Ali Ahmad Said Esber, also known by the pen name Adonis or Adunis, is a Syrian poet, essayist and translator. He led a modernist revolution in the second half of the 20th century, "exerting a seismic influence" on Arabic poetry comparable to T.S. Eliot's in the anglophone world.
Arabic literature is the writing, both as prose and poetry, produced by writers in the Arabic language. The Arabic word used for literature is Adab, which is derived from a meaning of etiquette, and which implies politeness, culture and enrichment.
Taha Hussein was one of the most influential 20th-century Egyptian writers and intellectuals, and a figurehead for the Arab Renaissance and the modernist movement in the Arab world. His sobriquet was "The Dean of Arabic Literature" . He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature twenty-one times.
Bensalem Himmich is a Moroccan novelist, poet and philosopher with a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Paris, who teaches at the Mohammed V University, Rabat. He served as Minister of Culture from 29 July 2009 to 3 January 2012.
Abdul-Nabi Isstaif is a professor of comparative literature, critical theory and translation at Damascus University.
Nouri al-Jarrah is a Syrian-British poet and journalist. Born in Damascus in 1956, he has lived in exile since the early eighties, moving to London in 1986 and is known as one of the most influential contemporary poets of the Arabic-speaking world. He has founded several literary magazines including “Al-Naqid” (1988–1992), “Al-Katiba” recorded as the first monthly cultural review for female writers in the Arab world (1993–1995), “Al-Rihla”, and “Al-Jadeed”. His poetry has been published in 16 collections, many of which have been awarded prizes in various parts of the Arab world, including The Boy (1982), Ode to a Voice (1990), Hamlet’s Gardens (2003), and Noah’s Despair (2014). In addition to a long line of participation in international poetry festivals he has enjoyed the title of honorary guest to share his poetry by many influential institutes including: New York University, Sprachsalz International Literature Festival, Al-Shaikh Ibraheem Centre of Bahrain, Brown University of Boston, Tetouan Poetry Festival during which the cultural ministry of Morocco presented him with the keys to the city, and many others. His poems present his vision of poetry and life, to which he has lent a unique voice over the years. His verse leans on a variety of cultural sources, with a particular way of focusing on mythology, folktales, and legends while reflecting on metaphysical considerations and deep, existential questions—most recently, the Syrian Civil War and the resulting refugee crisis. Jarrah’s literature has been translated into English, Persian, French, Spanish, Greek, Dutch, Polish, Turkish and Italian. A Boat to Lesbos, published by Banipal Books in 2018, is the first full-length collection of his poetry to appear in English. His opinion pieces and editorials in a stream of magazines and newspapers have inspired lively debate among prominent Arabic writers on the topic of new approaches in poetry and prose.
Samar Samir Mezghanni is a Tunisian children's author.
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is a literary award begun in the UAE. It is presented yearly to "Arab writers, intellectuals, publishers as well as young talent whose writings and translations of humanities have scholarly and objectively enriched Arab cultural, literary and social life." The first award was in 2007. The total value of the prizes is Dhs. 7,000,000 making it one of the richest literary awards in the world.
Issa J. Boullata was a Palestinian scholar, writer, and translator of Arabic literature.
Samar Yazbek is a Syrian writer and journalist. She studied Arabic literature at Tishreen University (Latakia). She has written in a wide variety of genres including novels, short stories, film scripts, television dramas, film and TV criticism, and literary narratives. Several of her works have been translated from the Arabic original into other languages.
Hasan Tawfiq was an Egyptian poet, literary critic and journalist. He belongs to the third wave of the Arabic and Egyptian literary movement known as "The New Poetry." A major part of Tawfiq's poems consist of free verses. Tawfiq was known in the Arab world as a journalist and in Egypt he worked for some time as editor-in-chief of the Ar-Raya journal. Tawfiq wrote articles for the "Culture" section of the Qatar-based Ash-Sharq journal. The literary alias of Tawfiq is "Magnoon al-Arab." It derives from a Middle Eastern tragic love story, Majnun and Layla.
Ahmad Shawqi Daif was an Arabic literary critic and historian. He is considered one of the most influential Arab intellectuals in the 20th century.
Affaf Tobbala is an Egyptian television documentary director and producer and an author, primarily of children's literature. Tobbala has been nominated for and received a number of literary awards in Egypt and abroad. Her 2006 book, Sika and Mokka, received the 2007 Suzan Mubarak Prize for Children's Literature and was included on the 2010 International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) List of Honor.
Sanaa Shalan is a Jordanian contemporary writer, from the Arab novelty generation. She writes novels, short stories, theater, scenario and children's literature. She holds a doctorate degree in modern literature. Shalan works as an instructor at the University of Jordan.
Sabri Al-Haiki is a painter, critic, and poet from Yemen.
Ezz El-Din Ismail Abdel-Ghani was an Egyptian critic and University professor who was the recipient of several awards. In 2000, he shared the King Faisal International Prize in Arabic Language and Literature with Dr. Abdullah Al-Tayeb. He was also awarded the Medal of Science and Arts (first-class) and the Mubarak Prize for Literature.
Jekar Khourchid is a Syrian children's author. He studied Arabic literature at Al-Baath University in Homs. His first story collection "The Jackal and The Lion" won the 2006 Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity in children's literature. Khourchid stopped writing for a while due to his father's illness and death, and then returned to writing in 2012. He has published more than 120 books and nearly 100 books in print. In 2015, Khourchid left Syria and immigrated to the Netherlands.
Abdul Lateef Al Warari is a Moroccan poet and literary critic.
Abd al-Qadir Hassan Al-Qitt was a prominent Egyptian poet, critic, and writer. He was born in Belqas, Dakahlia Governorate, and held a doctorate in Arabic literature and literary criticism. Al-Qat edited the “Poetry” magazine in 1964, and was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Ain Shams University in 1972. He received the King Faisal International Prize in Literature in 1980 and the State Appreciation Award in 1985, and was the editor-in-chief of the “Ibdaa” magazine for theatre and cinema in 1983.
Hayfa Basil al-Baytar is a Syrian novelist, short story writer and ophthalmologist. She has won the Abi Al Qassem Al Shabbi prize for her collections The Fallen (2000) and The Whore (2003).
