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The Short Story in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the literary genres that has accompanied the development of Saudi literature throughout its various stages. Its earliest features emerged at the beginning of the Kingdom's foundation through narrative articles, such as Abdulwahab Ashi’s text Ala Mal'ab al-Hawadeth (On the Field of Events), published in the book Adab al-Hejaz (Literature of Hejaz) in 1926, and Mohammed Hassan Awwad’s text al-Zawaj al-Ijbari (Forced Marriage),...

The translation movement in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a literary, scientific, and cultural movement, and a means to facilitate economic development and cultural exchange with countries and peoples around the world. It began with the official establishment of the Shura Council in the Kingdom on August 29, 1926, to know and understand the policies, laws, cultures, and civilizations of other countries and formulate political and diplomatic relations with them through translation. The academic...

The Encyclopedia of Modern Saudi Literature is an encyclopedia that documents the journey of literature in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia content and studies, from its inception to the celebration of its centenary in 1999. It includes selected texts and studies. Volumes of the Encyclopedia of Modern Saudi Literature The encyclopedia consists of ten volumes with over five thousand pages. The first volume contains a general introduction to the political, social, economic, and cultural aspects of lif...

Al-Manhal magazine was first published in 1937 as the first literary magazine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It focused on matters related to science, literature, and culture, actively seeking out contributions that added new cultural significance to the Kingdom. Its role was particularly evident during the literary renaissance in Hijaz, enriching authorship in general and fostering the emergence of young writers from diverse regions of the Kingdom. It is regarded as a fundamental source for s...

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...