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The first book translated into Arabic in Saudi literature was an Arabic adaptation of al-Zanabiq al-Homr (The Red Oleanders) play by the Indian writer Rabindranath Tagore. Ahmed Abd al-Ghafur Attar translated it into Arabic, and the book was published in 1952 by 'Dar al-Maaref' in Cairo, encompassing 261 pages. The 'Red Oleanders' play delves into people's obsession with material possessions and fascination with gold, while the author aspires for freedom and the pursuit...
Throwing Sparks Novel is a Saudi novel published in 2009 by Abdo Khal . It won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction 'Booker' during its third session in 2010, making it the first Saudi novel to win the award. The novel has been translated into English and French. About Throwing Sparks Novel Throwing Sparks was printed in six editions, the first of which was published by 'Manshurat al-Jamal' in 2009. The novel presents a bleak portrait of a world where humanity is conce...
Al-Usfuriyyah (The Madhouse) is a Saudi novel written by Ghazi al-Gosaibi . Its first edition was published in 1996, and it is classified as an autofiction, meaning that the narrator, main character, and author are the same person. The novel is predominantly in a sarcastic tone. About Al-Usfuriyyah Novel The first edition of al-Usfuriyyah Novel was published by 'Dar al-Saqi' in 1996. In 1999, the third edition was released by the same publishing house. The novel is classified as a sin...
The Dove's Necklace Novel is a Saudi novel by Raja'a Alem . It was published in 2010 and won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction 'Booker' jointly during its fourth session in 2011. It is the second Saudi novel to win this prize . The novel depicts aspects of Makkan social life and has been translated into five languages: German, English, Italian, Polish, and French. About The Dove's Necklace Novel The Dove's Necklace novel adopts a multi-voice narrative tech...
The novel 'al-Taw'aman' (The Twins) by Abdul Quddus al-Ansari is considered the first novel in the history of modern Saudi literature . Some critics even believe it to be the first novel in the Arabian Peninsula. It was printed in 1930 at al-Tarqi Press in Damascus. On its first page, the author noted that it is 'the first novel in Hejaz.' Critics described 'al-Taw'aman' as a social reformist novel, as its story revolves around the idea of the negative im...
The Year of Arabic Calligraphy is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia throughout 2020 and extended for an additional year until 2021. With its own dedicated visual identity, the initiative aims to celebrate Arabic calligraphy due to its significance and close connection with the Arabic language. Moreover, the details, history, forms, and arts of Arabic calligraphy reflect the richness and creativity of the Arabic language, and it is a symbol of Saudi...
The Theater Pioneers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were the first to innovate in theatrical writing and worked towards establishing theaters and presenting shows in the Kingdom. This began as early as 1932, through several individual attempts to establish Saudi theater even before the emergence of theaters themselves. Poet Hussein Abdullah Siraj wrote several plays, starting with 'The Unjust to Himself' in 1932, followed by 'Jamil and Buthaynah' in 1942, and 'Walladah&...
The One Hundred Saudi Books Initiative is a cultural initiative aimed at printing and publishing one hundred books by Saudi authors in various literary, scientific, and humanities fields. This initiative seeks to highlight the content provided by these authors and enhance the cultural movement in the Kingdom. It was launched by the World Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature (Adab) in January 2023, in collaboration with the Cultural Fund, which supports various cultural programs related to differen...
Darah Journal is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published quarterly by the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It specializes in publishing scientific research and studies related to the Kingdom's heritage, ideologies, history, geography, culture, and literature, as well as the Arab and Islamic world in general. The magazine is published every three months, with its first edition published on March 1, 1975. Sections of Darah Journ...
The Dictionary of Literature and Writers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the scientific dictionaries dedicated to recognizing Saudi writers in the Kingdom. It was supervised by the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah) . The first edition of the dictionary was published in 2007 by Dar al-Shorouk in Cairo, consisting of 640 large-sized pages. It included one thousand entries, of which eighty-eight entries were dedicated to Saudi literature and writers. After the re...
Children's Libraries are an initiative launched by King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in 1995, aiming to enhance the literary culture of children and young adults aged four to eighteen, foster valuable principles, and contribute to their upbringing with a love for innovation and diverse knowledge. This is achieved through developmental initiatives, enrichment programs, and cultural recreational activities. Children's Libraries fields Children's...
Saudi literary clubs are cultural and social institutions dedicated to promoting literature and culture in the Arabic language. They are interested in documenting literary and cultural history in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Enjoying legal personalities, they hold significant importance as pivotal literary institutions closely associated with literature and literary figures. The literary clubs, totaling sixteen clubs, contribute to the literary and cultural production since the establishment of...
