Abstract:

At the beginning of the 20th century as the Arab communities starting with Egypt fought for independence not only militarily but also socially, politically, and culturally against the Western colonialist mentality of the modern era, many poets and writers reflected the weaknesses of society’s fundamental values in their works. Hafez Ibrahim, who was known for his poetry and has been referred to as the Sha’irun-Nil [Poet of the Nile] and Sha’irush-Sha’b [Poet of the People], had an important prose work called Layali Satih [The Nights of Satih], which reflects the dimensions of the social changes that occurred in Egypt at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. Layali Satih is considered a significant work of the period that addresses the poet’s criticisms and views. This study analyzes both technically and thematically the work Layali Satih, which blends the classical poetic style (maqamah) with the novel-like features of modern storytelling and also has autobiographical elements that reflect the problems the author faced with the British during his time in the army. The work highlights the ongoing struggle between tradition and modernity, which is still considered a serious threat in the globalized world of the 21st century, as well as the corruption of journalism and the press, the education system, women’s rights, the concept of happiness, moral decay, the relationship between politics and religion, freedom, and the privileges given to refugees. The work addresses these social realities and provides a critical perspective toward them..

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