Youakim Moubarac (July 20, 1924 – May 24, 1995) was a Lebanese French scholar. He was an

Islamologist Islamic studies refers to the academic study of Islam, and generally to academic multidisciplinary "studies" programs—programs similar to others that focus on the history, texts and theologies of other religious traditions, such as Easter ...

, an

Arabist An Arabist is someone, often but not always from outside the Arab world, who specialises in the study of the Arabic language and culture (usually including Arabic literature). Origins Arabists began in medieval Muslim Spain, which lay on the ...

and a disciple of the Orientalist Louis Massignon and of philosopher Louis Gardet. A

Maronite The Maronites ( ar, الموارنة; syr, ܡܖ̈ܘܢܝܐ) are a Christian ethnoreligious group native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant region of the Middle East, whose members traditionally belong to the Maronite Church, with the larges ...

priest, Moubarac dedicated his life and major works to interfaith dialogue between Christianity and

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

, to Arab and Lebanese causes, to the unity of the Church and to the Maronite Church

Antiochian Antioch on the Orontes (; grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου, ''Antiókheia hē epì Oróntou'', Koine Greek phonology#Learned pronunciation, 4th century BC until early Roman period, Learned ; also Syrian Antioch) grc-koi ...

heritage.

Biography

Youakim Moubarac was born in

Kfarsghab Kfarsghab ( known also as Kfar Sghab, Kafarsghab or Kfarseghab; ar, كفرصغاب, ) is a village located in the Zgharta District in the North Governorate of Lebanon. It is situated in the Valley of Qadisha, which is considered a holy and spiri ...

, Zgharta, Lebanon in a

family of long sacerdotal tradition. His Father, Antoun, and Grandfather, Youssef, were

priests serving their community in one of the holiest locations of the

Eastern Christianity Eastern Christianity comprises Christian traditions and church families that originally developed during classical and late antiquity in Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Northeast Africa, the Fertile Crescent and ...

in the Middle East, the

Qadisha Kadisha Valley ( ar, وادي قاديشا), also romanized as the Qadisha Valley and also known as the Kadisha Gorge or Wadi Kadisha (french: Ouadi Qadisha), is a gorge that lies within the Bsharri and Zgharta Districts of the North Governorat ...

Valley. His maternal grandfather Nemtallah Samia was also a priest.

Early life

After ecclesiastic studies in the

Seminary of Ghazir and the Université Saint-Joseph, Beirut, Lebanon, young Youakim was sent in October 1945 to France by his superiors. Once his studies ended in the Seminary of Saint Sulpice, Paris, he was ordained priest on June 29, 1947 in Lebanon. In 1948, he was authorized by the Maronite Patriarch to continue his studies at the Institut Catholique de Paris. In that same year, he is appointed at the service of the Church of

Saint Séverin In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern O ...

in the Quartier Latin, Paris where he stayed for 18 years.

Expanded description

In 1951, he presented his first Ph.D. thesis ''Abraham dans le Coran'' and joined as a researcher the Centre national de la recherche scientifique, the largest public research organization in France. From 1950 till 1962, Fr. Moubarac assumed the secretariat of Louis Massignon. In 1959, he started his academic career, teaching

Classical Arabic Classical Arabic ( ar, links=no, ٱلْعَرَبِيَّةُ ٱلْفُصْحَىٰ, al-ʿarabīyah al-fuṣḥā) or Quranic Arabic is the standardized literary form of Arabic used from the 7th century and throughout the Middle Ages, most notab ...

at the Institut Catholique de Paris. Till his death, he taught in several universities such as the

Université catholique de Louvain The Université catholique de Louvain (also known as the Catholic University of Louvain, the English translation of its French name, and the University of Louvain, its official English name) is Belgium's largest French-speaking university. It ...

, Belgium, the University of Paris IV: Paris-Sorbonne and others. He participated between 1962 and 1965 in the Second Vatican Council within the

delegation. After 1965, he dedicated himself to his work of promotion of the Interfaith dialogue, of defense of the Palestinian and especially Lebanese causes from 1975. From 1985, Father Youakim worked on the rediscovering of the spiritual Syriac roots of the Maronite Church. Between 1987 and 1992, he settled in Lebanon and was in charge of preparing for a

Synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...

.the Maronite Patriarchal Synod Official Website
/ref> During this period, and despite an intensive work on the Synod preparation and many spiritual and political missions, Moubarac started two important projects: * In 1989, he started the restoration of the Monastery of Our Lady of Qannoubine, a historical

Monastery in the

valley which was for centuries the See of the Maronite Patriarch (ca. 15th to 18th Century). * In 1992, he founded with some friends
The Lebanese Cooperative for Development
a

microcredit :''This article is specific to small loans, often provided in a pooled manner. For direct payments to individuals for specific projects, see Micropatronage. For financial services to the poor, see Microfinance. For small payments, see Micropayme ...

initiative, whose objectives were to encourage the displaced families during the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990) to settle back in their region of origin and to prevent emigration outside Lebanon. In 1991, the decision of Pope John Paul II to convene a

in Rome for all Catholic Lebanese Churches cancelled his project. In 1992, he settled back in Paris where he resumed his academic work.

Death and afterward

Father Youakim died on May 24, 1995 in

Montpellier Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of ...

, France. His burial took place at the graveyard of the Abbaye Notre-Dame-de-Jouarre, France. Fourteen years later, on August 25, 2009, his remains were transferred, according to his wish, to rest beside his relatives in Mar Youssef Church in

Morh Kfarsghab Morh Kfarsghab ( known also as Morh Kfar Sghab, Murh Kafarsghab or Mrah Kfarseghab; ar, مرح كفرصغاب, pronounced ) is a village located in the Zgharta District in the North Governorate of Lebanon. Murh Kfarsghab is the winter dwelling ...

