Aswaq al-Dhahab
- Author died
- 1351 AH
- Editions
- Matba'at al-Hilal
Aswaq al-Dhahab (The Markets of Gold) is a collection of literary essays and reflections in rhymed prose written by the Egyptian poet Ahmad Shawqi (1285–1351 AH / 1868–1932 CE) . It represents Shawqi's principal venture into maqama-style ornate prose, combining social, political, and philosophical commentary with classical rhetorical forms .
Composition and Title
Shawqi composed the essays of Aswaq al-Dhahab over several years under varied personal and political circumstances . Many pieces were written during his exile or in the midst of adversity; for instance, he penned the essay on the Suez Canal while crossing it en route to his exile in Spain, and wrote another piece on the Unknown Soldier following the public commemorations in Paris .
In his introduction, Shawqi stated that he gave the work a title echoing classical collections such as Atwaq al-Dhahab by al-Zamakhshari and Atbaq al-Dhahab by al-Isfahani, though without claiming to rival earlier eloquence . He noted that the thoughts in the book arose partly during calm contemplation and partly—perhaps the greater portion—during times of sorrow, hardship, and distance from home under martial rule .
Content and Style
The book consists of discrete essays treating a wide variety of topics, dominated by observation, contemplation, and description . These range from traditional ethical and contemplative subjects to modern socio-political themes that had gained currency in contemporary discourse, including:
- Social and political concepts such as freedom, the homeland, the nation, the constitution, and humanity .
- Specific thematic essays such as reflections on wealth (al-Mal), the future (al-Ghad), the Suez Canal, and the Unknown Soldier .
Stylistically, Aswaq al-Dhahab is composed in rhymed prose (saj'), featuring dense synonymous phrasing, historical references, and maxims (hikam) and proverbs drawn from personal experience .
Literary Standing and Editions
In modern Arabic literary history, Aswaq al-Dhahab is classified alongside works such as Saharij al-Lu'lu' by Muhammad Tawfiq al-Bakri, Layali Satih by Hafiz Ibrahim, and Hadith Isa ibn Hisham by Muhammad al-Muwaylihi as representative of the revival of ornate, traditional rhetorical prose before direct, unrhymed prose (al-uslub al-mursal) became dominant in modern Arabic writing .
The work appeared in 1916 CE and saw subsequent editions, including a 1932 printing by Dar al-Hilal in Cairo .
Answer updated