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Shaker Al-Fahham was educated in Fuad Al-Awal University from which he received his BA in 1946, an MA in 1960, and a Ph.D. in 1963 in Arabic Language and Literature.

Professor Al-Fahham was appointed to several prestigious academic and political positions in Syria. He was a member of the People’s Assembly, Minister of Education (twice), Minister of Higher Education (twice), Ambassador to Algeria, and President of Damascus University. Despite his enormous administrative and political responsibilities, he continued teaching in Damascus University as a professor of Arabic Language and Literature at the College of Arts. He also participated significantly in conferences, symposia, committees and a range of national, Arab, and international cultural and educational institutions.

Professor Al-Fahham was one of Syria’s most distinguished intellectuals. His deep knowledge of the ingredients of Arabic Literature is reflected in his numerous books, editions, verifications and articles. Among his books on ancient Arab poets that qualified him for the King Faisal International Prize for Arabic Literature are: Nazarat Fi Shi’r Bashar ibn Burd (Views on the Poetry of Bashar ibn Burd), Mukhtart min Shi’r Al-Andalus (Selections from Andalusian Poetry) and Al-Farzdag. The last-mentioned book remains one of the best-known critiques available on the life and works of this ancient Arab poet. Professor Al-Fahham was a key figure in the Arab cultural life for many decades.

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

Mohammad Bin Sharifah memorized the Holy Quran in his early age, and received his initial education in his hometown, and secondary education at Ibn Youssef School in Marrakesh. After completing his general education, he obtained a BA from Mohammed V University in Morocco in 1960, a master’s degree in 1964, and a Ph.D. degree in Literature from Cairo University in 1969. He taught Andalusian Literature at Mohammed V University in Morocco in 1970 and became Dean of the College of Arts and President of Mohammed I University in Annaba from1978 until 1983.

Professor Bin Sharifah was a leading authority in Andalusian literature, particularly during the era of the Islamic State in Granada. His prolific writings on the role of Arab and Muslim literary figures in Andalusia are exemplified by his books: The Life and Works of Abul Matraf Ahmed Ibn Omaira al-Makhzoumi, Popular Sayings in Andalusia, Al-Basti, Last of Andalusian Poets, Abu Marwan al-Baji and His Journey to the East, and many other books. He also verified several texts including the 8-volume book Al-thail wa Takmilah Kitabai Al Mausul wul Sela by Ibn Abdul Malik al-Marrakishi (jointly with Ihsan Abbas); and Rawdat al-Adib by Ibn Lubal Al-Shraishi. Bin Sharifah also published numerous articles and research papers and participated in many conferences in his field of specialization.

He was a member or corresponding member of the Royal Moroccan Academy, the Royal History Academy in Madrid, the Arabic Language Academy in Cairo, the Royal Academy for Islamic Civilization, the Aal Al-Bayt Foundation for Islamic Thought in Jordan and the Arabic Language Academy in Damascus. A biography of Bin Sharifah’s life and works was recently published.

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

Mahmoud Makki obtained his BA in Arabic Language from Cairo University in 1949 and a Ph.D. in Spanish Literature from Madrid Central University in 1955. He held different positions in Egypt, Spain and elsewhere. After graduation, he joined the Cultural Relations Administration of the Egyptian Ministry of Education and was Egypt’s Cultural Attaché in Spain, Director of the Institute of Islamic Studies in Madrid and Professor of Arabic Language and Literature in Madrid Central University. He also served as Director of the Translation Department of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, professor in Kuwait University and visiting professor in several Arab universities as well as the Center for Oriental Studies in Mexico. In 1977, he became professor of Andalusian literature in Cairo University, where he established and chaired the Department of Spanish Language and Literature until his retirement in 1979.

Professor Makki is a leading scholar of Andalusian literature and the author of numerous books and articles dealing with Arabic, Spanish and Latin American literature. Of particular importance are his books on The Influence of Islam and Arabs in the European Civilization and his groundbreaking text on the Andalusian historian Ibn Hayyan, his edition of Diwan ibn Darrag Al-Ghastali and his translations of several works of Spanish and Latin American literature and poetry.

In addition to the King Faisal International Prize for Arabic Literature, Makki was awarded the Alfonso medal from Spain in 1967, and the Egyptian Order of Excellence in 1977, and the Literature and Arts Prize and Republican Order from Egypt in 1968. He is a member of the Arabic Language Academy in Cairo, the Royal Academy of History in Madrid, and the Royal Academy of Arts in Barcelona and Cordoba. He is also chairman of the Egyptian Society for Spanish Studies.

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

Mohammad Al-Athari memorized the Holy Quran at the age of 6. In addition to studying Arabic language, literature, and Islamic Sharia in formal Iraqi schools, he privately studied French, English and Turkish languages and was mentored in religion and Arabic language studies by renowned local scholars, including the legendary Shaikh Mahmoud Shukri Al-Alousi, the Mufti of Baghdad. Al-Athari became a teacher of Arabic, then an Inspector of Arabic in the Iraqi Ministry of Education and an Administrative Director in the Ministry of Endowments. In 1951, he was appointed professor of Arabic literature and Ethics in the Police College in Baghdad, beside his responsibilities in the Ministry of Education.

