Meraat-ul-Gharb

Meraat-ul-Gharb, whose Arabic name means “Mirror of the West,” is an Arabic-language publication associated with the Arab-American and Mahjar, or émigré, literary press. Najeeb Diab founded it in New York City in 1899, making it part of the early Arabic publishing infrastructure established by immigrants from the Levant in the United States. The publication served both as a newspaper and as a forum for political commentary, cultural debate, and literary writing aimed at Arabic-speaking readers in the American diaspora and readers connected with the Middle East. During its early decades, Meraat-ul-Gharb developed a strongly political editorial profile. Its initial outlook was critical of Ottoman rule and later hostile to Turkish nationalism. In the years before and during the First World War, the newspaper was associated with arguments for political reform and a federal organization of the Middle East that would encompass Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon. It also opposed French colonial control in the region. Contemporary reporting in 1908 described the newspaper as one of the instruments that helped stimulate opposition within the Ottoman military to the sultan’s government. This description reflects the political significance attributed to diasporic Arabic newspapers at a time when expatriate publishing networks circulated reformist and nationalist ideas across the Atlantic and the eastern Mediterranean. The publication was also important as a platform for Mahjar literature. Its pages carried work by several writers who became central figures in modern Arabic literature, including Kahlil Gibran, Mikhail Naimy, Ameen Rihani, and Ilya Abu Madi. The paper’s associated printing operation extended this role beyond periodical journalism: in 1912, its press published Gibran’s novel Broken Wings. Through these activities, Meraat-ul-Gharb connected news publishing, political advocacy, literary experimentation, and book production. Editorial control changed hands several times. Najeeb Diab edited the paper from its founding until 1916 and returned to the role from 1928 to 1936. William Catzeflis edited it from 1916 to 1918, followed by Ilya Abu Madi from 1918 to 1928. Nasib Arida led the publication from 1937 to 1946, and Farid Ghosn edited it from 1946 until the original publication ceased in 1961. These successive editors represented different strands of the Arabic-American literary and journalistic community while preserving the publication’s connection to Arabic-language diaspora culture. After a long interruption, Meraat-ul-Gharb was revived in New York in 2013. The revived publication uses the historic Arabic name but has been described as apolitical and oriented toward literature, poetry, culture, and medicine. Its revival gives the title a continuing role as a cultural rather than primarily political publication, while retaining its historical association with Arab-American publishing and Mahjar intellectual life. Publicly available reference material does not establish detailed corporate ownership, circulation figures, financial results, or a separate official website.

Meraat-ul-Gharb was founded in New York City in 1899 by Najeeb Diab. Its name is an Arabic expression commonly translated as “Mirror of the West,” a description that suited a publication produced in the United States for Arabic-speaking readers. It emerged within the Arab-American and Mahjar press, a network of newspapers, journals, printers, and literary associations created by immigrants from the Levant and their descendants. In its early period, Meraat-ul-Gharb was more than a general newspaper. Its editorials opposed Ottoman rule and later criticized Turkish nationalism. The paper advocated political arrangements that would give Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon a federal relationship and strongly rejected French colonialism in the Middle East. In 1908, it was reported as one of the diaspora publications believed to have encouraged opposition among elements of the Ottoman military to the sultan’s government. Such reporting indicates the importance contemporaries attached to Arabic-language newspapers published outside the Ottoman Empire. The paper also became a major outlet for Mahjar writers. It published early writing by Kahlil Gibran in 1910, Mikhail Naimy in 1915, Ameen Rihani in 1916, and Ilya Abu Madi in 1918. Its printing house broadened its influence by publishing books, including Gibran’s novel Broken Wings in 1912. The combination of journalism and book production made the publication part of the institutional foundation of modern Arabic literary culture in the American diaspora. Najeeb Diab served as editor from 1899 to 1916 and again from 1928 to 1936. William Catzeflis followed him from 1916 to 1918, and Ilya Abu Madi edited the paper from 1918 to 1928. Later editorial periods were led by Nasib Arida from 1937 to 1946 and Farid Ghosn from 1946 to 1961. The original publication ceased in 1961. In 2013, the title was revived in New York under the direction of Kamal Taoube, M.D. The revived edition shifted away from the earlier newspaper’s overt political identity and was described as an apolitical online and physical Arabic-language magazine focused on literature, poetry, culture, and medicine. This revival preserved the name’s historical connection to Arabic-American publishing while adapting its editorial scope to a contemporary cultural format. Available reference material does not provide verified circulation, ownership, revenue, corporate-registration, or detailed distribution information.

