In 1965, when Nadia Melhem Talhouk married Anis Assaf, at twenty-two years of age, she never anticipated receiving the most precious gift from her uncle Fouad. This gift was an incredibly old will, handwritten on a three-meter-long paper made from linen fiber. It was the will of Al-Amir al-Sayyid Jamal al-Din ‘Abdalla al-Tanukhi (1417 –1479), who has been described as one of the most deeply revered individuals in Druze history. His tomb in the village of Aabey, in the caza of Aley, is a site of pilgrimage for the Druze community.
For Nadia, this gift was a gift of responsibility, as she always felt that she was the guardian of this document, not its owner. For her, this old will is a vital link to the Druze community’s past and provides invaluable insights into its heritage.
For nearly six decades, Nadia faithfully guarded it, carrying it from country to country wherever she moved. She preserved it and took care of it through the tough times of the Lebanese civil war. For her, it has always been and will always be a piece of her heritage but also a piece of Lebanon’s heritage for future generations.
This precious artifact dates to around the year 1470 and is a testament to the rich heritage of the Druze community in Lebanon. The will, meticulously handwritten on linen fiber paper by the secretary of Prince Abdallah Al Tanoukhi, details the properties owned by the Druze community at that time. This document was authenticated by the legal authorities of the Ottoman Empire back in the 17th century, ensuring its authenticity and historical importance.
It has always been safeguarded because it detailed all the properties owned by the Druze community in Mount Lebanon.
For reasons unknown, the will traveled to Latin America towards the end of the 19th century, where it remained for about fifty years. It was then handed to Nadia’s uncle, Fouad, who brought it back to Lebanon after World War II. Ten years later, he gave it to her on her wedding day, ensuring she understood that his gift represented his utmost trust in her ability to care for this precious document and pass it on to future generations.
Today, in the presence of her family and the American University of Beirut scholars, nearly 60 years after receiving her gift from Uncle Fouad, eighty-one years old Nadia is entrusting this historical treasure to the AUB Archives and Special Collections of the Jafet Library, where it will be meticulously preserved and made accessible to scholars, historians, and anyone interested in the rich history of the Druze community and the broader Lebanese heritage. “I am happy and honored that from now on, this document that I cherish will be available for people to admire and study”, she said.