A fellah (Arabic: فَلَّاحfallāḥ; feminine فَلَّاحَةfallāḥa; plural fellaheen or fellahin, فلاحين, fallāḥīn) is a peasant, usually a farmer or agricultural laborer in the Middle East and North Africa. The word derives from the Arabic word for "ploughman" or "tiller".
Fellahin children harvesting crops in EgyptA group of Egyptian fellahs, 1955
Due to a continuity in beliefs and lifestyle with that of the Ancient Egyptians, the fellahin of Egypt have been described as the "true Egyptians".[1]
A fellah could be seen wearing a simple Egyptian cotton robe called galabieh (jellabiya). The word galabieh originated around 1715–1725 and derived from the Egyptian slang word gallabīyah.
Fellah women in EgyptFellahin with hoes in the fields near Cairo
"Fellahin", throughout the Middle East in the Islamic periods, referred to native villagers and farmers.[2] It is translated as "peasants" or "farmers".[3][4]
Fellahin were distinguished from the effendi (land-owning class),[5] although the fellahin in this region might be tenant farmers, smallholders, or live in a village that owned the land communally.[6][7] Others applied the term fellahin only to landless workers.[8]
After the Arab conquest of Egypt, they called the common masses of indigenous peasants fellahin (peasants or farmers) because their ancient work of agriculture and connecting to their lands was different from the Jews who were traders and the Greeks, who were the ruling class. With the passage of time, the name took on an ethnic character, and the Arab elites to some extent used the fellah synonymously with "indigenous Egyptian". Also when a Christian Egyptian converted to Islam he was called falih which means "winner" or "victorious".[3]
The percentage of fellahin in Egypt was much higher than it is now in the early 20th century, before large numbers migrated into urban towns and cities. In 1927, anthropologist Winifred Blackman, author of The Fellahin of Upper Egypt, conducted ethnographic research on the life of Upper Egyptian farmers and concluded that there were observable continuities between the cultural and religious beliefs and practices of the fellahin and those of ancient Egyptians.[9]
In 2003, the fellahin were still leading humble lives and living in mud-brick houses, like their ancient ancestors.[1] In 2005, they comprised some 60 per cent of the Egyptian population.[10]
In the Levantedit
In the Levant, specifically in Palestine, Jordan and Hauran, the term fellahin was used to refer to the majority native peasantry of the countryside.[11] The term fallah was also applied to native people from several regions in the North Africa and the Middle East, also including those of Cyprus.
^ abPateman, Robert & Salwa El-Hamamsy (2003). Egypt. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. p. 54. ISBN9780761416708.
^Mahdi, Kamil A.; Würth, Anna; Lackner, Helen (2007). Yemen Into the Twenty-First Century: Continuity and Change. Garnet & Ithaca Press. p. 209. ISBN9780863722905.
^Masalha, Nur (2005). Catastrophe Remembered: Palestine, Israel and the Internal Refugees: Essays in Memory of Edward W. Said (1935–2003). Zed Books. p. 78.
^Warwick P. N. Tyler, State Lands and Rural Development in mandatory Palestine, 1920–1948, Sussex Academic Press, 2001, p. 13
^Sandra Marlene Sufian, Healing the Land and the Nation: Malaria and the Zionist Project in Palestine, 1920–1947, University of Chicago Press, 2007, p. 57
^Michael Gilsenan, Lords of the Lebanese Marches: Violence and Narrative in an Arab Society, I. B. Tauris, 2003, p. 13
^Faraldi, Caryll (11–17 May 2000). . Al-Ahram Weekly. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
^Smith, George Adam (1918). Syria and the Holy Land. George H. Doran company. p. 41. fellahin syria.
^Grigore, George. "George Grigore. "Muslims in Romania", ISIM Newsletter (International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World) no. 3, Leiden. 1999: 34".
