Abbas Mahmoud al-Aqqad

Abbas Mahmoud al-Aqqad was a prominent Egyptian writer, poet, and intellectual who contributed to the development of modern Arabic literature and criticism. He was self-educated and read widely on various subjects, such as religion, history, philosophy, and politics. He was an outspoken advocate of democracy and freedom, and criticized totalitarian regimes such as Nazism and Communism. He also defended the Arab and Islamic heritage and culture, and wrote biographies of several Muslim figures, such as Muhammad, Abu Bakr, Omar, Ali, and Aisha. He was a founder of the Diwan school of poetry, which aimed to revive the classical Arabic poetic forms and themes. He wrote many poems, some of which were inspired by his personal experiences and romances. He also wrote a novel, Sarah, based on one of his love affairs. He was a member of the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo and the Egyptian parliament. He died in 1964 at the age of 74.