1. 2013Revival as an apolitical cultural magazine

   Meraat-ul-Gharb was relaunched in New York as an online and physical Arabic-language publication covering literature, poetry, culture, and medicine.

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2. 1961End of the original publication run

   The original newspaper ceased publication.

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3. 1918Ilya Abu Madi becomes editor

   Ilya Abu Madi assumed the editorship, while the paper continued its role as a Mahjar literary platform.

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4. 1916Editorial transition to William Catzeflis

   William Catzeflis became editor after Najeeb Diab’s first editorial period.

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5. 1915Publication of Mikhail Naimy

   The newspaper published writing by Mikhail Naimy.

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6. 1912Publication of Broken Wings

   The associated printing house published Kahlil Gibran’s novel Broken Wings.

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7. 1910Early publication of Kahlil Gibran

   The newspaper published early writing by Kahlil Gibran.

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8. 1908Reported connection to Ottoman political unrest

   Contemporary reporting identified the newspaper as one of the publications that helped stimulate opposition within the Ottoman military to the sultan’s government.

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9. 1899Foundation in New York

   Najeeb Diab founded Meraat-ul-Gharb as an Arabic-language newspaper in New York City.

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An Arabic-language diaspora publication rooted in New York’s Arab-American press tradition. Historically it combined political journalism, anti-Ottoman and anti-colonial commentary, and literary publishing; after its 2013 revival, it has been positioned as an apolitical outlet for Arabic literature, poetry, culture, and medicine.

• Meraat-ul-Gharb newspaperArabic-language newspaper1899

  The original publication was an Arabic-language newspaper founded in New York in 1899. It combined news, editorials, political commentary, and literary material for Arabic-speaking readers in the United States and the wider Arab diaspora. Its early editorial line opposed Ottoman rule, criticized Turkish nationalism, supported a federal Middle Eastern political structure, and opposed French colonialism.

• Meraat-ul-Gharb revived magazineArabic cultural magazine2013

  The revived publication uses the historic name for an apolitical Arabic-language online and physical magazine. Its stated subject areas include literature, poetry, culture, and medicine. Public reference material identifies the revival as beginning in New York in 2013 but does not provide detailed circulation or commercial information.

• Broken WingsBook1912

  Kahlil Gibran’s novel Broken Wings was published in 1912 by the printing house associated with Meraat-ul-Gharb. The edition illustrates the publication’s historical role in extending Arabic-American journalism into book publishing.

• 2013Shift from newspaper identity to cultural magazineStrategy

  After the original newspaper ceased publication in 1961, the title was revived in a different media environment and for a contemporary diaspora audience.

  What changed. The revived Meraat-ul-Gharb adopted an apolitical editorial position and focused on Arabic literature, poetry, culture, and medicine in online and physical formats.

  Aftermath. The relaunch restored the historic title and continued its connection to Arabic-language cultural publishing, although detailed audience, circulation, and financial outcomes are not publicly established in the available sources.

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• 2013Meraat-ul-Gharb revived as a cultural magazine

  The title returned in New York as an apolitical Arabic-language literature, poetry, culture, and medicine magazine available in online and physical forms.

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• 1961Original publication ceases

  The original run of Meraat-ul-Gharb ended after more than six decades of Arabic-language newspaper publishing in New York.

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• 1918Meraat-ul-Gharb becomes an important Mahjar literary outlet

  By the late 1910s, the newspaper had published or hosted work by major Mahjar writers including Kahlil Gibran, Mikhail Naimy, Ameen Rihani, and Ilya Abu Madi.

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• 1912Associated press publishes Kahlil Gibran’s Broken Wings

  The publication’s printing house issued Broken Wings, linking Meraat-ul-Gharb to the early book-publishing career of Kahlil Gibran.

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• 1911Meraat-ul-Gharb recognized as a leading Arabic newspaper in the United States

  By 1911, contemporary assessments regarded the publication as among the strongest Arabic newspapers being issued in the United States.

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• 1899Meraat-ul-Gharb founded in New York

  Najeeb Diab established the Arabic-language newspaper in New York, adding a new title to the growing Arabic-American immigrant press.

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1. Meraat-ul-Gharb
2. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies collection
3. Library of Congress