Abaza family

The Abaza family (; , or , ; ) is an Egyptian aristocratic family of maternal Abazin and Circassian, and paternal Egyptian origins whose historical stronghold is in the Nile Delta.

The family has had an impact on Egyptian and Arabic culture. Their contributions were through the works of authors, journalists, and activists Ismail Pasha Abaza and Fekry Pasha Abaza, author Ibrahim Desouky Bek Abaza, poet Aziz Pasha Abaza, novelist Tharwat Abaza, sociologist Mona Abaza, actor Rushdy Abaza, multiple other actors and directors, among others in various fields.

It has been criticized for "monopolizing" several parliamentary districts since the 19th century "reign of Muhammad Ali".

They are thought to number in the thousands, with sources varying in their estimates. However, these numbers are thought to be highly unreliable as no local censuses of Circassian communities exist due to a general "lack of demographic data on minorities in Egypt".

Overview, origin, and name

Sources indicate that the Abaza family was well established in the Nile Delta by the late 18th century, especially in their stronghold, Sharqia.

Historian al-Sayyid-Marsot states that the Abaza family was named after "a beloved grandmother ... or her place of birth". This maternal ancestor married the head of the powerful al-Ayed family (; ) before the reign of Muhammad Ali of Egypt. and "under Ottoman rule".<sup id="fn_1" class="plainlinks neverexpand">[note 1]</sup>

thumb|Abaza family elders at their palace in the [[Sharqia Governorate]]

David E. Millis suggests that the Abaza family's marriage with the al-Ayed clan reflects a history in Egypt that may span around 1400 years . <sup id="fn_1" class="plainlinks neverexpand">[note 2]</sup> He proposes that the al-Ayed possibly trace their origins back to the Yemenese contingents of the early Islamic conquerors of Egypt (639–642 AD) and perhaps to the ancient tribal confederation of Judham. According to Ibn Khaldun, Banu Judham are thought to originate from Kahlan, and historian Al-Maqrizi appears to support the idea that al-Ayed descend from Banu Judham.

It is an example of a laqab,

Historian Robert Springborg documents that Abazas in Egypt are "virtually all descendants" of 19th-century figures like Sheikh of the Arabs Hassan Abaza and his brother Sheikh Boghdady Abaza, and "they may be considered as constituting one family".

Hassan Abaza is widely considered to be the modern founding father of the family due to heading the family at the time of their modern ascendance. He was called "Sheikh of the Arabs". Aharoni reports that Hassan Abaza was also the Shiekh el Balad [Sheikh of the Province or "chief of the city"] of the province of Sharqia.

The monarchy endowed the family with more villages and lands, allowing the Abazas to flourish.

Their influence further extended to the Nile Delta provinces of Al-Qalyubia, Monufia, and Dakahlia.

It has been argued that Ismail Pasha Abaza was a precursor and "rehearsal" for Ahmed Urabi Pasha, the revolutionary Egyptian leader, due to his "[having] the first positive and effective political role [in anti-occupation politics] ...[with] great importance and relevance to the burgeoning national movement" and by having influential and "good relations with [royal ruler] Khedive Abbas Helmi" of Egypt.]]

A famous display of their clout was during the accession of the young King Farouk, when the Abaza family "solicited palace authorities to permit the royal train to stop briefly at one of their villages", so that "the king could partake in refreshments which were offered in a large, magnificently ornamented tent they had erected at the train station".

After the 1952 removal of King Farouk of Egypt, several Abazas lost feudal lands following the Egyptian land reform.

The family is not associated with a single political stance, as in the early 20th century, it decided to allow all members to hold any political position and run for office with any party, with the caveat that "no two Abazas [can] run against each other".(pp. 190–191).

Anti-feudal and anti-classist politics also exist within the family. Perhaps the most thorough example is a book by Mona Abaza, a prominent Egyptian sociologist.

The family had its own football team competing with Egypt's major clubs in the early half of the 20th century and its own journal. Their most famous wins were covered in English media in 1916 and 1917 with two reported wins against Qatar.

A lentil dish attributed to the family is known in the country as ads abazy" ().

Contemporary period

The family has had members in almost every Egyptian parliament, mostly in Sharqia districts, their original historical stronghold. A famous 21st-century election included the family's 2005 winning challenge to Gamal Mubarak's and the Mubarak regime's candidate in a Sharqia district with the former New Wafd Party opposition leader Mahmoud Abaza.

