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Ahmed Shawqi .. The Prince of Poets

The spread of mediocrity at the expense of the deep content does not mean the brilliant poets and writers whose names are immortalised in the literary and artistic world are forgotten.
One of those names was the Egyptian poet Ahmed Shawqi who was called by many Arab poets in 1927 as "the Prince of Poets" because he was back then the greatest reformer of contemporary Arab poetry. He was born on October 16, 1868, to a Kurdish father and a mother of Turkish-Circassian origin.
His Life
Shawqi became the Poet Laureate and close to Khedive Abbas Helmy, who took power after the death of his father Tawfiq.
His maternal grandmother worked as a maid in the palace of Khedive Ismail and was very wealthy, so she took care of his upbringing and he grew up with her in the palace.
At the age of four, he joined the Kuttab of Sheikh Saleh and during his early age, he devoted himself to memorizing and studying poetry.
At the age of fifteen, he attended law school and translation, and after graduating he travelled to France in 1887 at the expense of the Ottoman governor of Egypt, Khedive Tawfiq. He continued studying law in Montpellier and studied the masterpieces of French literature then returned to Egypt in 1891
He also used to send praise poems to Khedive Tawfiq, during his stay in France. After he returned to Egypt he became the Poet Laureate.
Critics consider Shawqi supported Khedive for two reasons; the first one is that Khedive is his employer and took care of him since childhood. The second reason is out of religious belief and that is why he called all poets to defend the Ottoman Caliphate because it Islamic.
Shawqi attacked the British occupation of Egypt, which led to his exile to Spain in 1914. In exile, he studied Arabic literature and the Islamic civilization in Spain. He wrote many poems to pay tribute to Andalusia and wrote many nostalgic poems for his country, Egypt, to which he returned after spending four years in exile.
When he returned, he dominated the literary scene in Egypt, and Shawqi was known for his prolific poetic production, and his poetry was distinguished by his sublime words and ease of style. He was called the Prince of Poets in 1927.
Shawqi's relationship with singers
Ahmed Shawqi has close relations with the singers of his time. He found in Mohamed Abdel Wahhab what he did not find in any other singer, so he took care of him, educated him, took him to Europe, guided him to the sources of arts and presented him to senior intellectuals and politicians.
Prominent singers sang his poems before Abdel Wahab did as Ahmed Antar Mostafa said in his book "the shawqiyyat of singing". Muhammad Othman sang a poem for Shawqi at a party in the suburb of Helwan, south of Cairo, on February 17, 1899. Sheikh Salama Hegazy composed for him the anthem of the Islamic Charitable Society and which is performed by the group of acting at the Khedive Opera in 1900.
He said about Umm Kulthum that if the voices were metals, Umm Kulthum's voice would be made of fine gold. She was impressed by Shawqi's poetry. Umm Kulthum sang nine Shawqi's poems composed by Riyad Al-Sunbati.
The number of Shawqi's poems which were sung is 47 in both standard and spoken Arabic. They were sung by Abdel Wahab and Umm. He wrote a song in the summer of 1931 in Lebanon and was sung by the singer Malak whose voice is very much loved by Ahmed.
His writing
Diwan al-Shawqiyat consists of four volumes, it was first printed between 1888-1889, and then reprinted in 1911 without any addition to it. Al-Shawqiyat was divided into four parts. In 1926, the first part was printed without any additions. In 1930, the second part was printed and after the death of Ahmed Shawqi, the third part on eulogy was printed in 1936 and the fourth part was printed in 1943.
As for the novels, the poet Ahmed Shawqi wrote four novels; "India Virgin" in 1897, "Ladias" which means the last pharaoh and "the Myrtle Leaf" which is a historical novel that took place in the time of the Persian King Shapur.
Ahmed Shawqi was considered the pioneer of Arab theatre, as he filled a void in contemporary literature, so he put together many poetic plays like Cleopatra's Death, Qambeez, Ali Bey al-Kabir and Mrs Huda whose events were inspired by contemporary social life.
His death
On the evening of October 13, 1932, the poet Ahmed Shawqi passed away after a struggle with illness. Shawqi was diagnosed with atherosclerosis in his sixties and in 1930 he had another sudden illness that exhausted him and kept him in bed for four months. Despite his illness and weakness, his love for writing was strong and his poetic production increased. During that short period of illness, he wrote: Majnun Layla, Qambeez, Ali Bey al-Kabir, the stingy, and Mrs Huda. Shawqi's memory remained in people's minds and his poetry has immortalised him to this day.
BY: Thelevantnews
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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