Atassi
| Al-Atassi Family عائلة الأتاسي |
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 Atassi Quarter in old Hims |
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| Ethnicity | Arab of Hashemite descent |
| Current region | Homs Governate |
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| Place of origin |  Syria |
| Notable members | Hashim al-Atassi Khaled al-Atassi Wasfi al-Atassi Nureddin al-Atassi Luai al-Atassi Jamal al-Atassi |
| Connected families | Al-Sayed Suleiman, Majaj |
| Traditions | Traditional muftis of Homs |
Atassi, also spelled Atasi (Arabic: الأتاسي) is the name of a prominent family of city Notables in Homs, Syria dating back to the 16th century AD. Members of the family lead the national movement against the French mandate. The power and prestige of the family reached an apex at the formation of the modern Republic of Syria in 1936, when its second Head of State, Hashim al-Atassi was elected president. Two out of the seven members of the constitutional assembly who drafted the first constitution of Syria in 1919 included two prominent Atassis: Wasfi al-Atassi and Hashim al-Atassi. Two more scions, Luai al-Atassi and Nureddin al-Atassi, were in turn installed as heads of state in the 1960s. There were also several magistrates, governors, ambassadors, heads of political parties, military officers and other public officials in the ranks of the family throughout Ottoman and modern times.
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[edit] Background
Many leading family members assumed prominent religious and political positions in Ottoman, French, and Independent Syria. Family traditions and documents tell us that the name al-Atassi had evolved from the word "العطاسي " (from "العطاس," meaning " the sneezer" in Arabic) which later changed to "الأطاسي" then to "الأتاسي" or Atassi. Mispronunciation of the name led to its transformation as the family moved to the non-Arabic speaking Turkey in the 16th century.
The family is of a Hashemite origin, and its members were recognized as "Ashraf", descendants of prophet Muhammad, inheriting the formal address of this class in legal court documents. The ancestors of the family had moved between Yemen, Hejaz and Turkey before eventually establishing his presence in Homs sometime in the 16th century CE.
The Atassi House of Homs has been broken into 15 branches, most still use the name Atassi as the sole surname, with three main exceptions. Al-Sayed Suleiman, Al-Asha and Majaj are three main branches that are now recognized by the additional surnames. Religious authority as Muftis of Homs, along with large land holdings in Homs formed the basis of the family's wealth and influence.
[edit] Atassi Muftis of Homs and Tripoli
The office of Mufti of the town of Homs, the highest religious jurisdiction in the city, was hereditary in the Atassi family for over four centuries. At least 18 Atassi scholars held this position. In addition, two Atassis are known to have been Muftis of the city of Tripoli as well. The Sibaie House of Homs was another scholarly family of notables who were often in competition for the same seat, and were able to secure it at least five times in the town history.
The following are members of the family who assumes the position of Mufti:
(Dates represent period served in that position)
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Other members served as religious scholars in other capacities such as judges, chief clerks, and imams. One mufti, Sayed Ibraheem Efendi al-Atassi, also served as Mufti of Tripoli in the late 18th century. Taher al-Atassi served as the supreme judge of Basra in Iraq, and Nablus and Jerusalem in Palestine in the late Ottoman period.
Although members of the Atassi family were naturally involved in the politics of the city of Homs by virtue of holding the Mufti position and by belonging to the class of notables and Ashraf, it was not until the late 19th century that they started holding non-religious governmental offices. Two scholars who held the position of Mufti also held political offices: Khaled al-Atassi (1837–1908), and his son, Taher al-Atassi (1860–1940). Sayed Khaled Efendi Al-Atassi was elected as a deputy of Homs and Hama in 1876 to the first Parliament of the Ottoman Empire. In 1922, Sayed Taher Efendi was elected to the membership of the Council of the Syrian Union as a representative of Homs in the state of Damascus. Other Atassis followed suit.
Further influence through education was achieved by a tradition of sending the young men of the family to be educated at the Imperial capital of Istanbul during the Ottoman administration, and then to the Sorbonne and other European centers of learning during the French Mandate.
[edit] Atassi Heads of State
- Hashem al-Atassi, President of Syria: 1936-1939, December, 1949-September, 1950, September, 1950-December, 1951, February, 1954-September, 1955
- Luai al-Atassi, President of the Revolutionary Council, vested with presidential powers, 1963
- Nureddin al-Atassi, President of Syria, 1966–1970
[edit] Atassi members elected to the parliament and ruling councils
(dates represent year elected)
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[edit] Atassi ministers in various cabinets
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[edit] Ambassadors
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[edit] Atassi mayors of Homs
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[edit] Ranking officers in the Syrian Military
In order of highest rank:
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[edit] References
- Atassi, B.H. "Bughyat Al-Nasi" the History of the Atassi Family-Bassel Atasi.
- Islamic Court Registers of city of Homs.
- al-Muradi, Khalil. Silk Al-Durar fi 'ayan al-Qarn al-thani sshar.
- al-Bitar, Abdul-Razzaq. Hilyat al-bashar fi tarikh al-qarn al-thalith 'ashar.
- As'ad (1985) Tarikh Homs, 2 volumes, Tripoli, تاريخ حمص تأليف خوري أسعد, in Arabic
- Moubayed, Sami M., Steel and Silk: man and Men Who Shaped Syria 1900-2000. Cune Press, 2006.
- Atassi Family Website