Family members also regularly feature in Egyptian cabinets and hold minister, deputy minister, assistant minister, and other government and technocratic positions in state institutions. As mentioned above, Amin Abaza was a minister at the same time Mahmoud Abaza was the leader of the official opposition during the final Hosni Mubarak government. The family has also held governorships many times in both the monarchical and current periods, especially in the Nile delta but also including the likes of Cairo and the Suez Canal Zone.

Some Egyptian media in the 21st century have referred to them as one of the "families that rule the country" due to the number of politicians, officials, and members of parliament it produced, and as one of the families that "inherited parliament".

As of 2024, General Hani Deri Abaza, Ahmed Fuad Abaza, and Vadji Hussain Abaza are members of the Egyptian House of Representatives. In addition, Yousra Fuad Abaza is a member of the Egyptian Senate.

Many villages in the Nile Delta are named after members of the family. At least two city squares, in Zagazig and another in Cairo, are named 'Abaza'. Many roads and institutions in the country are named after members of the family for example at least one street and one government school named after Aziz Pasha Abaza and a street named after Ismail Pasha Abaza.

Forbes lists Hussein Abaza as one of the top Arab CEOs in the world, for heading the Commercial International Bank.

Another family member, Hussein Mohammed Abaza serves as an international consultant for sustainable development and green economy in the Egyptian government and as an advisor to the Minister of the Environment. He also is a member of the government's National Initiative for Green Projects.

Primarily, criticism of the family has focused on multi-generational control exerted on various areas which are part of their historical stronghold.

In the 2015 parliamentary elections, three members of the Abaza family won seats in the House of Representatives and this was criticized by some in the media referring to their win as "dynastic heredity". For decades, the family had a political monopoly over several districts. In modern times media has critically remarked that "no parliamentary elections since the reign of Muhammad Ali was free of the Abazas".

In an incident showcasing the ubiquity of the Abaza family's entrenchment in Egyptian institutions, Amin Abaza, Minister of Agriculture under the final Hosni Mubarak government was arrested and tried as part of the mass trials of that government following the 2011 Egyptian revolution. As mentioned above, another Abaza was an opposition leader during this government. Initially the public prosecutor who ordered the arrest and is himself married to an Abaza, instituted travel bans on figures associated with the regime and its final cabinet. An appeals court later freed minister Amin Abaza.

In 2014, the family sued Sada Elbalad TV for the creation of a children's cartoon named 'Abaza', and the program was forced off the air. In the same year Egyptian satellite channel CBC Two aired a one-hour documentary about the family.

They are also known for producing many CEOs and owners of businesses and corporations. Ismail Pasha Abaza,) and Aziz Pasha Abaza. Additionally, Tharwat Abaza (1927–2002) was a journalist, novelist and member of parliament. His best-known novel, A Man Escaping from Time, was televised in the late 1960s.

thumb|225x225px|[[Rushdy Abaza, the clan's most famous member ]]

Rushdy Saiid Bughdadi Abaza (1926 -1980), an actor "widely considered one of the greatest names in the history of Arab cinema", with no less than 150 movies to his name.
Maher Abaza (1930–2007), the longest-serving minister in Egyptian history. As the Minister of Electricity and Energy, he was credited with connecting the vast majority of the country's rural areas to the electric grid. After leaving the ministry he became a member of the Egyptian Parliament.
Mona Abaza (1959–2021), one of Egypt's most prominent sociologists, whose research interests "ranged from women in rural Egypt, the relation between Islam and the West, urban consumer culture, to Egyptian painting and the Arab Spring".

Gallery

File:Al-Sayed Pasha Abaza.jpg|al-Sayed Pasha Abaza, one of the sons of Shiekh of the Arabs Hassan Abaza

File:During the honoring ceremony of Fuad Abaza and Dr. Mahmoud Abaza, April 6, 1923.jpg|Abaza family elders in 1923 during an honoring ceremony

File:تجمع عائلي بالبيت الكبير بالزقازيق عام ١٩٢٤ Abaza Beks at their palace in Zagazig.jpg|Abaza Beys at their palace in Sharqia

File:HRH Princess Fayqa with Fekry Pasha Abaza and Fouad Pasha Abaza.jpg|Princess Faika of Egypt with Fekry Pasha Abaza and Fouad Pasha Abaza

