(1898–1987)

Egyptian writer and man of letters, one of the leading figures of Arabic literature and one of the pioneers of dramatic writing. His play "The People of the Cave" marked the beginning of the trend known as the theatre of the mind, rich with symbols and connotations through which a text can be understood on more than one level. Among his most famous works are the novels "Diary of a Country Prosecutor" and "Return of the Spirit," and the plays "Soft Hands" and "The Fate of a Cockroach." Many of his works have been translated into multiple languages.