Middle East/North African Lit discussion

Here we are going to discuss The Seven Days of Man 1277693 by Abdel-Hakim Kassem .
It is one of the best 100 Arabic novels , the list is in here
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The novel traces an Egyptian boy’s progressive alienation from his family’s traditional world of mystic religion and Islamic folklore as he moves to the city and follows an education. It is set in a time-space of seven years each set in one of the seven stages of a pilgrimage, The novel accurately describes the hero’s psychological evolution as he grows, one of the typical aspects of a Bildungsroman""
I found this comparison to be interesting about the "maturing"topic .
http://lagrangepointsbrussels.com/201...

Abdel-Hakim Kassem is little-known, he did not leave us a lot of work, He wrote five novels, four novellas, five short story collections, and one play. He was imprisoned for four years, for his political associations, by the Nasser government. He lived in exile in Berlin from 1974 until 1985. He then came back to Cairo, where he died in 1990.

Who would like to read this Novel ?

## The book "in English" is available to borrow online from Open library
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL96729...

Thanks, Nile Daughter, for offering this chance to read this book together. It's been on my to-read list for years. It's a modern classic (first published in 1969, I believe). The article you shared makes some interesting points:
1. The "bildungsroman" in Western literature tells a coming-of-age story.
2. In Arabic literature, the typical version of this kind of novel tells the coming-of-age story of a male protagonist struggling to reconcile his so-called Eastern local experience with a so-called Western foreign experience, and "Seven Days of Man" is an example of this kind of novel.
3. In Arabic literature, when this kind of novel has a female protagonist, it tells her coming-of-age story in terms of a national narrative (examples include Emily Nasrallah's "Birds of September" and Latifa Zayyat's "The Open Door" - by the way, we read the latter, but did we read Emily Nasrallah's book in this group and would we like to someday?). It's interesting that male protagonists are depicted making their place in the world, whereas women are shown making their place in the nation, within a national struggle for a place in the world. I'll think more about this, but it's certainly not the focus of this discussion thread!

So, "Seven Days of Man." What do we think of this title, provided by the translator, Joseph Norment Bell? It's fine, but a little off-putting for women readers perhaps. How might I translate the Arabic "Ayyam al-insan al-sab3a"? Honestly, I won't know for sure until I finish the book. But for now, perhaps: "Seven Days of Humanity" or "Seven Days of Being Human." Maybe I can revisit this later...

I've finished reading part 1 (Sorry, I don't have the English, but in Arabic it's called "al-Hadra," referring to a Sufi gathering). The setting is an Egyptian village in northern Egypt, in the Delta near Tanta, in the early 20th century. What happens when the sun goes down? What do people who work in trades and agriculture during the day do with their evenings? The narrator focuses on a group of men who gather for socializing and Sufi Muslim prayers.

Qasim writes with sensitivity, showing the humanity of his characters.* He uses spoken Arabic when characters speak so it sounds very natural. He describes this community and the surroundings in careful detail, evoking the atmosphere and a strong sense of belonging.

*For an example of the humanity, I'm including a favorite sentence here (in the original Arabic and my quick English translation), showing the men recovering from their ordeals and lost tempers during the day:

هم الآن طيبون حكماء ينظرون إلى كد اليوم بوداعة لكنها قسوة الحياة وخشونة النهار، وذلك السر الكبير المبهم الكامن في صدر الأرض المفعم بالخصوبة وهم يدبون فوقها حياري مهمومين
غاضبين في وقدة النهار

They are kind and wise now, bidding the day farewell. It was merely the cruelty of life and the harshness of daytime, and that big, mysterious secret lurking in the fertile heart of the earth they tread upon in confusion, worry, and anger in the heat of the day.

Thanks Melanie for sharing your thoughts . I think I would vote for the title "Seven Days of Being Human", but I still need to finish the novel as well, and personally I am wondering about the spiritual value of choosing the number "seven" .

