Posts in category: Arabic Language and Literature

Mohammad Hamzawi obtained his BA in Arabic Language, a Diploma of Higher Studies in Islamic Civilization and a State Doctorate in Arabic Language and Literature from the Sorbonne University in Paris in 1960. He also studied Hebrew, Aramaic and Syriac languages at Leiden University in the Netherlands.

Following his graduation in 1972, Professor Hamzawi joined the Faculty of Arts in the Tunisian University, where he rose to the rank of professor of higher studies in Arabic language. In addition, he was assigned several administrative, academic and cultural responsibilities in Tunisia including the posts of Director of Bourguiba Institute of Live Languages, Director of the Department of Higher Education of the Tunisian Ministry of Education, and Director of the International Cultural Center in Hammamat (Tunisia). He also served as professor of Arabic language in the United Arab Emirates University, Annaba University in Algiers, and Qaboos University in Oman; he worked as a consultant to the Arab Organization for Education, Culture and Sciences (ALESCO), and a member of the Arab League delegation to the Arab-European Dialogue in Florence. He is the founder of the Arab Society of Lexicography, founder and chief editor of the Arabic Journal of Lexicology and a founding member of the Association of Arab Research Councils.

He authored numerous articles and close to 25 books in Arabic, English and French. Among his important books on Arabic language terminology are: The Arabic Theory of Naht (which means coining one word from two or more words); Theoretical and Applied Lexicolography: Terms and Concepts; and A Dictionary of Modern Arabic Language Terminology. His distinguished contributions were recognized by medals from Tunisia and France.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Ahmad Matloob obtained his BA in Arabic Language at the College of Arts and Sciences from Baghdad University in 1956, an MA degree in 1961, and a Ph.D. degree in Arabic Literary Criticism and Rhetoric at Cairo University in 1963. After graduation, he joined the College of Arts in Baghdad University as an assistant professor in 1963, rising to the rank of full professorship nine years later. He became Dean of the College of Arts and a member of the University Council. He also served as a professor of Arabic at Kuwait University, the Cairo-based Arab Research Institute and Wahran University in Algiers, and as a visiting professor at Martin Luther University in Germany.

Apart from these academic positions, Professor Al-Nasiri held several offices in the Iraqi government. He was the Director of the Departments of Extension, Press and Culture, and subsequently Minister of Culture and Extension. He served as a Secretary General of the Iraqi Science Academy, a member of the Iraqi Writers Union, and chief editor or member of editorial boards of several literary and cultural journals in his country.

Professor Al-Nasiri was a prolific writer in different fields of Arabic language, literature, religion and poetry. He authored or co-authored more than 50 books and editions, as well as hundreds of research papers and popular articles, and participated in over 100 national and international conferences and numerous local radio and television sessions. His scholarly studies of the evolution, organization and context of terminology in Arabic rhetoric and literary criticism have been of fundamental importance for research into this subject. His contributions include a 3-volume dictionary of the terminology and development of Arabic rhetoric, a 2-volume dictionary of ancient Arabic literary criticism, and a compilation of research in Arabic linguistics.

Al-Nasiri’s scholarship was recognized by several other prizes, medals, memberships of Arabic Language Academies, and lectureships in many Arab, African and Western universities.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Mustafa Nasif joined Ain Shams University as a lecturer in 1952 and became a full professor in 1966. He taught ancient Arabic rhetoric and literature for several decades and chaired the Department of Arabic Language more than once. Upon his retirement in 1980, he was appointed Professor Emeritus of Arabic. He was known in academic circles throughout the Arab world, having taught in many Arab Universities and the American University in Cairo. In the 1950’s, he was invited to lecture on his New Horizons in Metaphors at London University and The Theory of Meaning in Modern Arabic Literary Criticism at Harvard.

