Scholar
Rifaʿa Rafiʿ al-Tahtawi
Pioneer of translation and modern education in Egypt
1801 – 1873
Lifespan.
Biography
An al-Azhar scholar from Tahta who went as imam with the first large study mission to France in 1826. He described his journey in Takhlis al-ibriz fi talkhis Bariz, founded the School of Languages, and translated or supervised the translation of many books.
Key facts
Certainty: Established
Al-Tahtawi’s book about Paris was published in 1834 by the Bulaq press.
- Rifaʿa Rafiʿ al-Tahtawi (2004) “An Imam in Paris: Account of a Stay in France by an Egyptian Cleric (1826–1831) (trans. Daniel L. Newman)” Saqi Books