I finished the first part as well, I like the quote you chose a lot, the transition between the man in day and the one in night is unique, specially that the whole part is dealing with the special Sufi atmosphere of the night "the spiritual and magical night" reaching big event "the Mouled". The tie between the farmer's life and this system of believes is fascinating to me, it is a portray of a very traditional Egyptian feature that transformed over the years in spite of the perception of religion, from ancient Egyptian festival to christian saint possessions to moulds .

Thank you Niledaughter and Melanie for sharing your thoughts.
They are very helpful. Especially pointing the differences between a women’s and a man’s coming of age story. Also, pointing out the difference between “the farmer’s life and this system of beliefs . . .” Thank you for putting together this relationship in a clear succinct way.

I have the book and plan to start reading it next week.

Nan wrote: "Thank you Niledaughter and Melanie for sharing your thoughts.
They are very helpful. Especially pointing the differences between a women’s and a man’s coming of age story. Also, pointing out the d..."

You are welcome Nan, I am looking forward reading your thoughts.

I finished reading part two out of seven parts, we moved from the spiritual atmosphere of the night to the busy and piratical life of the day, and surprisingly from men to women, even though we are dealing with special event - preparing the traditional Egyptian baked bread and products for the Mouled- still, it portrayed the life of the peasant Egyptian woman and her strength. This reminded me of a very famous sculpture by Mahmoud Mukhtar; which is "Nahdat Misr" or Egypt's Renaissance, a sphinx and a woman; a farmer woman raising up her veil as a symbolism of the rise of the Egyptians.



Now I would like to add some images of what was this vivid part was portraying :

I finished reading the novel, I liked it. Kassim wrote about the village life vividly and beautifully , it was so realistic and touching, the novel was full of people as humans.

Melanie wrote: "Seven Days of Man." What do we think of this title, provided by the translator, Joseph Norment Bell? ..."

Now, I am thinking again about your question, it is the vision of a man, and may be it is in the perspective of " male protagonist struggling to reconcile his so-called Eastern local experience with a so-called Western foreign experience", or more precise- as I see it - as the shift from the spiritual mystic world to the practical and modern one, which could be why Kassim chose to use the word "human"in his title and not "man", the believes were shared by men and women and each of them have their roles, the novel portrayed a whole community. May be the translator chose "man" not in the meaning of "male"but as in "mankind"?

- I read the novel in Arabic but I checked the English version which I posted the link to it in my first message, The seven stops "days"are:

1- The evening gathering
Abd Al Aziz was a child, he was fascinated by the magical spiritual world of his father, it was the night as a time in the focus.

2- The baking
Abd Al Aziz is thinking, recognizing the small signs of contradictions, the dawn as a time was in the focus.

In 3- The journey and 4- The lodgings
We moved from the village to the city and Abd Al Aziz confusion is turning into anger.

5- The big night
It was the peak, not only because it is reaching the big night of mouled and its glory, but by the feelings explosion....the clash of the two worlds... tradition and modernity .

6- The farewell
With the mouled ending, Kareem world was fading or was it Abd Al Aziz leaving this world totally behind? yet he became more passionate and the sharpness of his anger was colder.

7-The path
I kept thinking a lot about this part, Abd Al Aziz is back, not by volunteering but as a must, he is sad yet more understanding and loving. The novel ends with the night as a timing again, but a new gathering for a totally different world, a new world replacing the fading one.

- Now was that world really gone?

I loved that in each part we move in time and even though Abd Al Aziz is older we can still see the two pictures in parallel; the past and the present.

I liked the forward in the English translation which was wrote by the Egyptian poet Ahmed Abdel Muti Hijazi, but I am glad I read it after finishing reading the novel.
I agree with this quote:

"The road to the Egyptian village will from now on pass through the works of Abdel-Hakeem Kassem just as the road to Cairo passes through the works of Naguib Mahfouz"

Not sure of how accurate this summary is but I though of sharing it:

The Mystical Number 7
http://www.humanreligions.info/seven....

Anyone is still reading this novel ?

Perhaps I start with this book. I've found it in the librarie. And the date is till end of the next mounth. So I think / thouth that thrre is enough time. But I' ve also,enough other books to read. So it is not a problem, wenn the discussion closr. But I am interested in the book.