Professor Nasif’s scholastic contributions had profoundly impacted the current understanding and interpretation of classical Arabic rhetoric. He examined the subject in the light of modern concepts, exploring previously unknown aspects and raising intriguing questions about the history, development and uniqueness of Arabic rhetoric and its association with other components of Arabic culture. He suggested that it was an Islamic, rather than a pre-Islamic, phenomenon that grew within the broader context of culture and was influenced by the spiritual and political atmosphere of the time. Through his intellectual pursuits and research for more than 60 years, he was able to redefine classical Arabic rhetoric, de-marginalize it and make it a cornerstone for understanding both classical and modern Arabic culture. He also made significant contributions to other genres of classical and contemporary Arabic literature and language. He authored or co-authored around 25 books and book chapters, and numerous articles. Many of his publications are used widely as standard textbooks and references in Arab universities.

Nasif’s scholarship was recognized by several other awards and honors including the Egyptian Order of Distinction (First Class), the State Prize in Literature in 1999, and prizes from Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in 2003.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Mohamed Al Omari received his Ph.D. from Mohammed V University in Rabat, where he is currently a Professor Emeritus of Arabic rhetoric, communication and discourse analysis and literary criticism. He is a member of the Moroccan Writers’ Union and editor of several journals.

Al-Omari’s research is primarily focused on examining classical Arabic rhetoric from a modern perspective. Realizing the difficulty of fully comprehending Ancient Arabic rhetoric without due consideration of contemporary rhetoric concepts, he first verified Mohamed El-Ifrani’s book The Easy Way to Explaining Ibn Sahl’s Tawashih, a major text of applied Arabic rhetoric, then translated Jan Cohen’s: The Poetic Language Structure (jointly with M. El Wali) and Henrich Plet’s: Rhetoric and Stylistics; both of which strongly emphasize the resourcefulness of classical rhetoric in developing a modern insight into the subject. He also sought to revive long forgotten aspects of Arabic culture, namely the phonetic structure of Arabic poetry and the pragmatic argumentative dimensions of Arabic rhetoric. His work on poetry phonetics was published in a series of three books: Poetic Discourse Analysis, which received the Moroccan Book Award, Phonetic Equivalences in the Rhetorical Vision and Trends of Phonetic Equivalences in Ancient Arabic poetry. His studies on argumentative dimensions of Arabic rhetoric were published in two other books: Persuasive Discourse Rhetoric and The Circle of Dialogue. In the latter, he proposed a model of rhetorical dialogue based on modern ideas. In 2001, he published a second edition incorporating both of these texts under the title Phonetic Equivalences in the Rhetoric Vision and Poetic Practice. Al Omari’s second focus of research was on the systematization and essence of Arabic rhetoric. His work on systematization was published in a book titled: Arabic Rhetoric: Origins and Extensions while his 2005 book: New Rhetoric: Fictional and Pragmatic, emphasizes the complex identity of Arabic rhetoric, defines sources from which it derived its strengths and weaknesses and elucidates many elements of Ancient rhetoric that could be utilized for constructing a contemporary view of Arabic rhetoric.

Through his grasp of modern rhetoric and stylistics research, coupled with his deep insight of Arabic language heritage, Professor Al-Oman has set an example of precise methodology and presentation of research in Arabic rhetoric.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Abdelkader Fehri received a State Doctorate in Arabic Linguistics from the Sorbonne and is currently Professor of Arabic and Comparative Linguistics at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences and Director of the Institute for Study and Research on Arabization at Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco. He is the founding President of the Moroccan Linguistics Society and Linguistic Research in Rabat, chief editor of the Linguistic Knowledge series in Casablanca, and member of the editorial boards of several other journals.

Professor Fehri authored 9 books and numerous publications in Arabic, English and French, dealing with different aspects of Arabic and comparative linguistics. His book, Issues in the Structure of Arabic Clauses and Words, lays out the fundamental aspects of standard Arabic syntax, morphology and lexicon, and is an important reference for researchers of Arabic linguistics. He also edited close to 20 other books and proceedings. Many of his publications have had a deep impact on current research on modern Arabic linguistics, particularly his contributions to the theory of clausal and nominal structures, and more recently his studies into temporal and nominal reference, plurality and genericity in Arabic language, and the interactions of morpho-syntax, semantics and lexicon.

