The Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation organised a signing ceremony for the book “Poetic Brillance: A Critical Reading of the Poetry of Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais” by Dr. Samar Ruhi Al Faisal on Sunday evening, April 27, at its Stand at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF 2025.
The event was attended by a group of Emirati and Arab intellectuals and cultural figures, led by H.E. Abdul Hamid Ahmed, Secretary General of Al Owais Cultural Foundation.
At the start, Dr. Samar Ruhi Al Faisal spoke about his deep familiarity with previously published studies on Sultan’s poetry, expressing a keen interest in the quality of the poems and their systematic analysis. He highlighted his careful comparison of Sultan’s works, noting their elegance in both form and structure, as well as the recurring themes, particularly love and chaste sentiments. He also pointed out Sultan’s use of simple language, closely resembling the language of contemporary life without affectation or exaggeration, which lent the study a sense of research rigor and scholarly sobriety.
The book is structured into an introductory section that offers a comprehensive overview, followed by four main chapters. The first chapter presents an introduction to Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais’s poetry, in which the author explores his poetic collections, their various editions, the terminology adopted throughout the book, and the critical perspective on his body of work.
The second chapter examines the thematic dimension of Al Owais’s poetry, highlighting portrayals of women, life, and nature, and analysing the deeper meanings behind these representations. The third chapter provides an in-depth exploration of the artistic aspects of his poetry, focusing on the use of metaphor, the significance and functions of poetic imagery, the types and sources of these images, the rhetorical devices employed, and the overall poetic lexicon.
The fourth chapter provides an analytical and structural reading of the reception of Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais’s poetry, examining how it has been received in various books, studies, and articles. It explores the way in which the titles of his poems, their imagery, and linguistic structures have been interpreted and discussed in scholarly discourse. The chapter concludes with an appendix, where the author highlights the key insights gained from the critical reading, offering proposals for advancing further critical studies and interpretations of Al Owais’s poetry.
The audience engaged enthusiastically with Dr. Al Faisal’s presentation of his book, asking insightful questions that enriched the evening. Following the discussion, Dr. Al Faisal signed dozens of copies of the book, which is part of the celebrations marking the centenary of Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais (1925-2025).
This significant occasion has been officially recognised by UNESCO to honour the poet’s enduring legacy. In celebration, the Al Owais Cultural Foundation has curated a vibrant programme throughout 2025, featuring local and international seminars, exhibitions, musical and film evenings, and various other distinguished events.
