Ismaïl closed Sanüa's theater in 1872, either out of sensitivity to what he perceived to be the social criticism inherent in Sanüa's work, or under direct pressure from English officials angry with Sanüa's profoundly anti-British stance. But as mentioned earlier, Sanüa's political activism only increased: he founded two secret societies in 1873 and 1874. When the secret societies were closed by Ismaïl, the journal Abü Nazzara Zarqa became Sanü`a's loud- est political instrument.

Eve M. Troutt Powell, A Different Shade of Coloni…, loc. 427