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'''Turki al-Hamad '''(born 1953) is a [[Saudi-Arabia]]n political analyst, journalist, and novelist, best known for his trilogy about the coming-of-age of Hisham al-Abir, a Saudi Arabian teenager, the first installment of which, ''Adama'', was published in 1998. Although banned in Saudi Arabia, [[Bahrain]], and [[Kuwait]], the Arabic edition of the trilogy — called in Arabic ''Atyaf al-Aziqah al-Mahjurah'' (Phantoms of the Deserted Alley) — has sold 20,000 copies. The novels explore the issues of [[sexuality]], underground political movements, [[Science|scientific truth]], [[rationalism]], and [[Religion|religious]] freedom against the backdrop of the late 1960s and early 1970s, a volatile period in Saudi Arabia, sandwiched between the 1967 [[Six Day War]] and the 1973 oil boom. Hamad is quoted on the cover of one of his novels: "Where I live there are three [[taboo]]s: religion, politics and sex. It is forbidden to speak about these. I wrote this trilogy to get things moving." [http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=4&article_id=11756]
'''Turki al-Hamad '''(born 1953) is a [[Saudi-Arabia]]n political analyst, journalist, and novelist, best known for his trilogy about the coming-of-age of Hisham al-Abir, a Saudi Arabian teenager, the first installment of which, ''Adama'', was published in 1998. Although banned in Saudi Arabia, [[Bahrain]], and [[Kuwait]], the Arabic edition of the trilogy — called in Arabic ''Atyaf al-Aziqah al-Mahjurah'' (Phantoms of the Deserted Alley) — has sold 20,000 copies. The novels explore the issues of [[sexuality]], underground political movements, [[Science|scientific truth]], [[rationalism]], and [[Religion|religious]] freedom against the backdrop of the late 1960s and early 1970s, a volatile period in Saudi Arabia, sandwiched between the 1967 [[Six Day War]] and the 1973 oil boom. Hamad is quoted on the cover of one of his novels: "Where I live there are three [[taboo]]s: religion, politics and sex. It is forbidden to speak about these. I wrote this trilogy to get things moving." [http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=4&article_id=11756]


As a result of his work, four [[fatwa]]s have been issued against him. After the first, in 1999, [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|Crown Prince Abdullah]], who succeeded to the throne in August 2005, offered him bodyguards for his protection. The next three were issued by the country's religious clerics after the publication of the third in the trilogy, ''Karadib'', in which the main character wonders whether [[God]] and the [[devil]] are the same thing, which the clerics regarded as [[heresy]]. He was threatened by the ''[[mutaween]]'' by e-mail, and was named as an [[Apostacy|apostate]] in a statement by [[al-Qaeda]]. [http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/article/0,13005,901050117-1015836,00.html] Despite these threats, he continues to live in [[Riyadh]], calling the fatwas "more of a nuisance than anything else," according to the ''Daily Star''. [http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=4&article_id=11756]
As a result of his work, four [[fatwa]]s have been issued against him. After the first, in 1999, [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|Crown Prince Abdullah]], who succeeded to the throne in August 2005, offered him bodyguards for his protection. The next three were issued by the country's religious clerics after the publication of the third in the trilogy, ''Karadib'' (to be published in English in Jan. 2006), in which the main character wonders whether [[God]] and the [[devil]] are the same thing, which the clerics regarded as [[heresy]]. He was threatened by the ''[[mutaween]]'' by e-mail, and was named as an [[Apostacy|apostate]] in a statement by [[al-Qaeda]]. [http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/article/0,13005,901050117-1015836,00.html] Despite these threats, he continues to live in [[Riyadh]], calling the fatwas "more of a nuisance than anything else," according to the ''Daily Star''. [http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=4&article_id=11756]


One fatwa was later withdrawn. According to Ain-Al-Yaqeen in 2003,[http://www.ain-al-yaqeen.com/issues/20031128/feat6en.htm] Sheikh Ali Al-Khudair, a well-known Saudi scholar who was arrested in [[Madinah]] for supporting terrorist attacks, had repented. In an interview with Saudi television, conducted by Sheikh Aaid Al-Qarn, Sheikh Al-Khudair withdrew the fatwas he had issued declaring the Saudi thinkers Turki Al-Hamad, [[Mansour Al-Naqeedan]] and [[Abdullah Abusamh]] as infidel.
One fatwa was later withdrawn. According to Ain-Al-Yaqeen in 2003,[http://www.ain-al-yaqeen.com/issues/20031128/feat6en.htm] Sheikh Ali Al-Khudair, a well-known Saudi scholar who was arrested in [[Madinah]] for supporting terrorist attacks, had repented. In an interview with Saudi television, conducted by Sheikh Aaid Al-Qarn, Sheikh Al-Khudair withdrew the fatwas he had issued declaring the Saudi thinkers Turki Al-Hamad, [[Mansour Al-Naqeedan]] and [[Abdullah Abusamh]] as infidel.


