Egypt
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Yahya Haqqi
Sayyida Zeinab (Cairo), Egypt
Archival Overview
Revered Egyptian diplomat, critic, and author acclaimed as the father of the modern Egyptian novella, whose 1940 masterpiece 'The Lamp of Umm Hashim' explored the philosophical clash between Western science and traditional Eastern faith.
Biographical Record
Yahya Haqqi (1905–1992) was born of Turkish-Egyptian descent in the historic working-class quarter of Sayyida Zeinab in Cairo. Trained in law, he served in the diplomatic corps across Rome, Paris, and Ankara, and later directed the influential literary journal Al-Majalla.
In 1940, Haqqi published Qindil Umm Hashim (The Lamp of Umm Hashim), a profound philosophical novella about a young Egyptian doctor who studies ophthalmology in Europe, returns to Cairo, and confronts local faith in the healing oil of the shrine of Sayyida Zeinab. The work is universally recognized as the supreme literary expression of the dilemma of Arab modernization.
Key Life Milestones
Publication of The Lamp of Umm Hashim
Published the definitive novella analyzing the existential reconciliation of scientific reason and spiritual heritage.
King Faisal International Prize in Arabic Literature
Awarded the international prize honoring his six decades of leadership in Arabic literary criticism and fiction.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialCairo, Egypt