L'essere maġribī tra marginalità e tamyīz. Il caso degli al-Baybānī a Damasco.

Abstract

The two main Arab-Islamic areas of Magrib and Masriq, although one could well distinguish them geographically, should not be considered as separated entities, both from a historical and a cultural point of view, but as two interconnected areas. This mainly depends on the unfailing flow of 'ulama' travelling from one area to the other, due to their willing of learning and at the same time transmitting their knowledge. Most 19th century Arabic biographical literature represents in this sense an essential source witnessing the important contribution which many 'ulama' magariba gave to a social as well as cultural process of progressive integration and development. In a more specific way, the city of Damascus - capital of the Ottoman wilaya of Syria - experienced from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century the presence of members of the Magribi Baybani family who, by holding significant offices and key-charges, had a strong influence on the urban milieu and that of the whole province, and became exceptional personalities among the Damascene a'yan of that period.