Fehri’s profundity and creativity have earned him worldwide recognition. He received Morocco’s Highest Merit Award of Science and Culture and the Chevalier Medal in 1992. His other honors include numerous invited professorships and lectureships at major universities in the West and the Arab and Islamic worlds, as well as memberships of learned institutions and linguistics societies worldwide.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Tammam Hassan memorized the Holy Quran at the age of 10 and completed his general and College education in Egypt, earning a Diploma and a License in Education from Dar Al-Ulum College in Cairo. In 1946, he traveled to the U.K. to study phonology at London University, from which he received a master’s degree in 1949 and a Ph.D. degree in 1952. His subsequent academic career spanned more than 50 years, and was marked by outstanding accomplishments in Arabic linguistics.

Professor Tammam became a professor at Dar Al Ulum College in Cairo University in 1964 and was the Dean of that College in 1972. He also served as Egypt’s Cultural Counsel in Nigeria, and as a Member of the Arabic Language Academy in Cairo, Secretary General of the Permanent Arabic Language Committee of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Universities and Founding President of the Egyptian Society of Linguistics. In addition to Cairo University, he taught at Khartoum University in Sudan, Muhammad V University in Morocco and Um Al-Qura University in Saudi Arabia.

Professor Omar’s contributions to the advancement of Arabic Linguistics (phonetics; syntax; semantics; lexicon etc) and grammar appeared in 8 books and numerous scholarly articles. His achievements were recognized by international and Arab prizes. A commemorative book was written in his honor by his colleagues and former students in Arab countries. He is best known for his book The Arabic Language: its Form and Meanings, which incorporates most of his original ideas and theories, especially his theory of Tadafur Al-Qara’en (conjunctional synergism), a standard text in many Arab universities. He supervised more than 60 post-graduate students and translated 5 important books, namely: De Lacy O’Leary’s How Greek Science Passed to Arabs and Islamic Thought and Its Place in History; Bertrand Russell’s The Impact of Science in Society; Lewis’s Language in Society, and Norwood’s Discourse and Process: Toward a Multidisciplinary Science. Professor Omar was an Emeritus Professor at Cairo University.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Hussein Nassar was educated at Fuad Al-Awal University (Cairo University). After graduation, he pursued a distinguished career, spanning nearly half a century at the same University. He became a university professor in 1969, and was the Dean of the College of Arts and Director of the Arabic Manuscripts Institute and the Egyptian Academy of Arts.

In addition to his numerous scholarly articles, Professor Nassar published more than 50 books dealing with different genres of Arabic literature, language arts, history, and Islamic thought. His works include analyses and editions of ancient manuscripts, poem selections, studies of the language of the Holy Qur’an and translations (from English to Arabic) of several important texts, such as D.S. Margoliouth’s Lectures on Arabic Historians, B. Lewis’s Land of the Enchanters, Egyptian Short Stories from the Earliest Times to the Present Day; J. Horovitz’s The Earliest biographies of the Prophet and their authors, and three of Henry G. Farmer’s books: Sources of Arabic Music, History of Arabic Music and Music and Songs of the Arabian Nights.

His authoritative book (in Arabic): The Arabic Dictionary; its Evolution and Development is one of the hallmarks of modern Arabic lexicography. First published in 1956, and reprinted several times; this classic text continues to be a major reference for students and researchers in this field. It is, however, only one of several examples of Nassar’s erudition and scholarship.

