BEIRUT: Leaving a legacy that spans half a century, Lebanese intellectual Mounah al-Solh died Saturday, prompting many to speak out on the importance of his work.
Solh was a respected educator, a political activist who never pursued power or wealth, and a bold journalist known for his honesty in criticizing friends and enemies alike.
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri described him as a “lighthouse” in a statement released Sunday. “Mounah al-Solh is a loss to anyone who knew him, followed him, and learned from him the arts of intellect, writing and politics, and a big loss to those who never knew him,” Hariri said.
As described by his fellow scholars and activists, and by the numerous mourning statements released following his passing, Solh was known for his commitment to telling the truth.
A firm believer in Arab nationalism, he was nevertheless unfaltering in his criticism of its leaders where he saw error or despotism. He was also a firm believer in the right of Palestinians to return to their occupied lands, and a friend to late Fatah leader Yasser Arafat, but he did not think twice before warning the party against interfering in neighboring countries’ affairs.
In 1987, Solh co-founded Dar al-Nadwa, a dialogue center meant to create a space for the exchange of ideas during the harsh years of the 1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War.
He also co-founded the Arab Nationalist Conference in 1990, the Arab Nationalist Forum in 1992, and the Islamic Nationalist Conference in 1994.
Solh died at the age of 87 after months of illness. He will be laid to rest Monday evening, and condolences will be received Tuesday and Wednesday at the Worldwide Alumni Association of the American University of Beirut.
“With the departure of Mounah al-Solh, the Arab world has lost a great intellectual and one of the knights of nationalist work, who considered the Palestinian cause a sacred one and believed in our Arab nation,” Prime Minister Tammam Salam said in a statement.
Lebanese MP Mohammad Qabbani also paid tribute to Solh Sunday at the 131st interparliamentary assembly in Switzerland, calling him “a brother, dear friend, and a great Lebanese Arab struggler.
Grand Mufti Abdel-Latif Derian recalled Solh as an example of moderation. “Lebanon has lost one of its pillars of culture and enlightened thought,” Derian said in a statement, describing Solh as “a national figure and a unique personality, who was eager to preserve national unity and coexistence between the Lebanese.”
Head of the Journalists Union Elias Aoun also offered condolences over Solh’s death, lamenting that he was neglected by the very country to which he had contributed so much.
“The Lebanese Mounah al-Solh passed away without getting what he deserved from his country and nation,” Aoun said in a statement.
“He deserved care in his old age ... but he lived alone, although he had led and advised many generations in Lebanon and the Arab world.
“We apologize that you have been born and you lived in a big country ruled by a small state, one that ignores the human values and ethics,” he said.
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