International Prize for Arabic Fiction
1 appearances
-
Edition 2 (2009) Winner
Youssef Ziedan
ユセフ・ジーダン
Youssef Ziedan
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1958-06-30 （Sohag, Egypt）
- Nationality
- Egypt
- Languages
- Arabic
- Residence History
- Alexandria (moved there as a child)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Scholar, Researcher, Columnist, Public lecturer, Manuscript center director
- Active Years
- 1976-
- Affiliations
- Director, Manuscript Center and Museum, Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- Influenced By
- Ibn Arabi, Abdul Karim al-Jili, Ibn al-Nafis
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria University | Faculty/Department of Philosophy | Department of Philosophy | PhD | 1976-1989 | Egypt |
Alexandria University
Faculty/Department of Philosophy
/ Department of Philosophy
Degree:
PhD
Period:
1976-1989
Year of Graduation:
1989
Country:
Egypt
Graduated summa cum laude. PhD dissertation on the Qadiri Sufi order and critical edition of the poetical works of Abdul Qadir al-Jilani.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | International Prize for Arabic Fiction | Azazeel | — | International Prize for Arabic Fiction | winner |
| — | Medical Knowledge and Heritage Authentication Award | — | — | Islamic Organization of Medicine / Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences | winner |
| — | ‘Abdul-Hamīd Shūmān Prize (social studies) | — | 社会学 | Unknown organization | winner |
| 2020 | International Prize for Arabic Fiction (shortlist) | Fardeqan – the Detention of the Great Sheikh | — | International Prize for Arabic Fiction | shortlisted |
International Prize for Arabic Fiction
2009
Work:
Azazeel
Organization:
International Prize for Arabic Fiction
Result:
winner
Medical Knowledge and Heritage Authentication Award
Organization:
Islamic Organization of Medicine / Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences
Result:
winner
‘Abdul-Hamīd Shūmān Prize (social studies)
Category:
社会学
Organization:
Unknown organization
Result:
winner
International Prize for Arabic Fiction (shortlist)
2020
Work:
Fardeqan – the Detention of the Great Sheikh
Organization:
International Prize for Arabic Fiction
Result:
shortlisted
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Azazeel
2008 Historical novel / theological fictionA historical-theological novel framed as the autobiography of a 5th-century monk, exploring religious conflict and personal faith.
religionfaith and doubthistorical conflict
Translations
- English translation (Jonathan Wright)
- French translation
- Italian translation
- Russian translation
The Shadow of the Serpent
2006 Literary fictionA novel treating notions of the sacred female in a contemporary setting, with an experimental structure.
femininityreligious historyidentity
The Nabatean
2012 Historical fictionA novel grounded in historical background, featuring detailed source-based research.
historycultural heritage
Fardeqan – the Detention of the Great Sheikh
2019 Historical / political fictionA novel depicting religious and political conflicts; it was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
religious leadershippower and justice
Bibliography
- Anonymous Sufi Poets
- Al-Mutawaliyat: studies in Sufism
- Sufi Orders and al-Qadiriyya in Egypt
- A Prologue to Sufism by al-Sulami: a study and a critical edition
- The Poetical Works of Abdul Qadir al-Jilani
- Hayy Ibn Yaqzan: the four texts and their authors
- Al-Lahut al-'Arabi: and the roots of religious violence
- A Commentary on the Hippocratic Aphorisms
- Treatises on Body Parts by Ibn al-Nafis
- Rediscovering ‘Alaa al-Din (Ibn al-Nafis) al-Qarashi
- Al-Shamil fil al-Sina’a al-Tibbiyya (critical edition in 30 volumes)
- Iltiqa’ al-Bahrin: essays in literary criticism
- The Shadow of the Serpent
- Azazeel
- The Nabatean
- Fardeqan – the Detention of the Great Sheikh
Translations of Works
- Azazeel — English translation (Jonathan Wright)
- Azazeel — French translation
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Layered treatment of history and religionIncorporation of scholarly reflection into narrativeFormal experimentation (epistolary, manuscript framing)
- Recurring Motifs
- manuscripts and textsconflict of religion and faithhistory of medicine and scienceSufism
Legacy
Youssef Ziedan is a prominent writer and scholar in the Arabic-speaking world, highly regarded for his work on manuscripts, Islamic intellectual history, and history of medicine. His fiction, notably Azazeel, brought him international recognition.
Museums
- Bibliotheca Alexandrina — Manuscript Center and Museum Alexandria, Egypt
Archives
- Bibliotheca Alexandrina manuscript collections
Trivia
- Has children named Alaa, Aya and Mai.
- Also known as a scholar who produced manuscript catalogues and critical editions.
- Azazeel won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2009.