. A solemn mass of requiem, in his home town of

was presided by the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, honored by the presence of the Minister of Information, M.

Tarek Mitri Tarek Mitri ( ar, طارق متري; born 16 September 1950) is a Lebanese university professor, independent politician and former government minister. Early life and education Mitri was born on 16 September 1950. He has a PhD. in political sci ...

representing the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Michel Suleiman, the family and friends.

Notes

Works

Youakim Moubarac left important works, large parts of which remain unpublished. In 2005 and 2006, two books were published with some of his previously unpublished works: * Georges Corm (2004), ''Youakim Moubarac, Un homme d'exception'', Librairie Orientale, Beirut, * Dossier dirigé par Jean Stassinet (2005), ''Youakim Moubarac'', Editions L'Age d'Homme, Lausanne,

Published works

* 1956, ''Bibliographie de Louis Massignon. Réunie et classée par Y. Moubarac'', Institut Français de Damas, Damascus. * 1956, ''Les Noms divins dans le Coran et en épigraphie sud-sémitique'', Museon, Louvain. * 1957, ''Les Études d'épigraphie sud-sémitique et la naissance de l'Islam : Eléments de bibliographie et lignes de recherches'', Librairie orientaliste Paul Geuthner, * 1958, ''Abraham dans le Coran'', Editions J. Vrin, Paris. * 1962, ''L'Islam'', Castermann, Paris. * 1963, ''Anthologie de la littérature arabe, selon une nouvelle translittération établie par le Cardinal Tisserant'', Gedalge, Paris. * 1963, ''Catéchisme pour adultes à Saint-Séverin'', Casterman, * 1963, ''Mémorial Louis Massignon, Sous la direction de Youakim Moubarac et des textes arabes de Ibrahim Madkour, Abd al-Rahman Badawi, Taha Hussein, etc.'', Dar el-Salam, Imprimerie de l' Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale, Cairo. * 1964, ''Guide de l'église Saint-Séverin (XIIIe-XVIe siècles) Deuxième édition revue avec textes en espagnol, italien, anglais et allemand'', Association Philippe Néri, Paris. * 1965, ''Bible, Liturgy, and Dogma'', Notre Dame, Ind., Fides Publishers, * 1965, ''Saint-Séverin catechism for adults'', G. Chapman, London, * 1965, ''Calendrier synoptique, juif, chrétien, musulman 1966'', Devrue, Paris. * 1966, ''I Believe in God'', Notre Dame, Ind., Fides Publishers. * 1966, ''Calendrier Synoptique, juif, chrétien, musulman'', Philippe Néri, Saint Séverin, Paris. * 1968, ''Vocation islamique de Jérusalem'', Al Khal Editor, Beirut. * 1969, ''La Pensée chrétienne et l'Islam, des origines jusqu'a la prise de Constantinople'', Sorbonne, Paris. * 1971, ''Les Musulmans: consultation islamo-chrétienne, Seven Muslim intellectuals from North Africa, Egypt, Iran, and India replies to questions concerning relations with Christians.'', Beauchesne, Paris. * 1972, ''Pentalogie Islamo-chrétienne'', 5 tomes : ** tome 1 : ''L’œuvre de Louis Massignon'', ** tome 2 : ''Le Coran et la critique occidentale'', ** tome 3 : ''L’Islam et le dialogue Islamo-Chrétien'', ** tome 4 : ''Les Chrétiens et le Monde Arabe'', ** tome 5 : ''Palestine et Arabité.'', . Editions du Cénacle Libanais, Beirut. * 1977, ''Recherches sur la pensée chrétienne et l'Islam dans les temps modernes et à l'époque contemporaine'', Université libanaise, Beirut. * 1975, ''Muhammad est-il prophète?'', Louvain-La-Neuve, Université catholique de Louvain, Faculté de théologie, * 1982, ''Islam et Christianisme en dialogue'', Cerf, Paris. * 1984, ''Pentalogie antiochienne, Domaine Maronite'', 5 tomes en 7 volumes: ** tome 1 : ''les Maronites entre l'Orient syrien et l'Occident Latin'', ** tome 2 : ''le Liban entre l'Islam, la France et l'arabité'', ** tome 3 : ''hommes et institutions, us et coutumes, proverbes et dictons, recettes et chansons'', ** tome 4 : ''répertoire du Liban'', ** tome 5 : ''livre d'heures et de mélodies'', ** tome 6 : ''livre du pain et du vin'', ** tome 7 : ''livre d'images'', Publications du cénacle libanais, Beirut. * 1986, ''La Pensée Chrétienne et l’Islam'', Université libanaise, Beirut. * 1993, ''La chambre nuptiale du coeur, Approches spirituelles et questionnements de l'Orient syriani'', Cariscript, Paris, * 1993, ''La Question libanaise dans les textes du Patriarche Sfeir'', Cariscript, Paris. * 1996, ''al-Quds—al-qaḍīyah '', al-Markaz al-Raʼīsī, Beirut,

References

* Antoine Fleyfel, La théologie contextuelle arabe. Modèle libanais, Paris, L'Harmattan, 2011

External links

The Lebanese Cooperative for Development, an initiative of Youakim Moubarac.

Association des Amis de Youakim Moubarac

Ehden Family Tree
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moubarac, Youakim 1924 births 1995 deaths Syriacists Lebanese Arabists Institut Catholique de Paris alumni Lebanese Maronites Christian writers Lebanese writers Lebanese academics University of Paris faculty 20th-century Lebanese historians People from Zgharta District Institut Catholique de Paris faculty Université catholique de Louvain faculty