Hello Johanna, no problem at all. It will be great to hear your thoughts anytime:)

Hi Niledaughter, The Seven Days Of Man and The Rites of Assent are the books I will be reading in a few days.
Currently I am taking my time to think about the book I am reading In Search of Walid Masoud. I am sharing with friends not familiar with MENA authors, certain paragraphs I consider “and there you have it, great writing indeed.”
The book is In Search of Walid Masoud.

Nan wrote: "Hi Niledaughter, The Seven Days Of Man and The Rites of Assent are the books I will be reading in a few days.
Currently I am taking my time to think about the book I am reading In Search of Walid ..."

No problem, I would love to hear your thoughts about both about The Seven Days Of Man", and also about In Search of Walid Masoud in the thread related to the recommendations about the Palestinian conflict, I am sure it will be great if you can and do not mind :)

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Niledaughter wrote: "Nan wrote: "Hi Niledaughter, The Seven Days Of Man and The Rites of Assent are the books I will be reading in a few days.
Currently I am taking my time to think about the book I am reading In Sear..."

Nan wrote: "Hi Niledaughter, The Seven Days Of Man and The Rites of Assent are the books I will be reading in a few days.
Currently I am taking my time to think about the book I am reading In Search of Walid ..."

Niledaughter wrote: "Nan wrote: "Hi Niledaughter, The Seven Days Of Man and The Rites of Assent are the books I will be reading in a few days.
Currently I am taking my time to think about the book I am reading In Sear..."

Ok It May take some time.

Thank you, Nile Daughter, for all your ideas. I finished up this novel, and was struck by:
1. The colloquial Egyptian language - This is a great book for phrases and greetings in Egyptian Arabic
2. Belonging - There is a strong sense of "belonging" in this book, although I think the protagonist struggles with belonging to himself and feeling content with his relationship to his community
3. Gender - Women and men generally move in parallel worlds, with mixing only among family members (any other mixing is potentially dangerous, it is understood, because it could lead to scandal). This creates a constant fascination with women just out of reach. The exception to all of this is festivals (particularly in "The Big Night"). The holiday atmosphere brings people together.

I'm thankful that you picked this book, Nile Daughter, so that I could finally make the time to read it :)

Sorry, I think this book isn't read in Febr. oder March. Too much books to read. So I'll read it...later this year.

Melanie wrote: "Thank you, Nile Daughter, for all your ideas. I finished up this novel, and was struck by:
1. The colloquial Egyptian language - This is a great book for phrases and greetings in Egyptian Arabic
2...."

Melanie, I am so glad you managed to read it and share your thoughts:)
" Gender - Women and men generally move in parallel worlds,"
I did not feel the segregation was that sharp back then, I do not mean that the separate worlds do not exist, but their intersections were smother than what conservative religious / strict movements would allow in the modern times.


Johanna wrote: "Sorry, I think this book isn't read in Febr. oder March. Too much books to read. So I'll read it...later this year."

Please share your thoughts whenever you want, the thread will remain open :)

Niledaughter, thanks. I'll do that.

Niledaughter wrote: "I did not feel the segregation was that sharp back then, I do not mean that the separate worlds do not exist, but their intersections were smother than what conservative religious / strict movements would allow in the modern times.
"

Another thought is urban vs. rural space. What I mean is that rural space, throughout different social and historical contexts, often relies on more relaxed rules regarding gender segregation. Like you, I'm not saying there aren't separate spheres. I'm just saying that the gender interactions we're seeing in this novel are mostly among people from small town/rural backgrounds, and maybe that's significant. It tends to be urban settings where we find strict gender segregation (I'm thinking of practices of secluding women from public space).

Interesting Melanie, I need to think this over in a historical context, or using a time line, for the time this novel was dealing with, I suppose we could relate to Naguib Mahfouz in parallel.

For urban settings , strict gender segregation was not a feature of the sixties, this I can tell. But the history of its development I need to check in depth, specially with the topics raised by the other book we are reading now Sex and the Citadel: Intimate Life in a Changing Arab World.

Enjoyed reading this, but of course very sad at the end.

Samy wrote: "Enjoyed reading this, but of course very sad at the end."

I am glad you liked it :)