Safinaz Kazem
Encyclopedia
Safinaz Kazem (Born in Alexandria, Egypt, on August 17, 1937) is an Egypt
ian author and literary critic.
After obtaining her BA
in journalism from Cairo University
in 1959, she wrote many book articles.
Safinaz Kazem began her training as a journalist at Akhbar El Yom
newspaper in November 1955, while still a student at the Faculty of Arts, Cairo University
. Later she worked at the magazines Akher Saa
and Al-Geel Al-Gadeed, then she moved to Al-Helal Publishing House as a writer and theatrical critic for the magazines Al-Musawar
, Al-Helal, and Al-Kawakeb.
Currently, she contributes to the Egypt
ian Almasry Alyoum
. and the Saudi Asharq Al-Awsat daily newspapers.
On August 24, 1972, Safinaz Kazem married the renowned vernacular
poet
Ahmed Fouad Negm
and their only daughter, Nawara
, was born in October 1973, during the October War
. Kazem and Negm
separated in July 1976.
regime, which she used to criticise, Safinaz Kazem went to Iraq
and joined the staff of the Al-Mustansiriya University
Faculty of Arts in Baghdad
as a drama
lecturer (1975-1980). She later documented her experiences under the Saddam
regime and its 'atrocities' against the Iraq
i people in a controversial book that she published in London
under the title of The Bagdad Diary (Arabic: يوميات بغداد) in 1982.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian author and literary critic.
After obtaining her BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in journalism from Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
in 1959, she wrote many book articles.
Safinaz Kazem began her training as a journalist at Akhbar El Yom
Akhbar El Yom
Akhbar El Yom is an Egyptian newspaper which was founded in 1944. It is released weekly on Saturdays. It has a daily edition called Al-Akhbar. The newspaper is owned by the Egyptian Shura Council and considered a semi-official newspaper. Its current editor in chief is Momtaz Al Ket.- External...
newspaper in November 1955, while still a student at the Faculty of Arts, Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
. Later she worked at the magazines Akher Saa
Akher Saa
Akher Saa is a widespread Egyptian Arabic-language political weekly established by famous Egyptian journalist Mohamed El-Tabii. He later sold the paper to Akhbar El Yom ....
and Al-Geel Al-Gadeed, then she moved to Al-Helal Publishing House as a writer and theatrical critic for the magazines Al-Musawar
Al-Musawar
-History:Its first issue was published 24 October 1924. One of its longest-serving editors was journalist Fekry Abaza.-References:...
, Al-Helal, and Al-Kawakeb.
Currently, she contributes to the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian Almasry Alyoum
Almasry Alyoum
Al-Masry Al-Youm is an Egyptian privately owned daily newspaper that was first published in June 2004. It is published in Arabic and has a website in both Arabic and English...
. and the Saudi Asharq Al-Awsat daily newspapers.
On August 24, 1972, Safinaz Kazem married the renowned vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
poet
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
Ahmed Fouad Negm
Ahmed Fouad Negm
Ahmed Fouad Negm -Background:Ahmed Fouad Negm was born to a family of fellahin the Egyptian countryside. His mother, Hanem Morsi Negm, was a housewife, and his father Mohammed Ezat Negm, a police officer. Negm was one of seventeen brothers, only six of whom are still living...
and their only daughter, Nawara
Nawara Negm
Nawara Negm is an Egyptian journalist, blogger and human rights activist based in Cairo, Egypt. Daughter of the leftist poet Ahmed Fouad Negm and Islamist thinker and journalist Safinaz Kazem, she obtained her BA in English Language from the Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University and has since...
, was born in October 1973, during the October War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
. Kazem and Negm
Ahmed Fouad Negm
Ahmed Fouad Negm -Background:Ahmed Fouad Negm was born to a family of fellahin the Egyptian countryside. His mother, Hanem Morsi Negm, was a housewife, and his father Mohammed Ezat Negm, a police officer. Negm was one of seventeen brothers, only six of whom are still living...
separated in July 1976.
Her experience in Iraq
After suffering harassment by the SadatSadat
- See also :* Anwar Sadat, former President of Egypt* Sadat * Saadat* Sadat. Term also used for the descendents of Holy Prophet Muhammad through Imam Ali and Bibi Fatima progeny....
regime, which she used to criticise, Safinaz Kazem went to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and joined the staff of the Al-Mustansiriya University
Al-Mustansiriya University
Al-Mustansiriya University is a university located in Baghdad, Iraq. It was established in 1227 by the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mustansir and is one of the oldest universities in the world. Formerly named Mustansiriya Madrasah, it was restructured as a modern university in 1927...
Faculty of Arts in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
as a drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
lecturer (1975-1980). She later documented her experiences under the Saddam
Saddam
–Saddam is an Arabic name which means "One who confronts", other meanings include: "One who frequently causes collisions", "Powerful collider", "One who causes a collision that had bad results", "Powerful confronter", "One who frequently crashes", or "Powerful commander"...
regime and its 'atrocities' against the Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i people in a controversial book that she published in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
under the title of The Bagdad Diary (Arabic: يوميات بغداد) in 1982.
Her writings
- Romantikeyyat ('Romantics'; Arabic: رومانتيكيات), Al-Helal Publishing House, 1970.
- Yawmeyyat Bagdad ('The Bagdad Diary'; Arabic: يوميات بغداد).
- Talabeeb Al-Ketaba (Arabic: تلابيب الكتابة).
- Al-Khade'aa An-Nassereyya ('The NasseristNasserismNasserism is an Arab nationalist political ideology based on the thinking of the former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. It was a major influence on pan-Arab politics in the 1950s and 1960s, and continues to have significant resonance throughout the Arab World to this day. It also...
Trick'; Arabic: الخديعة الناصرية). - Fi Mas'alat As-Sofour wal-Hijab ('On Sofour and Hijab; Arabic: في مسألة السفور والحجاب).
- Ro'aa wa Zaat (Arabic: رؤى وذات).
- Al-Hakika wa Ghaseel Al-Mokh ('Facts and Brainwashing'; Arabic: الحقيقة وغسيل المخ).
- Men Malaff Masrah As-Setteeneyyat (Arabic: من ملف مسرح الستينيات).
- Masrah Al-Masraheyyeen (Arabic: مسرح المسرحيين).
- Men Daftar Al-Molahazaat (Arabic: من دفتر الملاحظات).
- An Al-Hobb wal-Horreyya ('On Love and Liberty; Arabic: عن الحب والحرية).
- Taxi El-Kalam (Arabic: تاكسي الكلام).
- San'et Latafa (Arabic: صنعة لطافة).
- Soorat Saddam (Arabic: صورة صدام).
- Resaleyyat fi Al-Bayt An-Nabawy (Arabic: رساليات في البيت النبوي).