Turki Al-Hamad is currently working on a novel about the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] and the lives of four of the hijackers. He has called 9/11 the "consequence of a chronic disease in the Arab [[psyche]]," what he calls the "culture of [[illusion]]":
Turki Al-Hamad´s novel ''The Winds of Paradise'' was released in Arabic in the summer of 2005 and is about the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] and is a thinly disguised sketch of the lives of four of the hijackers. He has called 9/11 the "consequence of a chronic disease in the Arab [[psyche]]," what he calls the "culture of [[illusion]]":


<blockquote>It is an illusion when we think that all the world is against us, and [an] illusion when we think that there will not be any existence for us without the perishing of the others. It is illusion when we have either to get the best for ourselves or we have to die. According to this logic either we possess all the rain or let the rain to be stopped if we were thirsty. It is also an illusion if we think that the past is the rout to the future and it is illusion if we think that the world without us will not be able to survive; for this reason they compete against each other to exploit us like [[hyena]]s struggling for their prey. The greater illusion is that we are [[God]]'s [[angel]]s on His land and all the rest of the world are [[devil]]s. [http://www.arabnews.com/9-11/?article=18&part=2] </blockquote>
<blockquote>It is an illusion when we think that all the world is against us, and [an] illusion when we think that there will not be any existence for us without the perishing of the others. It is illusion when we have either to get the best for ourselves or we have to die. According to this logic either we possess all the rain or let the rain to be stopped if we were thirsty. It is also an illusion if we think that the past is the rout to the future and it is illusion if we think that the world without us will not be able to survive; for this reason they compete against each other to exploit us like [[hyena]]s struggling for their prey. The greater illusion is that we are [[God]]'s [[angel]]s on His land and all the rest of the world are [[devil]]s. [http://www.arabnews.com/9-11/?article=18&part=2] </blockquote>

Revision as of 15:40, 4 October 2005

File:Turki al-Hamad.jpg
Dr. Turki al-Hamad

Turki al-Hamad (born 1953) is a Saudi-Arabian political analyst, journalist, and novelist, best known for his trilogy about the coming-of-age of Hisham al-Abir, a Saudi Arabian teenager, the first installment of which, Adama, was published in 1998. Although banned in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait, the Arabic edition of the trilogy — called in Arabic Atyaf al-Aziqah al-Mahjurah (Phantoms of the Deserted Alley) — has sold 20,000 copies. The novels explore the issues of sexuality, underground political movements, scientific truth, rationalism, and religious freedom against the backdrop of the late 1960s and early 1970s, a volatile period in Saudi Arabia, sandwiched between the 1967 Six Day War and the 1973 oil boom. Hamad is quoted on the cover of one of his novels: "Where I live there are three taboos: religion, politics and sex. It is forbidden to speak about these. I wrote this trilogy to get things moving." [1]

As a result of his work, four fatwas have been issued against him. After the first, in 1999, Crown Prince Abdullah, who succeeded to the throne in August 2005, offered him bodyguards for his protection. The next three were issued by the country's religious clerics after the publication of the third in the trilogy, Karadib (to be published in English in Jan. 2006), in which the main character wonders whether God and the devil are the same thing, which the clerics regarded as heresy. He was threatened by the mutaween by e-mail, and was named as an apostate in a statement by al-Qaeda. [2] Despite these threats, he continues to live in Riyadh, calling the fatwas "more of a nuisance than anything else," according to the Daily Star. [3]

One fatwa was later withdrawn. According to Ain-Al-Yaqeen in 2003,[4] Sheikh Ali Al-Khudair, a well-known Saudi scholar who was arrested in Madinah for supporting terrorist attacks, had repented. In an interview with Saudi television, conducted by Sheikh Aaid Al-Qarn, Sheikh Al-Khudair withdrew the fatwas he had issued declaring the Saudi thinkers Turki Al-Hamad, Mansour Al-Naqeedan and Abdullah Abusamh as infidel.

Turki Al-Hamad´s novel The Winds of Paradise was released in Arabic in the summer of 2005 and is about the September 11, 2001 attacks and is a thinly disguised sketch of the lives of four of the hijackers. He has called 9/11 the "consequence of a chronic disease in the Arab psyche," what he calls the "culture of illusion":

It is an illusion when we think that all the world is against us, and [an] illusion when we think that there will not be any existence for us without the perishing of the others. It is illusion when we have either to get the best for ourselves or we have to die. According to this logic either we possess all the rain or let the rain to be stopped if we were thirsty. It is also an illusion if we think that the past is the rout to the future and it is illusion if we think that the world without us will not be able to survive; for this reason they compete against each other to exploit us like hyenas struggling for their prey. The greater illusion is that we are God's angels on His land and all the rest of the world are devils. [5]

Al-Hamad obtained his doctorate from the University of Southern California.

Bibliography

  • Adama, 2003, ISBN 0863563112
  • Shumaisi, 2004, ISBN 0863569110

References: interviews and articles

Further reading: reviews of Adama

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