Mr. Al-Athari retired in 1963 to become a full-time writer and scholar of Arabic. He authored numerous books and edited many others on different aspects of Arabic language and arts, including analyses of several early Arabic texts and anthologies, particularly an edition of Imad Ed-Din Al-Asfahani’s Kharidat al-Qasr wa Jaridat al-Asr, a landmark of ancient Arabic prose, poetry, and literary criticism. Mr. Al-Athari also published hundreds of articles and made numerous other contributions not only to the study of Arabic literature but also history and Islamic studies. He was a celebrated poet.

In 1949, he co-founded the Iraqi Science Academy and became its Vice-President and chief editor of its journal. He was also elected to the Arabic Language Academies of Cairo, Damascus and Amman, the Royal Moroccan Academy and the International Advisory Council of Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation. His life and works were subjects of graduate degrees, and a compilation of his major literary contributions was published by the Iraqi Science Academy.

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

Mohammad Al-Athari memorized the Holy Quran at the age of 6. In addition to studying Arabic language, literature, and Islamic Sharia in formal Iraqi schools, he privately studied French, English and Turkish languages and was mentored in religion and Arabic language studies by renowned local scholars, including the legendary Shaikh Mahmoud Shukri Al-Alousi, the Mufti of Baghdad. Al-Athari became a teacher of Arabic, then an Inspector of Arabic in the Iraqi Ministry of Education and an Administrative Director in the Ministry of Endowments. In 1951, he was appointed professor of Arabic literature and Ethics in the Police College in Baghdad, beside his responsibilities in the Ministry of Education.

Mr. Al-Athari retired in 1963 to become a full-time writer and scholar of Arabic. He authored numerous books and edited many others on different aspects of Arabic language and arts, including analyses of several early Arabic texts and anthologies, particularly an edition of Imad Ed-Din Al-Asfahani’s Kharidat al-Qasr wa Jaridat al-Asr, a landmark of ancient Arabic prose, poetry, and literary criticism. Mr. Al-Athari also published hundreds of articles and made numerous other contributions not only to the study of Arabic literature but also history and Islamic studies. He was a celebrated poet.

In 1949, he co-founded the Iraqi Science Academy and became its Vice-President and chief editor of its journal. He was also elected to the Arabic Language Academies of Cairo, Damascus and Amman, the Royal Moroccan Academy and the International Advisory Council of Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation. His life and works were subjects of graduate degrees, and a compilation of his major literary contributions was published by the Iraqi Science Academy.

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

Shawqi Daif completed his BA and Ph.D. in Fuad Al-Awal University in Cairo and was the Professor of Arabic Literature at Cairo University for several decades.

Professor Daif authored more than 50 books dealing with a wide range of aspects of Arabic language, literature and arts. One example of his seminal contributions to the study of ancient Arabic literature is his book on the development and renovations in Arabic poetry during the Umayyad era, which is regarded as the most important reference so far written in Arabic on that subject. Another example is his extensive series, History of Arabic Literature, which covers poetry, anthology, literary criticism, rhetoric and other aspects of literature during pre-Islamic, early Islamic, Abbasid, and later eras. Professor Daif worked for more than 30 years on this mammoth series, which consisted of 100 volumes. An indispensable reference for students and scholars of Arabic literature, some volumes of this series were reprinted more than twenty times.

Professor Daif’s profundity, intellect and industry gained him respect and wide admiration throughout the Arab world. In addition to King Faisal International Prize for Arabic Literature, he received several honors, including the Egyptian Arabic Language Academy Prize in 1947, and the Egyptian State Prize in literature twice in 1955 and 1979. He was a member of the Egyptian Academy of Sciences and the President of the Arabic Language Academy in Cairo for several years.

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

Nasir Al-Din Al-Asad obtained his BA and Ph.D. degrees in Arabic Language from Fuad Al-Awal University in Cairo in 1955. Then, he lectured at the Arab University and Institute for Research and Studies in Cairo before returning to his country to assist in establishing the Jordanian University. He was a Professor of Arabic Language and Literature, the Dean of the College of Arts and twice the President of the same University. He is also the President of Ahlia (Private) University in Jordan.

Professor Al-Asad is a distinguished intellectual, with significant contributions to the study of Arabic literature during pre-Islamic and early Islamic eras. This is best illustrated by his book The Sources of Pre-Islamic Arabic Poetry and their Historical Importance (in Arabic). He has also written extensively on modern literary arts in Jordan and Palestine and on various aspects of Arabic language, history and Islamic studies. In addition, he edited five books and translated Antonius’s The Arab Awakening jointly with Ihsan Abbas.

