الوقائع المصرية

Al-Waqa'i' al-Masriyya (formerly known simply as Waqa'i' Misriyya) is an Egyptian newspaper founded by Muhammad Ali Pasha in 1828 in Cairo. Its first issue was published on December 3, 1828, and it was distributed to state officials, army officers, and students of educational missions. It is considered the first Arabic newspaper in the Middle East and was later incorporated into the Official Gazette. Initially, it was published in both Arabic and Ottoman Turkish before becoming exclusively Arabic. Establishment The idea of establishing a newspaper in Egypt dates back to the French Campaign, during which the first newspaper known to Egyptians, Courrier d’Égypte, was issued in French on August 29, 1798, consisting of four pages. It included daily events, news of administrative councils, judicial rulings, and army ceremonies. After the departure of the French and the stabilization of conditions in Egypt, the concept of journalism developed further with the establishment of the Bulaq Printing Press, the first government printing press in Egypt. Although the governor did not initially have a clear press policy, he was eager to follow newspapers and learn about opinions and news. Impressed by Western newspapers, Muhammad Ali sought to stay informed about domestic and foreign affairs. He therefore established Egypt’s first official government newspaper and set out a clear distribution plan to ensure its circulation. The first issue of Al-Waqa'i' al-Masriyya was published on Tuesday, 25 Jumada al-Awwal 1244 AH (corresponding to 1828), in both Arabic and Ottoman Turkish. A copy of this issue is preserved in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Historical Development The newspaper underwent numerous developments. In 1842, Rifa'a al-Tahtawi modernized its format, content, and style to such an extent that it alarmed some state officials, ultimately leading to his exile to Sudan. He made Egyptian news the primary focus instead of Turkish news and revived the political editorial through his introductory articles. Under his supervision, the newspaper began employing dedicated writers and editors. During the reign of Sa'id of Egypt, publication was suspended between 1854 and 1863. Following the British occupation of Egypt in 1882, the newspaper was transformed from a purely governmental publication into a daily public newspaper under the leadership of Muhammad Abduh, who had been entrusted in 1880 by Riyad Pasha with reforming it. Over approximately eighteen months, he successfully turned it into a platform advocating reform and educational development. The newspaper published poetry and excerpts from the Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun. Rifa'a al-Tahtawi wrote the first complete political article published in Egyptian journalism, titled Tamheed, in Issue No. 623 (1842), which was also the first issue after he assumed supervision. Today, the General Authority for Amiri Printing Houses serves as the publisher of both the Official Gazette and Al-Waqa'i' al-Masriyya. Distribution Policy Under Muhammad Ali During the Ottoman period, the newspaper was distributed within the army (then known as the Jihadiyya) for a fee, while state officials received it as a gift, following European practices of the time. Muhammad Ali observed that readership was limited to senior officials, scholars, and military leaders. To expand its reach, he ensured its free distribution to students, who held an important status within the government. Employees earning 1,000 qirsh per month were required to subscribe, with 77 qirsh and 11 yāra deducted from their salaries as the subscription fee. Even French employees who did not know Arabic or Turkish were obliged to subscribe. The government strictly enforced payment, sometimes even deducting outstanding debts from relatives’ salaries. Muhammad Ali personally supervised publication and ensured regular distribution. He equipped the newspaper with a printing press and provided administrators, editors, translators, and workers. He encouraged contributions from both foreign and Egyptian officials, offering monetary rewards ranging from 1 to 100 qirsh per news item, in addition to food allowances such as meat, rice, and ghee. The first issue consisted of four pages, each measuring 37 centimeters in length. It contained Turkish-language material translated into Arabic, with a bilingual editorial on the front page outlining the newspaper’s objectives and purposes.

Al-Waqa'i' al-Masriyya (anciennement appelée Waqa'i' Misriyya) est un journal égyptien fondé par Muhammad Ali Pasha en 1828 au Caire. Le premier numéro parut le 3 décembre 1828 et fut distribué aux fonctionnaires de l’État, aux officiers de l’armée et aux étudiants des missions éducatives. Il est considéré comme le premier journal arabe au Moyen-Orient et fut ultérieurement rattaché à la Gazette officielle. À ses débuts, il était publié en arabe et en turc ottoman, avant de devenir exclusivement arabophone. Fondation L’idée de la presse en Égypte remonte à l’expédition française, qui vit paraître le premier journal connu des Égyptiens, Courrier d’Égypte, publié en français le 29 août 1798 en quatre pages. Après le départ des Français et la stabilisation de la situation, la presse se développa avec la création de l’Imprimerie de Boulaq, première imprimerie gouvernementale égyptienne. Séduit par la presse occidentale, Muhammad Ali décida de fonder le premier journal officiel égyptien et mit en place un plan de diffusion organisé. Le premier numéro fut publié le mardi 25 Joumada al-Oula 1244 H (1828), en arabe et en turc ottoman. Un exemplaire est conservé à la Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Évolution historique En 1842, Rifa'a al-Tahtawi modernisa le journal dans sa forme et son contenu, ce qui suscita l’inquiétude de certains responsables et conduisit à son exil au Soudan. Il privilégia les nouvelles égyptiennes et introduisit l’éditorial politique. Sous Sa'id of Egypt, la publication fut suspendue entre 1854 et 1863. Après l’occupation britannique en 1882, le journal devint un quotidien populaire sous la direction de Muhammad Abduh, qui en fit un organe de réforme et d’éducation. Le journal publia des poèmes ainsi que des extraits de la Muqaddima d’Ibn Khaldun. Rifa'a al-Tahtawi y rédigea le premier article politique complet de la presse égyptienne, intitulé Tamheed, dans le numéro 623 (1842). Aujourd’hui, l’Autorité générale des Imprimeries Amiri est l’éditeur de la Gazette officielle et d’Al-Waqa'i' al-Masriyya. Organisation et diffusion Sous Muhammad Ali, le journal fut distribué dans l’armée contre paiement et offert aux hauts fonctionnaires. Il élargit ensuite sa diffusion aux étudiants gratuitement et imposa l’abonnement à certains employés. Il supervisa personnellement son administration et encouragea la contribution d’articles, offrant des récompenses financières et matérielles. Le premier numéro comportait quatre pages de 37 cm chacune, publiées en turc ottoman et traduites en arabe, avec un éditorial bilingue présentant les objectifs du journal.