Arab Revolt

The first English translation of this revolutionary 1916 text, an unlikely collaboration between Arab intellectuals and British wartime intelligence.

In December 1916, a modest Arabic-language book rolled off the presses in Cairo—one that could challenge everything we thought we knew about British intelligence and Arab nationalism. Thawrat al-Arab, the longest piece of British propaganda from the First World War, has been hiding in plain sight for over a century.

This first English translation reveals an extraordinary collaboration—between Arab intellectuals and British Military Intelligence—which revolutionised wartime information operations. Commissioned by the legendary Arab Bureau and written by Lebanese journalist As‘ad Daghir, this early work of Arab nationalism masterfully weaves together history, political analysis and emotional appeals for independence from Ottoman rule. Although its publication advanced British strategic interests, Thawrat al-Arab was far more than simple propaganda: it allowed authentic Arab voices to speak to Arab audiences. Between its dedication to the ‘martyrs’ hanged by Ottoman authorities and its sweeping vision of Arab greatness, this remarkable text shaped the narrative of the Arab Revolt.

A compelling companion to Gearon’s The Arab Bureau, which offers a fresh look at Lawrence of Arabia’s intelligence unit in light of Thawrat al-Arab, this new book brings a crucial historical document to English-language readers for the first time.

Eamonn Gearon is a global historian, specialising in the Middle East and North Africa and the history of intelligence, whose books include The Arab Bureau (also published by Hurst). His doctoral research uncovered previously unknown Arabic documents which shed new light on British intelligence work in the region.