In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Praise be to Allah for His graces and favors, and peace and blessings be upon the best of His messengers and prophets. To proceed:

Literature was, and still is, the mainstay of culture, the sum total of thought and creativity of language. Men of letters were, and still are, milestones in their societies. The bond of literature was, and still is, a strong bond; one that brings together into one unit the divergence of its members. So, a man of old times, speaking to his fellow man of letters, said about the bond of literature:

If novel brotherhood is sometimes shaky,

We go about enjoying time-honored brotherhood.

If the water of connection may vary,

Our fresh water is descending from the same cloud.

If we are different in terms of lineage,

We have "Literature" as a common father.

To start with, the Department of Literature is considered one of the pillars of education and scientific research upon which the College of Arabic Language and Literature was founded in the early days of Umm Al-Qura University nearly half a century ago. The department, throughout its foundation, administration, instructors and students, males and females, witnessed brilliant names in academic work and cultural activity in our giving country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and even in the greater Arab world. That is why instructors, students, curricula, and administrative employees - each component realizing their respective mission - have written, and are still writing, the epic serious and fruitful institutional work in the department.

The basis of the interests of the Department of Literature in its various stages is literary creativity and the studies it requires. This begins with various types of Arabic literary text, including poetry, prose and narration, in ancient and modern times, the history of literature and the development of literary arts through it, and through the trends and literary schools, old and new, Arab and Western, and their impact on literary production and on the comparison of Arabic literature with other literature. The department is also concerned with the study of literary methods of the glorious Qur’an and noble Prophetic Hadith, due to its close association with the sanctity of the place (Makkah, and its university, Umm Al-Qura). For this reason, the department has accorded Makkan literature in particular and Saudi literature in general a special emphasis.

At this time, the department takes steady steps towards the comprehensive development of faculty members, students, researchers, administrative and material capabilities, and the educational curricula. The department has started developing its curricula in its three phases: bachelor's, master's, and doctorate, for both regular and affiliation plans. The department is heading towards the qualitative quality based on outlining learning outcomes that feed the labor market - within the framework of a vision consistent with what our country is witnessing with its Islamic and Arab background, and its march towards universality within the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030, inclusive of full academic accreditation and the creation of new programs for its postgraduate studies based on practical and skillful foundations within the concept of a knowledge economy, supportive of the trend towards inter-studies. This is part of a comprehensive plan within a specific timeframe.

Although the Department of Literature is a specialized academic department, it seeks to encourage literary creativity in general at the university, and scientific and cultural communication with the scientific departments within the framework of one college. It participates with the other departments of the college in the service of the Arabic language. It also participates with them in an educational program, i.e., the Evening Qualifying Year Program. The department strives to communicate with local, regional and international academic and cultural institutions, and relevant scientific societies and forums of common interest. This is carried out within a comprehensive vision of the mother college at the level of integration of the vision, convergence of goals, and shared work.

From Allah we seek help, and on Him we rely!

Head of the Arabic Literature Department

Dr. Muhammad bin Saeed Al-Qarni