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Egypt's forgotten fellahin
October 29, 2023
fellah, arabic, word, success, context, islam, falah, star, ophiuchi, this, article, possibly, contains, original, research, please, improve, verifying, claims, made, adding, inline, citations, statements, consisting, only, original, research, should, removed,. For the Arabic word for success in the context of Islam see Falah For the star see 67 Ophiuchi This article possibly contains original research Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations Statements consisting only of original research should be removed March 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message A fellah Arabic ف ل اح fallaḥ feminine ف ل اح ة fallaḥa plural fellaheen or fellahin فلاحين fallaḥin is a peasant usually a farmer or agricultural laborer in the Middle East and North Africa The word derives from the Arabic word for ploughman or tiller Fellahin children harvesting crops in EgyptA group of Egyptian fellahs 1955Due to a continuity in beliefs and lifestyle with that of the Ancient Egyptians the fellahin of Egypt have been described as the true Egyptians 1 A fellah could be seen wearing a simple Egyptian cotton robe called galabieh jellabiya The word galabieh originated around 1715 1725 and derived from the Egyptian slang word gallabiyah Contents 1 Origins and usage 2 In Egypt 3 In the Levant 4 In Dobruja 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksOrigins and usage edit nbsp Fellah women in Egypt nbsp Fellahin with hoes in the fields near Cairo Fellahin throughout the Middle East in the Islamic periods referred to native villagers and farmers 2 It is translated as peasants or farmers 3 4 Fellahin were distinguished from the effendi land owning class 5 although the fellahin in this region might be tenant farmers smallholders or live in a village that owned the land communally 6 7 Others applied the term fellahin only to landless workers 8 In Egypt edit nbsp Fellahin in Cairo using a traditional agricultural plowAfter the Arab conquest of Egypt they called the common masses of indigenous peasants fellahin peasants or farmers because their ancient work of agriculture and connecting to their lands was different from the Jews who were traders and the Greeks who were the ruling class With the passage of time the name took on an ethnic character and the Arab elites to some extent used the fellah synonymously with indigenous Egyptian Also when a Christian Egyptian converted to Islam he was called falih which means winner or victorious 3 The percentage of fellahin in Egypt was much higher than it is now in the early 20th century before large numbers migrated into urban towns and cities In 1927 anthropologist Winifred Blackman author of The Fellahin of Upper Egypt conducted ethnographic research on the life of Upper Egyptian farmers and concluded that there were observable continuities between the cultural and religious beliefs and practices of the fellahin and those of ancient Egyptians 9 In 2003 the fellahin were still leading humble lives and living in mud brick houses like their ancient ancestors 1 In 2005 they comprised some 60 per cent of the Egyptian population 10 In the Levant editIn the Levant specifically in Palestine Jordan and Hauran the term fellahin was used to refer to the majority native peasantry of the countryside 11 The term fallah was also applied to native people from several regions in the North Africa and the Middle East also including those of Cyprus In Dobruja editDuring the 19th century some Muslim Fellah families from Ottoman Syria settled in Dobruja a region now divided between Bulgaria and Romania then part of the Ottoman Empire They fully intermingled with the Turks and Tatars of Romania and were Turkified 12 See also editCopts Egyptian Christian Orthodox PeasantReferences edit a b Pateman Robert amp Salwa El Hamamsy 2003 Egypt New York Marshall Cavendish Benchmark p 54 ISBN 9780761416708 Mahdi Kamil A Wurth Anna Lackner Helen 2007 Yemen Into the Twenty First Century Continuity and Change Garnet amp Ithaca Press p 209 ISBN 9780863722905 a b Fellahin Fallahin Falih Aflah maajim com maajam dictionary Masalha Nur 2005 Catastrophe Remembered Palestine Israel and the Internal Refugees Essays in Memory of Edward W Said 1935 2003 Zed Books p 78 Warwick P N Tyler State Lands and Rural Development in mandatory Palestine 1920 1948 Sussex Academic Press 2001 p 13 Hillel Cohen Army of Shadows Palestinian Collaboration with Zionism 1917 1948 University of California Press 2008 p 32 Sandra Marlene Sufian Healing the Land and the Nation Malaria and the Zionist Project in Palestine 1920 1947 University of Chicago Press 2007 p 57 Michael Gilsenan Lords of the Lebanese Marches Violence and Narrative in an Arab Society I B Tauris 2003 p 13 Faraldi Caryll 11 17 May 2000 A genius for hobnobbing Al Ahram Weekly Archived from the original on 1 December 2017 Retrieved 30 November 2017 Who Are the Fellahin Biot 312 December 24 2005 SEMP Inc Smith George Adam 1918 Syria and the Holy Land George H Doran company p 41 fellahin syria Grigore George George Grigore Muslims in Romania ISIM Newsletter International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World no 3 Leiden 1999 34 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fellahs Egypt s forgotten fellahin Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fellah amp oldid 1181412634, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
