Hamzah Shehatta

Hamza Shehata (1908-1972) is a philosopher, poet and civil leader From Hejaz ( Western modern Saudi Arabia ). He was born in Mecca, and raised in Jeddah. Shehata is a pioneer; a leading poet and thinker, an influential figure in the cultural modernism movement occurred in Hejaz at the beginnings of the twentieth century. He was, with another Hejazi poet Mohammed Hassan Awwad, among the first poets to compose and publish Arabic modern-formatted poems starting from the 1920s. He is also famous, of publishing ethical and social philosophic work, with highly used linguistic skills.

He studied in Al-Falah modern school in Jeddah (Established in 1905), then worked with Zainal house of trade in India for two years. In 1938 he gave a famous speech in the 'Ambulance Cultural society' in Mecca addressing sophisticated ethical matters and advocating for social and religious reform. His bold ideas lead him to the exile with other Hejazi leaders in Al-Massmak fort in Riyadh by King Abdul-Aziz. Just after he was pardoned, he left Hejaz to Cairo, opposing the way things were handled in the country

He was influenced by key social and political leaders in Hejaz such as Qassim Zainal, and Mohammed Suroor Sabban. His literature work was influenced by Arab American Literature; Khalil Gibran, Iliyya Abu Madi, and Mikha'il Na'ima.

His famous work include:

* Al-Rojollah 'Imad Al-Kholoqu Al-Fadil (speech on ethics) .
* Rifat Akkl. (Work in Ethics)
* Himar Hamzah Shihatta (Work in Ethics, and religion and social reform) .
* Diwan Hamzah Shihatta ( his full poetry work ) .
* Ghadat Bulaqu. (Poetry) .
* Eila Ibbnaty Sheiren. (Romantic literature = his letters to his daughter in Jeddah) .