Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi writer and novelist Ahmed Abou Dahman passed away on Sunday at the age of 76, leaving behind a distinguished literary legacy that shaped the Saudi and Arab cultural landscape and reached international audiences.

Abou Dahman gained global recognition through his acclaimed novel The Belt (Al-Hizam), first published in 2000 and later translated into French and several other languages.

The novel received wide critical and popular attention, establishing him as one of the most prominent Saudi literary voices to reach readers beyond the Arab world.

Born in 1949 in the village of Al Khalaf in Sarat Abidah, in the Asir region of southern Saudi Arabia, Abou Dahman completed his early education in Abha before pursuing university studies at King Saud University in Riyadh.

He later continued his postgraduate studies in France, where he earned a master’s degree in literature.

He began his professional life as a teacher before moving into journalism and cultural work. During his time in France, he served as head of the Paris bureau of the Saudi newspaper Al Riyadh, playing an important role in representing Saudi media and culture abroad.

Memories of his home village remained deeply embedded in his writing and strongly influenced much of his literary output.

His works often explored Saudi social and human transformations, conveyed through a narrative style marked by lyricism, nostalgia and reflection.

This approach gave his writing a distinctive voice that resonated with readers and critics alike.

Cultural circles across Saudi Arabia and the Arab world expressed deep sorrow over his passing, praising his contribution to introducing Saudi literature to a global audience.

Through his work, Abou Dahman helped build a bridge between local Saudi culture and international literary discourse.

The Belt is widely regarded as a landmark in modern Saudi fiction. Drawing on the author’s life in his village and his deeply rooted human sensibility, the novel remains a lasting work in both Arab and world literature.