M'Hamed Ben Rahal

M'hamed Ben Rahal (in arabic محمد بن رحال ), born around May 16, 1858 in Nedroma and died on October 6, 1928, in the same city) was an Algerian notable, politician, and writer. He is best known for the short story La vengeance du cheikh (1891), often cited as one of the earliest works of fiction written in French by an "indigenous" Algerian author.

Biography Born in Nedroma: his father, Hamza Ben Rahal, was a cadi. He attended the “Franco-Arab school” and later the Imperial College of Algiers, obtaining a baccalauréat (he is often mentioned among the first “indigenous graduates” in Algeria). In 1876, he entered the local administration and succeeded his father as qaïd/khalifa of Nedroma. He later pursued political and cultural activities, participated in journals and Orientalist congresses, and engaged in public debates about education and the condition of Muslims in colonial Algeria.

At the end of the 19th century, Ben Rahal emerged as a representative figure of the "Franco-Arab" elite engaged in civic and political initiatives. He served as a general councillor, delegate, and advocate for education, reform, and the defense of Algerians’ civic rights. He was also a member of learned societies and contributed to both French and Maghrebi journals.

Literary work M'hamed Ben Rahal authored several articles and at least one known short story, La vengeance du cheikh (sometimes cited as La vengeance du Cheikh de Nedroma). This story, published in 1891 in the *Revue algérienne et tunisienne littéraire et artistique* (and later cited in bibliographies on Maghrebi literature), is frequently mentioned by scholars as one of the first fictional texts in French written by an "indigenous" Algerian author.

Historical contribution and legacy Ben Rahal is often cited by historians of Algeria as an example of a local elite seeking to reconcile modernity (French education) with religious and cultural tradition. He is mentioned in historical and literary studies on the early stages of Francophone Algerian literature and the birth of moderate political movements. His local role (as qaïd) and public interventions earned him posthumous recognition: monographs, historical works, and academic articles have analyzed his legacy.