File:Maher Abaza taking the oath before President Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak at Abdeen Palace.jpg|Maher Abaza taking oath with President Anwar Sadat and VP Hosni Mubarak at Abdeen Palace

File:عزيز باشا أباظة+ أم كلثوم+ محمد عبد الوهاب Aziz Pasha Abaza Umm Kalthum and Abd-el-Wahab.jpg|Aziz Pasha Abaza with famed singer Umm Kulthum and composer Mohammed Abdel Wahab

File:Tharwat Abaza and Naguib Mahfouz.jpg|Tharwat Abaza and Nobel Laureate Naguib Mahfouz

File:إسماعيل أباظة.webp|Ismail Pasha Abaza

File:Al-Sayed Bey Abaza (far right) with the sisters of King Farouk.jpg|al-Sayed Bey Abaza (far right) with the royal sisters of Farouk of Egypt

File:Bahgat Soliman Atia Boghdady Abaza بهجت سليمان عطية بغدادي أباظة.jpg|Bahgat Soliman Atia Boghdady Abaza one of the heirs to Ezbet Atia Abaza in Sharqia

File:Tharwat Abaza and President Sadat ثروت أباظة والرئيس السادات.jpg|Tharwat Abaza and President Anwar Sadat

File:رؤوف بك أباظة Raouf Bey Abaza.jpg|Raouf Bey Abaza

File:Fekry Pasha Abaza Egyptian stamp.jpg|Stamp with Fekry Pasha Abaza

File:Tharwat Abaza speaking in the Shura Council.jpg|Tharwat Abaza speaking in the Shura Council (Egypt)

File:Amina Abaza with Dog.jpg|Amina Abaza, co-founder of the Society for Protection of Animal Rights in Egypt with Dina Zulfikar

File:Tharwat Abaza and President Mubarak ثروت أباظة والرئيس مبارك.jpg|Tharwat Abaza and President Hosni Mubarak

</gallery>

Notes

<ol>

<li id="fn_1">Under Ottoman rule Mamluks continued to act as governors of the country until Muhammad Ali's rise to power, meaning that the marriage could have taken place both under Ottoman rule and Mamluk governance.</li>

<li id="fn_1">The 1400-year span pertains to the al-Ayed line. The Abaza matriarch seems to have been present in Egypt more recently at approximately 300 years ago.</li>

<li id="fn_1">These scholarly views pertain to al-Ayed and not to the Abazin line. </li>

</ol>

</div>

References

External links

Abaza Family Facebook Page
Books of Tharwat Abaza
Aziz Pasha Abaza archive at Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Families That Form Egyptian Political Life

Bibliography

Springborg, R. (2016). Family, Power, and Politics in Egypt: Sayed Bey Marei—His Clan, Clients, and Cohorts. London: Routledge. pp. 45–47, 102–106.
Abaza, M. (2013). The Cotton Plantation Remembered: An Egyptian Family Story. Cairo: AUC Press. Preface, pp. 7–9; Chapters 1 & 3 (pp. 21–38, 85–97).
Wissa, K. (1989). Freemasonry in Egypt 1798–1921: A Study in Cultural and Political Encounters. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 16(1), 43–57.p. 52.
Whidden, J. (2013). Monarchy and Modernity in Egypt. Florence: Leo S. Olschki. pp. 189–192.
Hartnett, A.S., & Saleh, M. (2021). Intra-Elite Conflict and the Demand for Power-Sharing: Evidence from Khedival Egypt. AALIMS Working Paper.pp. 14–17.
Kazziha, W. (1970). The Evolution of the Egyptian Political Elite, 1907–1921: A Case Study of the Role of the Large Landowners in Politics. PhD Dissertation, SOAS. pp. 133–135.
Mansour, N. (2025). A New Ruling Class and Its Empires: The Case of Nineteenth-Century Egypt. PhD Dissertation, Columbia University. pp. 201–204.
Wynn, L.L. (2003). From the Pyramids to Pyramids Road: An Ethnography of the Idea of Egypt. PhD Dissertation, ProQuest. p. 27.
Jacob, W.C. (2005). Working Out Egypt: Masculinity and Subject Formation between Colonial Modernity and Nationalism, 1870–1940. PhD Dissertation, ProQuest. pp. 77–78.
Reid, D.M. (1983). Turn-of-the-Century Egyptian School Days. Comparative Education Review, 27(2), 233–247.p. 239.