Who is Ahmed Khaled Tawfik?
Ahmed Khaled Tawfik Farraj was an esteemed Egyptian author and physician, born on June 10, 1962, in the city of Tanta, located in Gharbia Governorate, Egypt. He is recognized as the first Arabic writer in the horror genre and is among the most prominent authors in young adult literature, science fiction, and fantasy. He is affectionately referred to as “The Harbinger.”
Biography
Here are some significant milestones in Ahmed Khaled Tawfik’s life:
- He studied medicine at Tanta University, graduating in 1985, and in 1997, he earned a doctorate in tropical medicine.
- His literary career commenced in 1992 when he worked for the Modern Arab Foundation as a horror writer for the “Mazaar Al-Ashraa” series.
- He married Dr. Manal, a specialist in pulmonary diseases at the Tanta Faculty of Medicine, and they had two children, Muhammad and Mariam.
His Works
Highlighted below are some of Ahmed Khaled Tawfik’s most significant writings:
Series
The following are his notable series:
| Series Name | Series Information |
| Mazaar Al-Ashraa | This series began in 1992 and concluded in 2014 with “The Legend of Legends.” It was his first series and gained immense success and popularity. |
| Fantasia | Launched in 1995, this series encompasses adventure and science fiction. |
| Safari | Started in 1996, this series features tales set in the African continent. |
| Other Series | A series of translated pocket novels, including “Tremors of Fear,” which consists of translated horror stories. |
Novels
His noteworthy novels include:
| Novel Name | Novel Information |
| Utopia | Published in 2008, this novel achieved widespread acclaim and was translated into several languages, republished in subsequent years. |
| Al-Saniga | Released in 2012. |
| In the Rat Corridor | Published in 2016. |
| Shahabeeb | Released in 2018. |
Articles
Some significant collections of his articles include:
| Article Collection Name | Date Written | Number of Articles |
| 7 Faces of Love | 2007 | – |
| Adrenaline Lovers | 2008 | 28 cinematic articles |
| My Brain is Like This | 2008 | 48 varied articles |
| Ghazzeeg | 2009 | 29 satirical articles |
| Bubbles | 2009 | 55 articles |
| The Trivial Words | 2010 | 32 articles |
| Mint Tea | 2012 | 17 articles |
| Coffee with Uranium | 2012 | 18 articles |
| Melancholic Laughter | 2012 | 40 satirical articles |
| Whispers and Hallucinations | 2014 | 52 articles |
| Haj Dawood’s Soup | 2014 | 30 articles about science and pseudo-science |
| The Blue Folder Films | 2015 | 35 articles |
Short Story Collections
The following are key story collections authored by Ahmed Khaled Tawfik:
| Collection Name | Date of Release | Number of Stories |
| Rainbow | 2005 | 7 |
| WWW | 2006 | 5 |
| Now We Open the Box (1) | 2007 | 25 |
| A Mind Without a Body | 2008 | 22 |
| Room No. 207 | 2008 | 12 |
| Now We Open the Box (2) | 2009 | 22 |
| Now I Understand | 2009 | 13 |
| E.S.P | 2009 | 22 |
| Now We Open the Box (3) | 2010 | 14 |
| You Are Not Alone | 2012 | 8 |
| Aquarils | 2013 | 9 |
| The Horror | 2014 | 8 |
Publications
Main publications include:
- A collection of varied articles titled “Burnable Clippings,” published online.
- A weekly article published every Monday in Al-Tahrir newspaper.
- A weekly article published every Tuesday in Al-Dostor newspaper.
- A weekly article published every Saturday in Al-Ittihad newspaper, titled “Hallucinations.”
His Passing
Ahmed Khaled Tawfik passed away in 2018 at the age of 55. It is noteworthy that he died just hours after undergoing a heart ablation procedure to treat the atrial fibrillation from which he suffered.
Most Beautiful Quotes by Ahmed Khaled Tawfik
Below are some of the most beautiful quotes from Ahmed Khaled Tawfik’s works and articles:
- “Culture is not a religion that unites hearts; rather, it often divides them, as it reveals the severity of injustice faced by the oppressed and highlights what the fortunate may lose.” – Utopia
- “A thinking sheep becomes a danger to itself and others.” – Utopia
- “Jealousy can be healthy, just like other hygiene tools, or it can be a terminal disease that ends with you being buried in the filthiest shop selling those tools.” – 7 Faces of Love
- “Life becomes remarkably more beautiful as it approaches its end.” – In the Rat Corridor
- “There is a heinous crime deserving of the harshest punishment in this world: the crime of being different.” – Shahabeeb
- “All stories are ultimately one story.” – Mint Tea
- “There are always lines we do not say, my little one, but everyone hears them; silence can be more expressive and louder.” – Shahabeeb
- “For years, I’ve tried not to befriend anyone at all; life is too short to waste on relationships.” – Bubbles