Dr. Mageb Al-Adwani: Our Saudi Critique Exists in the Creative Arena, & Our Cultural Economy is Upbeat & Innovative!

At the College of Arts, King Saud University, Professor Mageb bin Saeed Al-Adwani is the chairman of the Department of Arabic Language and Literature, the head of the Narratives Unit, and a professor of theory and criticism.

After graduating from Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah Al-Mukarramah with a bachelor’s degree in Arabic, he went on to earn a master’s degree in literary criticism from the University of Bahrain and a doctorate in modern literary criticism from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

Interviewed by: Mohsen Hassan

In addition to being a well-known author and writer, Mageb Al-Adwani is one of the most well-known Saudi cultural figures. His areas of interest include constructive theorising, literary analysis, and comparative criticism. He is also passionate about analysing the subtle and consistent heritage qualities, influences, and nuances that distinguish our Arab heritage from other human heritages throughout all literary forms, including prose and poetry.

Arabisk London-Saudi Arabia addressed a wide range of classical and modern literature-related topics in its conversation with Dr. Mageb Al-Adwani, including the main humanistic and critical inspirations behind some of his most renowned works. Along with other issues pertinent to the interests of the masses and elites both inside and outside the Kingdom, the interview also covered the characteristics of the Arab critical movement in general and Saudi Arabia in particular.

First of all, Doctor Mageb Al-Adwani, what is your assessment of the current Arab critical movement? Given the current cultural openness, what about the Saudi critical movement?

It is hard, if not impossible, for me or anybody else to give a thorough analysis that would shed light on Saudi criticism or the current Arab critical movement. This is also true when assessing the experience of a reviewer.

Nonetheless, it is simple to spot certain signs that paint a partial picture of Arab critique. Its diverse variety of activities, frequent publications, and influence and impact on worldwide criticism all attest to its current status, which is probably quite active. Saudi criticism, on the other hand, is comparable and might be lively and significant in regional artistic circles.

These indicators, in my opinion, appear to be very suitable for conveying how criticism and its exchanges influence cultural life and the formation of reading and critical trends. It is essential to note that, with numerous completed projects and claims made, what is deserving is made clear, while what is not is concealed.

Are there any definite traditional borders and characteristics to which Arab narratives adhere? What are your thoughts on the writing skills and established sources used by younger Arab generations?

I concur that the inherent elements in our Arab culture are the rich traditional components of Arabic storytelling. The bright spots in old stories serve as evidence for this, whose existence has shaped narratives around the world. Books that dealt with narrative history and biography, Kalila and Dimna, and other maqamat and parable stories are just a few of the works that contributed to the infinite depth of Arabic narrative.

This brings us to contemporary narrative writing methods, whose development, we observe, makes it impossible to categorise them under a single viewpoint. This implies that some are unpleasant in their detachment from the writing alphabet, while others show promise in their training and progress. To find the treasures of exceptional narrative writing among the mounds of the dunes that might successfully stall their arrival, the reader needs to exercise patience.

What cultural and philosophical inferences can be made from your book, ‘The Obvious and Hidden Concept of the Common People’? How satisfied are you, Dr. Mageb Al-Adwani, with the current cultural interaction between the Arab elite and the general populace?

Along with a comparative cultural analysis, this text introduces the idea of the common people from both a traditional and philosophical perspective. This was accomplished by examining how the idea evolved in both ancient Arabic rhetoric and critique, as well as in historical and lexical works from the past.

It also examines the representation of the common people in popular literature and the Arab world’s attitude towards it, particularly in the present day. Folktales, well-known biographies, myths, and proverbs are all included in this literature. The interaction between the general public and political elites, the rhetoric of the general public vs that of the elite, and its parallels in other literary genres are all major topics. It then attempted to use the growth of the underprivileged vs the wealthy to analyse popular culture in cultural studies.

Maybe this work was a beginning towards dissecting and comprehending how the elites moulded the masses’ conceptions and attached covert meanings to them, resulting in characteristics of marginalisation and unfavourable cultural discourse. And I can say this: The book’s pages may have shown whether or not the general populace was satisfied with the interaction between the elites and the masses.

Given your book, “Questions and Paradoxes: Modernity in Saudi Literature,” Which aspects of the Kingdom’s writers’ conception of creative modernity are constant, and which are changing throughout generations? Have Saudi detractors of this concept progressed past the one-legged stage?

