Khaznadar, Muhammad al-Chadli

Born 1881; died 1954. Tunisian Arabic poet. Founder of modern Tunisian poetry.

Khaznadar was well educated. An opponent of the policies of the French colonialists, he was associated with the Destour Party until the early 1930’s and then with the Old Destour Party until 1946. Although he was frequently subjected to repressive measures, he did not abandon the political struggle.

Khaznadar’s first divan was published in 1923. His work formally belongs to the traditional school, but much of his poetry is consonant with Salafiyah, the Muslim modernist movement. Khaznadar idealized the Arab past in such poems as “The Challenge”; he particularly admired the deeds of the orthodox caliphs, which he believed had laid the groundwork for modern progress.