Mustafa Lutfi al-Manfaluti

Mustafa Lutfi al-Manfaluti was born in the Upper Egyptian city of Manfalut to an Egyptian father and a Turkish mother. He memorized the Quran before the age of twelve and studied at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. He was influenced by pan-Islamism, Egyptian nationalism, and the Syrian school of writers, who introduced him to Western, particularly French, learning. He translated and novelized plays and books from French and other European sources, as well as wrote original essays, poems, and short stories. He is considered a pioneer of modern Arabic prose and a master of eloquence and rhetoric. He had a strong impact on the Arab literary and intellectual scene, inspiring many writers and thinkers. He died of tuberculosis in 1924 at the age of 47.