Raouf Al Ayoubi

Raouf Al Ayoubi (1883 – 1957) was a prominent official in the Ottoman Empire, serving in several Palestinian cities before becoming governor of Hama during World War I. He later held the position of Minister of the Interior during the Great Syrian Revolt.

 Early Life and Career 
Raouf Al Ayoubi was born in Damascus. He studied Government Administration at the Royal Institute in Istanbul and graduated in 1900. Following his studies, he worked as a teacher at the Royal School in Beirut and held various administrative role. Eventually, he ventured into the printing business, operating in Tiberias, Palestine, and later in Nazareth, Jaffa, and Jenin. At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, he was appointed governor of Hama.

 Joining the Arab Revolution 
With the collapse of Faisal's government in the summer of 1920 and the establishment of the French mandate in Syria and Lebanon, armed uprisings erupted throughout the country, particularly along the northern coast. In 1925, the Great Syrian Revolt was initiated from Jabal al-Druze, led by Sultan al-Atrash. To accommodate various political factions, a national unity government was formed, headed by Ahmed Nami, the brother-in-law of Sultan Abdulhamid II. Nami pursued Housni al-Barazi, whom he blamed for weakening the revolutionary efforts in Ghouta, and placed his trust in Moayad al-Azm, a former Ottoman ambassador to Madrid. However, as the revolt continued unabated, Nami was replaced by Al-Ayoubi on December 2, 1926.

Al-Ayoubi engaged in negotiations with the revolution leaders, proposing a general amnesty in exchange for a ceasefire and a commitment to a political process that would lead to a new constitution for Syria. He also discussed Syria's potential membership in the League of Nations, envisioning a transformation of the mandate into a treaty between Syria and France, set to expire three decades later.

After all proposals were rejected, Al-Ayoubi opted for a security-focused approach, issuing several death sentences at the request of the French authorities, including those for Sultan al-Atrash, Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar, and other revolutionary leaders. During his tenure, he effectively brought an end to the Great Syrian Revolt, which had begun to wane by late 1927. The Nami government resigned on February 8, 1928, and Taj al-Din al-Hasani was appointed to lead the new government, in which the Ministry of the Interior was given to Judge Saeed Mahasin over Al-Ayoubi.

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 Minister of Interior 
During the Great Syrian Revolution, a national unity government was formed under Ahmed Nami. Al Ayoubi became Minister of Interior on December 2, 1926, after the resignation of Wathiq Moayad al-Azm. He offered a general amnesty and a new constitution to end the revolution, but these offers were rejected. As a result, he took a more forceful approach, including executing several revolution leaders. His efforts helped subdue the revolution by the end of 1927. His term ended on February 8, 1928, when Ahmed Nami's government resigned and Taj al-Din al-Hasani was appointed to lead the new government.

 Freemasonry 
Al-Ayoubi was a member of the Freemasons with other notable Syrian political figures.

On December 18, 1922, the Grand Orient de France issued him a certificate confirming his status as one of the founding members of the Syria Lodge established a year earlier in Damascus. .

He died in Damascus in 1957.

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Category:1883 births
Category:1957 deaths
Category:People from Damascus