This book aims to provide a critical perspective on literature from the 1980s and 1990s, as well as to dissect some of the characteristics that defined their commitment to literary excellence at that time.

What remained consistent in that concept—and continues to be so today—was the dismantling of closed perceptions that influenced their perspective on the self and the world, the evocation of universal experiences and the benefit that comes from them, and the opening of interpretive horizons that resulted in a creative break from the dominant moulds and an interest in contemporary literary forms.

This was typified by a certain era’s form of revolution and extreme wildness, which ultimately resulted in a degree of artistic maturity in creative works. Regarding the single-leg stage, I think it was common in the 1980s when the prominent critics of the day avoided critiquing novels, instead focusing on admirable poetry and engaging with short stories written in a poetic style.

They were reviewers who had come from the altar of poetry, and despite the abundance of novelistic works at the time, they were known for ignoring stories, particularly the novel.

What inspired Dr. Mageb Al-Adwani personally and critically to write ‘Rewriting the Arab City in the Western Novel’? What are your thoughts on the Arab presence in Western literature as a whole?

A notion that adhered to a cultural position served as the critical motive. In 2011, I attended a conference at California State University in Los Angeles. Following the conference, the organisers wanted to host the next one in a European nation. I proposed that Riyadh host the event. Except for a few women who objected, citing security concerns, the attendees applauded this.

Rumours suggest Western women are kidnapped from Arab airports. I couldn’t persuade them, so I told them that I would respond when I return, and the approval decision was postponed. After returning, I suggested Western women at the university hospital in Riyadh communicate with colleagues who were hesitant to travel to Arab cities via email and present a neutral image to persuade objectors, and a meeting was decided to be held in Riyadh.

The goal of this initial narrative is to highlight the predominance of a culturally established general image of the Arab city, which frequently presents itself in negative imagery, such as that linked with murder and rape. As a result, the participants chose not to attend.

This led to the idea of authoring this book, which explores how English-language fiction depicts Middle Eastern cities, including Mecca, Jeddah, Cairo, Alexandria, Jerusalem, and Damascus. The book’s title, “Rewriting the Arab City,” was my idea, but it would only include English-language literature.

The English language’s global reach, the Orientalist role of America and Britain, and their dominance over the East, particularly the Arab world, are three significant reasons that warrant discussion. Given the breadth of Western literature and the variety of its languages, the Arab presence in Western fiction is both highly significant and deemed inconsequential. Arab culture needs its presence to be qualitative rather than recurrent and hidden behind Orientalist labels.

‘The Rhetoric of Visual Impairment’ at the start of your work, *The Trapped Light*, caught my attention. Do you think that, in this day and age, there is an urgent need to give more attention to the writing of those with disabilities? And to what degree do you object to the visual and image’s hegemony over modern audiences’ and creators’ imaginations?

Indeed, there should be more space in the creative dimension for literature by people with disabilities. Support, encouragement, and placement within the creative system are all necessary. When we critically analyse these works, we should look for the characteristics that set them apart and make them unique.

The transformation into a fully-fledged oral culture is one of the most obvious flaws of this approach, which may lead to the development of a distinctive critical dimension and the enrichment of the creative landscape. In reality, today’s artists face challenges without their permission, in a tug of war surrounded and controlled by the swords of the image.

Its quick tempo can be advantageous, but its disregard for other cultural elements can be detrimental. However, contemporary society is eager to provide those who are blind or visually handicapped with something to make up for their lack.

The poet’s remark, “The gazelles have multiplied on Kharash… so Kharash doesn’t know what he’s hunting,” today seems to be spot on with the tributaries of knowledge and their convenient sources. How should the Arab recipient respond to this shift in epistemology? What prospects do you see for the digestible cognitive mentality given the outlet’s powerlessness and the tributary’s superiority?

I keep my attention on the crucial elements that I see sliding out of the Arab recipient’s hands and disappearing, and I pay close attention to the existence of comparable, less glamorous ones, but I firmly believe that things will get better for him and us in the future.

No epistemological phenomenon has ever arrived without first going through periods of ferocity and ecstasy, followed by periods of serenity and maturity! Kharash of the modern era must use vertical analysis to capture what adds value while ignoring and neglecting what is trivial and delicate, horizontal.

Your master’s and doctoral theses were titled primarily in narrative and novelistic intertextuality. Is this a coincidental phenomenon or a personal desire to explore this subject further?

Working on the novel and intertextuality throughout my MA and PhD studies was alluring for two reasons: first, it was novel; second, it was full of insights into significant historical accomplishments and similar contemporary works.

