▁until ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁He ▁won ▁a ▁seat ▁at ▁the ▁Constitution al ▁Assembly ▁and ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁writing ▁Sy ria ' s ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁constitution . ▁President ▁Hash im ▁al - At ass i ▁subsequently ▁reward ed ▁Haw mad ▁with ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Republic ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor ▁for ▁Ex cell ence , ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁his ▁efforts . ▁ ▁After ▁leaving ▁Parliament , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁education ▁minister ▁in ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Has an ▁al - H ak im ' s ▁government . ▁As ▁education ▁minister , ▁Haw mad ▁launched ▁the ▁largest ▁foreign ▁scholar ship ▁program ▁in ▁Sy rian ▁history , ▁sending ▁ 3 0 0 ▁students ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁and ▁European ▁univers ities . ▁President ▁Ad ib ▁al - Sh ish ak li , ▁who ▁came ▁to ▁power ▁through ▁military ▁coup , ▁had ▁Haw mad ▁arrested ▁for ▁his ▁party ' s ▁views , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁larger ▁campaign ▁to ▁stem ▁domestic ▁diss ent ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁When ▁Sh ish ak li ▁fled ▁the ▁country ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁Haw mad ▁was ▁released . ▁ ▁Between ▁September ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁and ▁June ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁Haw mad ▁served ▁as ▁fin ance ▁minister ▁in ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Sa id ▁al - G h az zi ' s ▁cabinet , ▁while ▁in ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Sab ri ▁al - As ali ' s ▁cabinet , ▁between ▁June ▁and ▁December ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁education ▁minister .