Background
He was born in Diyâr-ı Bekr (present day Diyarbakir) in the Ottoman Empire and began his education there at the age of seven.
He was born in Diyâr-ı Bekr (present day Diyarbakir) in the Ottoman Empire and began his education there at the age of seven.
After primary school, he attended the local high school that had been established by local "Brotherhood of Ancient Syrians".
He was a teacher and writer throughout his life. A Syriac Orthodox Christian, he emphasized the importance of unity among Assyrians and encouraged his community to depart from "tribal mentality." He spent 8 years at the school, where education was jointly in classical Syriac, Ottoman Turkish and Arabic. Naum also went on to learn several other languages, including Persian and basic French.
He also taught in Urfa, Adıyaman and Homs before returning to Diyarbakır.
He died in New Jersey in 1930 due to lung disease. "Naum Faiq" day is celebrated yearly on February 5.
Ceremonies are usually held in Syria, United States, and in various European nations. His most famous poem is titled ", awake!".