the border between Turkey and Syria.

At a very early age, he contracted a simple eye infection and, due to faulty treatment by an unskilled local practitioner, was blinded, at the age of three. He was placed in a school where children learn Quran and reading and writing where he acquired a thorough knowledge of religion.

Since references were not available in Braille in that area, he came down to Tripoli to study in a normal elementary school without reading in Braille.

He lived his childhood, his school years were in north Lebanon, since not all references in school were in his youth, and his work in Beirut.

His ears and imagination were his ability to memorize every single detail, and the eyes that made him see through his early and late studies and through his life later on. Sometimes he used to find some students to read for him, although knowing that he was first in his class, some students, out of jealousy used to make that impossible for him, since they wondered how this blind kid could accomplish perfectly geometry or graphs with only trying to imagine it with drawing it on the fingers of his hand, therefore the normal pupils had their sight perfect and couldn't compete to him.

This is why he was laughed at by the cruelty of some students Nevertheless some other students were of assistance and supported him through his early years. His teacher in his school was the person who told him that he should study law to be a lawyer, and this was a great motivation for him later on, to go to Beirut and search for a Law school where he was disappointed at first when a college dean told him that the lawyer job is not for blinds, but at the end, he was recommended from this school teacher to one of the best Law schools in Lebanon "Université Saint Joseph" where he got prepared to continue his law degree in Paris.

He enjoyed his years spent in Paris and was inspired by the atmosphere within the plays in the theater, the music, the literature, the old culture, through the beauty of the "Bois de Boulogne" forests, the "Marne" river and the "Luxembourg" park where he used to sit for hours. It is in Paris where he gained his three diplomas, in political science and political economy, and Law, and where he carried his bachelor's degree in the literature, and he had his masters and PhD in civil law and commercial law. He took all his diplomas from Paris and the political science school in Paris.

Dr. Aref issued a book named " the ballroom of the blind" "markas el 3omyan" in 1948 and a book " a struggle " in 1955 "a revolution" and in 1980 he wrote: "a journey in the dark searching for the light" and his expression about his trembles of his feelings in the bitterness for a painful reality and a listing for his hopes to his nation. Dr. Aref used to love life even though he couldn't see much more of it. Nevertheless he used to say " the life belongs to the person who wants it and glory belongs to the person who makes his own way".

This man has lived in the dark the events of his history and he wrote the lines and the words of his books from his heart and his feelings to be engraved in the records of life .He created for himself life from death, and light from dark and kept considering that the picture he had in mind of life was the perfect painting that enlightened him for his passion in law, and his passion in literature. He wrote his autobiography while expressing about the pain, the pleasure, and the feelings he had in his life and for his life.

In his novels, he expresses an astounding sensitivity, insight and compassion in that age for a person with his background. His arguments for justice and equality are supported by deep and honest understanding of patriotism for his country. Equally remarkable are his sympathy with his downtrodden compatriots and his understanding of the deepest emotions and thoughts of woman as girl, lover, wife and mother