Hafiz Ibrahim

Hafiz Ibrahim (1872 – 1932)

July 21, 1932 marks the death of the poet Hafiz Ibrahim who was born in 1872 in Dayrut to an Egyptian father and a Turkish mother. He was best known for his witty conversations, his generosity and his joke-loving nature.

Not only was he a genius at making poetry, but he also possessed a photographic memory. He could memorize poems, both old and contemporary, as well as a great deal of other writings.

Ibrahim was a lawyer and later a lieutenant in the Egyptian army, from which he retired in 1901. During the next 10 years he wrote his well-known odes denouncing imperialism and wrote his nationalistic poems. He became director of literature (1911-31) in the national library at Cairo. Hafiz's true talent may have been in prose, as can be seen from his unfinished work Al-Bu'asa' (1903; "The Miserable Ones").

Just as all poets have their way of conveying their thoughts and ideas so did Ibrahim. While his poetry lacked imagery, it had its own way of word-turning and polish. Ibrahim was also one the best verse reciters of his age. His eloquence was at its best when he gave his pledge to Ahmad Shawqi as Prince of Poetry and also in his ode commemorating Mustafa Kamel's death.