Nur al-Fayha

Nur al-Fayha ("Light of Damascus"), was a women's rights organization in Syria, active during the Faisal government, between January 1919 and July 1920.

[1] The organization was composed of a group of elite women married to male modernist politicians and loyalists of the Faisal government.

[1] The Nur al-Fayha was founded in January 1919 by a group of elite women in Damascus under the leadership of Nazik al-Abid.

[1] In line with modernist principles, the Nur al-Fayha wished to benefit the building of a strong nation by women's participation and liberation: it wished to lessen the difference between Muslim and Western women in "knowledge (ilm) and progress (ruqiy)", and praised the "modern ideas" (afkar haditha), which was supported by the elite of educated male modernist reformists "enlightened ones" (mutanawwirun), to whom most of the members where related and married.

[1] While the Nur al-Fayha considered unveiling as too sensitive an issue to campaign in favor of it, it indirectly supported it; the leader, Nazik al-Abid, her mother and many other members appeared unveiled in public in gender mixed company in 1919, such as at the visit by Gertrude Bell as well as during the meeting with the King-Crane Commission.