Remembering Abbas Al-Akkad on His 134th Birth Anniversary

Today (Sep 9) marks the 134th anniversary of the birth of the renowned Egyptian author, Abbas Mahmoud Al-Akkad.

Al-Akkad was a multi-talented individual, excelling in writing, poetry, philosophy, politics, history, and journalism, earning him the nickname “monk of literature”.

He is widely regarded as the finest Egyptian author, and some Literature experts rank him second only to Taha Hussain in the field of Egypt's literature.

Abbas Mahmoud Al-Akkad was born in 1889 in Aswan Governorate. His father worked as a clerk in the records department. Although Al-Akkad only obtained an elementary certificate, he was devoted to reading and self-education, amassing a library of over thirty thousand books.

Despite working in several government jobs, Al-Akkad disliked them and viewed them as hindrances to his literary pursuits. He eventually turned to journalism, writing for various newspapers and magazines, including Al-Dustour and Al-Diyaa.

Al-Akkad remained unmarried but had many love stories, two of which he immortalized in his novel "Sarah". He was a member of the Arabic Language Academy in Cairo and a corresponding member of the Arabic Language Academy in Damascus and Baghdad.

To honor his literary legacy, he was granted the State Appreciation Award in Literature and an honorary doctorate from Cairo University, both of which he refused to accept.

Al-Akkad was a fighter, both in literature and politics. He engaged in a heated literary battle with the Prince of Poets, Ahmed Shawki, in his book "The Diwan in Literature and Criticism". He co-founded the "Al-Diwan School" with Abdul Qadir al-Mazini and Abd al-Rahman Shukri, promoting the renewal of imagination and poetic image while emphasizing organic unity in poetic construction. 

He also had intellectual battles with Taha Hussein, Zaki Mubarak, Mustafa Jawad, and Bint al-Shati'.

In politics, Al-Akkad actively participated in Egypt's political scene as a member of the Wafd Party, defending Saad Zaghloul. However, he eventually resigned from the party in 1933 due to a dispute with Mustafa Al-Nahhas. 

He also criticized the king during the preparation of the constitution and was imprisoned for nine months. He opposed the 1936 treaty and fought against tyranny, absolutism, fascism, and Nazism.

Al-Akkad authored over a hundred books and numerous articles. However, his only storybook was "Sarah". He passed away in 1964, leaving behind a significant literary legacy.