| Editor: | Abdullah al-Nadeem |
| Category: | Satirical magazine Literary magazine Political magazine |
| Founded: | 1892 |
| Founder: | Abdullah Al Nadim |
| Firstdate: | 24 August 1892 |
| Finaldate: | 13 June 1893 |
| Country: | Egypt |
| Based: | Cairo |
| Language: | Arabic |
Al Ustadh (ar|الأستاذ||The Master) was a satirical, literary and political journal that was established by Abdullah Al Nadim in Cairo, Egypt, and published for eleven months in the period August 1892–June 1893. Although it was a short-lived publication, it played an important role in the development of short story genre in Arabic.[1]
Al Ustadh was launched by Abdullah Al Nadim, an Egyptian writer and political activist, as his third journal in Cairo in 1892.[2] [3] The first issue appeared on 24 August 1892.[4] Al Nadim had been living out of Cairo for a decade following the ʻUrabi revolt and started Al Ustadh shortly after his return to the city.[5] [6] He established the journals Al Tankit wal Tabkit and Al Taif before his exile.[3] Sabry Hafez argues that of his journals Al Ustadh is the most prominent one in terms of its influence.[5]
Al Nadim adopted a rationalist approach when he started Al Ustadh[3] which featured satirical content and drawings,[7] didactic fictional materials[2] and political articles.[8] The fictional materials were written in the colloquial prose like those in Abu Naddara, a magazine by Yaqub Sanu.[9] In the articles published in Al Ustadh Al Nadim frequently referred to his former writings published in his early journal Al Tankit wal Tabkit and focused on the Arabic language as a major element of the national identity of Egyptians.[3] He also published sketches of hashish consumption which he considered as one of the reasons for the underdeveloped status of the Egyptian society.[10] Al Nadim was forced by Cromer, British colonial administrator in Egypt, to close Al Ustadh, and the last issue appeared on 13 June 1893 which contained a letter of thanks to the subscribers .[4] [11] [12] Following this incident Al Nadim left Egypt due to his ongoing opposition to the British rule in Egypt.[7] [13]