Ahmed Taib El Alj



Ahmed Taib El Alj (9 September 1928 – 1 December 2012) was a Moroccan writer of Moroccan Arabic Zajal poetry and drama. He received several prizes and decorations for his service to Moroccan Arabic language theatre.

Life
El Alj was born in Fes. He wrote more than forty plays and adapted more than thirty works for the stage. According to Salim Jay, the work of al-Aldj is a "treasure of the culture of humanity". He rewrote, in Moroccan Arabic, works by Molière, Shakespeare and Brecht and had a great influence on Moroccan popular culture. His work was markedly influenced by French theater, especially the plays of Molière and Pierre Beaumarchais. He died in Rabat.

Awards and honours
In 1973, he was awarded the prize of Literature of Morocco, and in 1975, the Medal of Intellectual Merit of Syria.

Publications by Ahmad al-Tayyeb Aldj

 * Al-Barnît:a. Rabat: Mat:ba`a al-Ma`ârifa al-Djadîda, 2001.
 * Al-Mashrah: ba`ada al-Mut:laq: mumârasât, ishkaliyyât wa tatallu`ât, LAHBABI, Muhammad Aziz ed., Al-Masrah: al-Magribî bayna al-´ams wa-l-yawm.'' (Moroccan theater yesterday and today) Témara: Bayt ´Âl Muh:ammad `Azîz Lah:ababî, 1998, 43-50.
 * al-Sa'd. Rabat: al-Djama'iyya al-Magribiyya li-l-Ta´lîf wa-l-Tardjama wa-l-Nashr, 1986.
 * Al-´Ard wa-l-dhi´ âb: masrah:iyya fî qasmayn. Rabat: Wizâra al-Shu´űn, al-Thaqâfiyya, 1994.
 * Binâ´ al-wat:an. Rabat: Masrah: Muh:ammad al-Jâmis, 1988.
 * Du'â´ li-l-Quds. Rabat: s.e, 1980.
 * Yűhâ wa shadjara al-tufâh. Tánger : Wakâla Shirâ´li-l-Jidamât al-`Ilâm wa-l-Ittis:âl, 1997.