 His father's family, the Abu Nuwar, was a prominent Arab clan in al-Salt.His mother was of Circassian descent.In his youth, Abu Nuwar was influenced by the discussions that his father and relatives held about the effects of the 1916 Arab Revolt, the 1917 Balfour Declaration and the 1920 Syrian Arab defeat at the Battle of Maysalun had on the fate of the Middle East.