Professor Nassar’s seminal contributions earned him one of the highest recognitions in Egypt, the State Award of Appreciation in 1986. His other honors include invited lectureships and membership of learned societies. He worked as a corresponding member of the Arabic Language Academies of Iraq and Syria.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

After completing college education, Husni Hussein received a Diploma of Arabic Language and Literature from the Institute of Arabic Studies in Cairo and master’s and Ph.D. degrees in modern Arabic literature from Cairo University, Egypt. He worked for 40 years in the field of education, first as a teacher at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools and the Teachers’ Institute in Palestine, then as a teaching staff at different Arab universities in Algiers, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

Professor Hussein was a prolific writer with varied interests in Arabic literature; he was also a leading scholar and historian of Palestinian literature. He published 8 books and numerous scholarly articles specifically dealing with contemporary Palestinian literature, including his widely cited 4-volume book, Poetry of the

Palestinian Resistance. The latter book is an important study of the Palestinian literary movement during the British mandate and the subsequent Israeli occupation of Palestine. It analyzes the works of Palestinian poets in diaspora and the role of popular poetry in the Palestinian struggle for independence. Hussein also published critical reviews and biographies of Palestinian novelists and poets, such as Rashid Hussein, Hussein Al-Bihairi and Emile Habibi, and contributed extensively to other more general aspects of literature, both in Arabic and English. His other books included: Readings in International Resistance Poetry and Arab Travel Literature, in addition to translations of several classic literary and educational books.

He was a passionate defender of Palestinian liberation and a regular participant in related conferences, symposia and official and Popular Palestinian festivities.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Husam Al-Khatib obtained a Diploma in Education and BA in English Literature from Damascus University, and Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Cambridge University in 1965. He became a full professor at Damascus University in 1970, and was Chairman of the Department of Arabic Language and Vice Dean of the College of Arts. He helped establish the Educational and Cultural Affairs Office of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. He was also an assistant to the Syrian Minister of Higher Education, Cultural Advisor in the Syrian Government and Consultant to the People’s Assembly. He founded the College of Arts in Taizz University in Yemen and served as its first Dean. He was also a Fullbright Fellow at Indiana University and a visiting researcher at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. He also served as Professor of Comparative Literature at Qatar University until 2004, and thereafter as Director of the Translation Center in Qatar.

Al-Khatib is an erudite Arab writer with diverse interests in Arabic and comparative literature. His discerning analyses of the works of several Palestinian writers and poets, and his insights of the impact of the Palestinian tragedy on these works, established him as one of the leading scholars of contemporary Palestinian literature. His books and articles dealing with the contributions of Palestinian literary critics at home and in diaspora are of considerable importance in this field.

Al-Khatib is a member of the Arab Writers Union, the Palestinian Writers Union and several national and international associations of comparative literature. He is also the founder and editor of two Arabic journals, Arab Parliament and Roots, and chief or associate editor of other Arab literary journals.

Professor Al-Khateeb has written numerous books and articles on the Palestinian Literature and creative writings of various figures in Palestine and in the Diaspora.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Mansour Al-Hazmi received his general education in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Then, he obtained a BA from Cairo University in 1958 and a Ph.D. in modern Arabic literature from the School of African and Oriental Studies at London University in 1966. He became a professor of Arabic Literature at King Saud University in Riyadh in 1978.

Professor Al-Hazmi’s research interests focus on the Arabic historical novel in general, in particular novels and short stories in Saudi Arabia. He authored or co-authored several books and articles in both areas. His academic career spans more than 40 years, during which he held different offices at King Saud University, including Deanships of the College of Arts and the University Studies Center for Women Students. He was also an appointed member of the Saudi Consultative Council.

He is a dynamic participant in cultural and intellectual activities in his country and abroad. He was the first editor-in-chief of Al-Adab, the official journal of the College of Arts at King Saud University, and a member of the editorial board of Al-Dara, a popular cultural magazine printed in Riyadh. He is also a member of the Riyadh Cultural Club, the Board of Trustees of Abd Al-Aziz Al-Babtain Prize for Arabic Poetry (Kuwait) and Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Committee for State Prizes in Arabic Literature.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.