10 Facts About Qassim Haddad

Qassim Haddad was born on 1948 and is a Bahraini poet, particularly notable within the Arab world for his free verse poetry.

Qassim Haddad's poems have been translated in several languages including German, English and French.

Qassim Haddad was born in Bahrain in 1948 and did not complete his secondary education, having educated himself over the years.

Qassim Haddad published his first poetic collection titled Good Omen in 1970 and has since published more than 16 books, including Majnun Laila, a book of poetry and paintings, and a book of poetry in collaboration with Saudi photographer Saleh al-Azzaz.

In 2007, Qassim Haddad created controversy when he reworked the Arabic classic Layla and Majnun, with Marcel Khalife which fundamentalists believed undermined Islamic morals.

Qassim Haddad worked in the public library from 1968 to 1975, but was in and out of political incarceration for five years' total between 1973 and 1980.

Qassim Haddad's poems have been extensively translated, and he retired from the Ministry at the end of 1997.

Qassim Haddad is the co-founder and chairman of the Bahraini Writers' Union.

Qassim Haddad is married and has three children, including his son the noted composer Mohammed Haddad was born on 1975 and and his daughters Mehyar and noted photographer Tufool.

Between 2008 and 2015, Qassim Haddad received four scholarships for literary residencies in Germany.