Because of this, this research was not a coincidence; rather, it was motivated by a desire to examine a deep cognitive formation that, from my perspective, helped me relate my knowledge to the Arab legacy, giving the intertextuality in the Arab novel more significance and worth.

How convinced are Dr. Mageb Al-Adwani, analytically and literarily, of the value of elite arguments on literary genre conflict? Are we missing the correct standard for incorporating Arab literary classics into our modern epistemic structure?

Certain degrees of unscientific argument and unpersuasive discourse concerning literary genres and the arousal of conflict over them, in my opinion, are like a guy holding water when his fingers are crooked! While some talks may be important and beneficial in literary life, I point out that references that fall below the zero degree of ignorance are pointless and will not contribute anything.

Consequently, scientific analyses of the formation, its monitoring, and the discovery of its changes are all included in the category of what is admirable and helpful. I am aware that authors of creative works will not like to look at the roots before their formation, but following their publication, they will interact with the form.

How do you see the connection between lyrical performance and musical melody and Arabic poetry, both classical and modern, especially prose poetry?

I listen to the classical poem’s rhythm vocally and observe the prose poem’s rhythm visually. Music and performance can help to solidify these two patterns.

From my perspective, they should play a mediating role to turn the unfamiliar into the familiar for both; this can be a method that directly links the content to the status of the viewer, what is seen is closely related to the status of what is heard, and so forth.

What aspirations does Dr.Mageb Al-Adwani have for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s cultural economy going forward? Does this situation call for the consideration of any mechanisms?

Because of several factors, I think the Kingdom’s cultural economy has a bright future with lots of creative possibilities. The first is coming up with suitable strategies that are feasible to implement in specific years. The second pertains to putting the required procedures into place, such as aiding cultural civil society organisations, subsequently assisting in the formation of professional associations, assisting creators, promoting their goods, and publicising their projects.

This entails tying culture to the interests of the general public by creating legacy assets, such as calligraphy and traditional texts, in new formats that work with a variety of contemporary technology, setting up regional industries that specialise in cultural tourist goods, and much more. A firm and accurate understanding of data and its analysis is the third component, including statistical data and precise public surveys, which allow for the creation of suitable cultural action strategies.

The title of your cultural talk last year was “The Journey of Chess Through Literature.” How do such titles seek to influence culture and literature? In your opinion, how beneficial is literature for relating to everyday human activities?

This presentation, “The Journey of Chess Through Literature,” was the outcome of a lengthy and, in my opinion, fruitful interaction with both Arab and Western chess. My work on two rare chess manuscripts that I discovered while on an academic visit to the University of Manchester in Britain exemplified this relationship. As a consequence, in 2012, the two texts came out in two edited booklets.

Yahya ibn Abdullah al-Hakim’s “The Excursion of the Masters of Minds in Transferred Chess” and Ibn Abi Hijlah al-Tilimsani’s “The Model of Combat in the Transfer of Worldly Items” were the titles of the two books.

I also examined related research, manuscripts, and the publications that they affected, particularly Harold Murray’s 1913 publication “A History of Chess,” which is still the most significant academic work in its field globally. Here, we need to evaluate the game not just as a game but also as a culture full of texts, stories, and poetry, and consider how this affects non-Arab civilisations. We also need to consider the game’s history and cultural context in our heritage and its extensions.

In the context of culture, what do you mean by ‘the liberation of criticism’ and ‘the liberation of the critic’? What do you think about literature’s encroachment into religious and religiosity-related matters in Arab societies?

The significance of the critic’s boldness, the freedom of critique, and the unconventionality and relatability of literature to forms of difference captivated us and continues to do so. But reaching these levels could not be all-encompassing, and it might even fall well short of expectations.

What is certain is that all the following works will become routine and conventional if the writing—whether creative or critical—crosses these lines. This indicates that some phases of a culture’s life cycle, as well as comparable ones in the writing or criticism of the author or critic, pierce these frameworks and continue to shine brightly in the cultural sky.

Finally, Doctor Mageb Al-Adwani, what important project do you still have as a desire for the future? And what are the upcoming developments in your creative series?

Intriguingly, your suggestion for the following stages in your query relates to the impending important project. The book is actually about walking, as the title suggests. This book reviews the cultural system of walking as it transcends convention and enters what I hope will be a useful analysis. Additionally, some findings will be published in scholarly publications, along with another critical book.

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