Aside from his diverse cultural and intellectual pursuits, Professor Al-Asad held several prestigious offices in the Jordanian Government including his appointment as President of the Royal Jordanian Academy for Research on the Islamic Civilization, Jordan’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Minister of Higher Education.

Professor Al-Asad is an Honorary Professor at the Jordanian University. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Israa University and AbdAl-Hamid Shuman Prize. In addition to the King Faisal International Prize for Arabic Literature, he received numerous awards, national decorations and memberships of learned institutions including the Arabic Language academies in Cairo, Amman, Damascus and Morocco, the Aligarh Islamic Academy in India.

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

Abd Al-Salam Haroun memorized the Holy Quran and learned reading and writing during his childhood, then pursued formal education in Arabic and Islamic studies in Al-Azhar institute in Cairo. Thereafter, he joined Dar al-Ulum for higher education, graduating with a degree in Arabic in 1932.

Professor Haroun began his career as a faculty member of the College of Arts in Alexandria University, moving, in 1950, to Dar Al Ulum in Cairo where he became professor and Chair of the Department of Arabic Language. He assisted in designing curricula for the College of Arts in the newly established Kuwait University, and chaired its Departments of Arabic Language and Graduate Studies for more than a decade.

Professor Harun was one of the most distinguished scholars of Arabic literature and language in modern times. He published his first edition, Matn ibn Shuja’a in 1925, when he was only 16. Two years later he published the first volume of his edition of Khizanat al-Adab by al-Baghdadi, and completed four other volumes while he was a student in Dar al-Ulum. His profundity was exceptional, and through the years, he authored around 115 books and editions, many of which consisting of several volumes. His publications covered a wide range of Arabic language and literary arts, history, religion and heritage. Among his major works are: Kitab Al-Hayawan (8 volumes) and Kitab Al-Bayan wa’l-Tabyin, (4 volumes), both by Al-Jahiz; Rules of Grammar (6 volumes) by Ibn Faris, Diwan Al-Hamasa by Al-Marzuqi (4 volumes), Kitab Seebawaih (4 volumes) and Tahqiq al-Nusus. He also wrote numerous seminal articles in Arabic literary journals and supervised or examined more than 80 MA and Ph.D. students.

His contributions were recognized by his election to the prestigious Arabic Language Academies of Egypt and Jordan.

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

Ihsan Abbas received his basic education in Haifa and Acre, and graduated as a teacher from the Arabic language college in Jerusalem in 1941. He received his BA, MA, and Ph.D. degrees in Arabic Literature from Fuad Al-Awal (currently Cairo) University in 1954.

In addition to his numerous scholarly articles and reviews, Professor Abbas authored 75 books covering not only a wide range of modern and ancient Arabic literature but also history, geography, law, science and political thought. His works included seminal contributions to the founding principles of the modern edited texts and groundbreaking work on the Arabic literary legacy of Muslim Spain. Among his books on modern Arabic poetry are Modern Trends in Contemporary Arabic Poetry, Badr Shakir Al-Sayyab, and Abd Al-Wahhab Al-Bayati. Abbas also translated and co-translated 12 books, including The Poetics of Aristotle by Samuel Butcher, The Achievements of T.S. Eliot by Matthiessen, The Writer as Artist by Carlos Baker, The Arab Awakening by George Antonius, The Armed Vision by Stanley Hyman, and Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Some of the books and articles written by Professor Ihsan Abbas have become standard readings of Arabic literature in many universities around the world.

Professor Ihsan Abbas was a Professor Emeritus at the American University in Beirut (AUB) in 1961. He served earlier as a Chair of Arabic Language and Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at AUB, a Professor of Arabic Literature at Khartoum University and the Jordanian University, and a Visiting Professor at Princeton University. He was also a member of the Royal Jordanian Academy, the Arabic language academies in Cairo and Damascus, the German Oriental Society.

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

Abd Al-Gadir Al-Qit was an erudite Arab intellectual and literary critic, who had enriched the Arabic library with numerous scholarly books and articles covering a wide range of Arabic literature, classic and contemporary Arabic prose, poetry and translations. Professor Al-Qit obtained a BA in Arabic Language (with Distinction) from the College of Arts at Fuad Al-Awal University in Cairo in 1938, and a Ph.D. from London University in 1950. Following graduation, he was appointed as a Chief Librarian of King Fuad University, then joined the faculty of Ain Shams University, where he became a Professor of Arabic Language for several decades. During his tenure at Ain Shams, he served as the Chair of the Department of Arabic Language and the Dean of the College of Arts. He was a board member of the Egyptian Writers’ Union, the Egyptian Literary Society, and the Egyptian Supreme Council for Arts and Literature. He was also a chief editor of several widely circulated Arabic literary magazines.

Professor Al-Qit’s contributions included books dealing with reform trends in poetry during the Abbasid era, spiritual aspects of contemporary Arabic poetry, modern Egyptian literature and modern Arabic literature. His translations included several world classics by Shakespeare, Wilder, Richardson and others.

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