A new era began in the geography of the Middle East, particularly during Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt in 1798. Following Napoleon’s takeover of Egypt, the key to retaining these territories was to also possess Syria. Although Napoleon organized a campaign to achieve this goal in Syria, he was first halted at Acre and then forced to return to Cairo on June 2, 1799, after the failure of his last effort.

Syria, which had been under the sovereignty of the Ottoman State from the 16th century until the first quarter of the 20th century, was separated from the Ottomans in 1918 as a result of the Treaty of Sèvres and became an independent state. With the decision taken at the San Remo Conference, its administration was transferred to France. In 1946, Syria declared independence.

These political developments paved the way for the nahda movement, an early manifestation of the modernization process in the Arab world during the 19th century. This renewal and development movement was initiated by European-educated segments of Egypt and Syria on one hand and by intellectuals of the time who completed their traditional education in Egypt and other Arab territories on the other. Beginning in the second quarter of the 1800s and continuing through World War I, the nahda movement, also known as the Arab Renaissance, found a strong foothold, particularly in Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt, and was regarded by some as a movement to revive the pre-Islamic period Arab culture, while for others it was a cultural movement that reshaped Arab society’s consciousness through translations of modern European literature.

In summary, the nahda movement, which shaped itself as an important social and cultural movement as part of the efforts toward enlightenment and modernization in the Arab world, had Syria as one of its important centers, and Syrian female writers played a critical role within the framework of this renewal effort. Women writers not only generated ideas on issues such as social transformation and education but also managed to reach wider audiences with their courageous works, drawing attention from all segments of social life to the necessity of  women taking a more active role. Mary Ajamī, the main subject of this study, along with many other female authors to be mentioned below, played a significant role in the development of the Arab world by voicing their concerns regarding issues like women’s rights, education, and social equality, challenging traditional norms of the time. These authors emphasized that the spread of Western education and culture in the Arab world was necessary to achieve better living standards while also highlighting that this should be done without losing their culture and identity. This also implied that women needed to receive education according to modern Western methods and to become acquainted with modern science and philosophy. Additionally, female writers of this period were among the figures who laid the foundations of feminism in the Arab world. The names that contributed to the emergence of the feminist movement articulated the need for women to play a more active role in political and cultural spheres by addressing gender inequality. Pioneering female writers advocating for the right to have a say in every aspect of social life thoroughly explored Arabic literature and culture and participated in the intellectual debates of the period. In particular, their equal capabilities in poetry writing with those of their male counterparts made them significant figures in literary circles. Egyptian Aisha Taimuriyya (d. 1902), Malak Hifni Nasif (d. 1918), Huda al-Sharawī (d. 1947), Syrian Mariyana Marrash (d. 1919), Mary Ajamī (d. 1965), and Lebanese Labiba Hashim (d. 1947) and Zaynab Fawwaz (d. 1902) are among the notable female writers who should be mentioned.

Mary Ajamī, one of the female pioneers of the nahda movement in Syria and the owner of Syria’s first women’s magazine al-’Arûs, was an important figure who, although criticized by some circles in her time, did not deviate from her right path and managed to inscribe her name in the history of literature and culture as one of the reformist female characters of Syria. A courageous and brilliant woman writer, Mary Ajamī was devoted to social reform. In addition to being a prolific literary figure, she was also a poet and journalist who captivated the Arab homeland and ummah with her talent.

The realist style she used when writing about her political and ideological views was replaced by a romantic style when describing her fondness for nature, which she saw as a refuge for herself, and her descriptions of nature. Both daring and rebellious at the same time, Mary Acemī used a gentle, sensitive, kind, and tender pen.

In the period she lived in, she tirelessly tried to contribute to the improvement of the situation of the society in every aspect; she made great efforts to realize her goal with the associations she established, the cultural activities she pioneered, and the effective speeches she made in the conferences she attended. The author, who took steps to encourage the generations after her death, is especially noteworthy for fulfilling her responsibility and mission to improve the status of women in society.

In this study, Mary Ajamī, who attracted attention with her contributions to literary and cultural life, voiced the problems of women in her country with a loud voice, and announced the  power of her pen to the world, especially with the magazine al-’Arûs, which has an important place in Syria’s publishing life, is introduced as a neglected poet and writer in our literature. Although it is possible that the reason for this neglect is that Ajamī had opposing views on the administration and rulers of the Ottoman Empire, it is obvious that knowing this name and her works, which are important for her period, will contribute to the relevant field in our country. It is also thought that it would be useful to evaluate the author’s political views from an objective point of view and to address them as the subject of another study.