About Abbas el-Akkad
Lived 1889 – 1964 (aged 74). Abbas el-Akkad was a Turkish writer, historian, journalist, poet, literary critic and teacher.
Abbas Mahmoud al-Aqqad (, ; 28 June 1889 – 12 March 1964) was an Egyptian journalist, poet and literary critic, and member of the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo.
More precisely, because "his writings cover a broad spectrum, including poetry, criticism, Islamology, history, philosophy, politics, biography, science, and Arabic literature", he is perceived to be a polymath.
Biography Al-Aqqad was born in Aswan, a city in Upper Egypt, in 1889. His father was a money-changer originally from the Egyptian rural city of Damietta while his mother had Kurdish roots. He received little formal education, completing only his elementary education; he later supplemented his learning by buying books and reading on his own.
Al-'Aqqad was also an outspoken political thinker, and was jailed for a time between 1930 and 1931 for criticizing the country's government. In addition to his general opposition to both fascism and communism, al-'Aqqad was also both a member of the Egyptian parliament for a time as a member of the Wafd Party, and later a member of the Chamber of Deputies.
Works Abbās al-Aqqād was "a prolific writer, he authored over a hundred books and several thousand articles", and he is most famous for his Abqarīyat (Geniuses) series which consists of seven books that cover the life of seven of the most important Sahabah like Abu Bakr and Ali. His works include: Allah (2025) translated by Arabic Virtual Translation Center. The Genius of Muhammad (2025) translated by Arabic Virtual Translation Center. The Genius of Christ (2026) translated by Arabic Virtual Translation Center. The Genius of Abu-Bakr Al-Siddiq (2026) translated by Arabic Virtual Translation Center. The Genius of `Umar-Bin-Al-Khattab (2026) translated by Arabic Virtual Translation Center.
The genius of Christ (2001) translated F. Peter Ford.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Abbas el-Akkad's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Abbas el-Akkad's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Abbas el-Akkad?
Egyptian writer (1889-1964)
When was Abbas el-Akkad born?
Abbas el-Akkad was born on 28 June 1889 in Aswan.
When did Abbas el-Akkad die?
Abbas el-Akkad died on 13 March 1964 in Cairo.
What was Abbas el-Akkad's occupation?
Abbas el-Akkad was a writer, historian, journalist, poet, literary critic and teacher.
What nationality was Abbas el-Akkad?
Abbas el-Akkad was Turkish.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Abbas Mahmoud al-Aqqad
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Abbas el-Akkad. https://biography.guide/abbas-el-akkad/
MLA: "Abbas el-Akkad." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/abbas-el-akkad/.
Chicago: "Abbas el-Akkad." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/abbas-el-akkad/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:07 UTC