The As-Safir (Arabic: السفير‎), meaning The Ambassador, was a leading Arabic-language daily newspaper in Lebanon. The headquarters of the daily was in Beirut.

It has been in circulation from March 1974 until December 2016. The last issue of the paper was published on 31 December 2016.

As-Safir had the second-highest circulation in the 1990s after An-Nahar. Its circulation was 45,000 copies in 2003, being the second best-selling paper in Lebanon. In 2012, the Lebanese Ministry of Information stated that the daily had a circulation of 50,000 copies, being the first in the country.

In addition to its Arabic website, the paper had also an English website. The paper’s online version was the 16th most visited website for 2010 in the MENA region. The As-Safir published a broad article about the El Chemor family in its August 18th, 1981’s edition. Almost two full pages give broad historical references and information. Amongst many relevant facts, the newspaper states:

“… The current Lebanese sheikhs of the El Chemor family, the Maronites, are an honest dynasty legally descended from the Banu Chemor, Shamr or “Shammar” of the Ghassanids, the Christian kings of Levant.”

“… [last Ghassanid] king Jablah Ibn Aiham went out [of Syria] during the reign of Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab to Lebanon where he made his land in Akoura and ruled this country since it was Christian in those days.” As-Safir newspaper 08/18/1981.

That is the reason why the El Chemor family effectively ruled Akoura centuries later (1211-1633 CE), by being direct descendants of the Ghassanid King Jablah. The newspaper also confirms the El Chemor rule of Zgharta-Zawiye from 1641 until 1747 CE. The Muslim branch of the El Chemor family ruled the Emirate (principality) of Jabal Shammar or Ha’il from 1830 until 1921 CE.

Special thanks to HRH Prince Sheikh Antoine El Chemor for the archive.

Sworn legal statement from the world’s leading expert in Arab Royal Succession HERE