Abu Naddara was established by Yaqub Sanu in 1877 in Cairo as a four-page publication,[3] and the first issue appeared on 21 March that year.[4][5] Yaqub Sanu had been involved in theatre, and the magazine was an extension of his theatrical activities since it covered satirical sketches based on theatrical elements.[6]
A political activist and Yaqub Sanu's mentor, Jamal al Din Al Afghani, encouraged him to launch Abu Naddara.[7] The magazine was published on a weekly basis.[4] All caricatures published in the magazine were produced by Yaqub Sanu himself.[8] It covered both Arabic language and French language materials in the caricatures.[9] The Arabic materials were written in colloquial style.[10][11] The magazine managed to have a large audience and sold nearly 50,000 copies.[7] It was also distributed free of charge to army officers.[1]
However, soon Abu Naddara began to publish caricatures which criticised Khedive Ismail, ruler of Egypt, and also, the royal family of Egypt.[1][4] Yaqub Sanu employed symbolism to criticize the rulers of Egypt and Ottoman Sultan and created the following carton figures: Sheikh Al Hara (Arabic: the Chief of the quarter) represented Khedive Ismail, Al Wad Al Ahbal (Arabic: the Foolish Boy) for Khedive Tewfik and Sheikh Al Tumn (Arabic: the chief of the prison) for the Ottoman ruler Sultan Abdul Hamid.[12] Due to the critical approach of the magazine Yaqub Sanu was forced by Khedive Ismail to leave Egypt, and as a result, he settled in Paris where he continued to publish Abu Naddara.[4][13] The first issue published there appeared in August 1878, and the magazine was also sent to Egypt in secret.[4] The new target of the magazine became the British authorities in Egypt from 1882.[14] Abu Naddara attempted to get assistance from the French authorities to end the British rule in the country.[1][4] The magazine ceased publication following the December 1910 issue.[4][8][13]
The full issues of Abu Naddara were archived at Occidental College, Los Angeles, California.[15]
