Fouad Ismail Shaker

Fouad Ismail Shaker (فؤاد إسماعيل شاكر; 1905 – 1973) was a renowned Saudi poet, journalist, and editor. He played a significant role in the development of Saudi journalism and literature during the early to mid-20th century.
==Early Life and Education==
Fouad Ismail Shaker was born in 1905 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. He received his initial education at the Al-Masjid al-Haram under the guidance of his father and other scholars associated with the holy mosque. In 1929, Shaker joined the first Saudi scholarship mission to Cairo, Egypt, where he specialized in Arabic literature.
==Career==
===Journalism===
Shaker began his career in journalism with the newspaper Kawkab al-Sharq in Egypt. In 1929, he published the newspaper Al-Haram in Cairo, which he managed for four years (1930–1934). In 1930, he became the Editor-in-Chief of Sout al-Hijaz, a position he held for one year before returning to Cairo to continue his studies and journalistic endeavors.
In 1935, Shaker took over as Editor-in-Chief of Umm al-Qura newspaper, a role he fulfilled for fifteen years. From 1937 to 1952, he led the editorial team of the Saudi newspaper Al-Bilad. In 1966, he established and became the Editor-in-Chief of the weekly newspaper Akhbar al-Alam al-Islami.
===Leadership Roles===
In 1945, during the reign of King Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Fouad Ismail Shaker was appointed as the President of Royal Protocol, a position he held for eight years. Later, in 1961, he served as the President of the Protocols of the Islamic World League. His leadership extended to various editorial and organizational roles within Saudi Arabia's media landscape.
==Publications==
Shaker authored approximately 20 books covering a range of topics including history, society, and literature. Some of his notable works are:
* Suwar al-Hayat (Images of Life) - 1929
* Adab al-Quran (The Literature of the Quran) - 1936
* Ghazl al-Shuara' bayn al-Haqiqa wa al-Khayal (Poetry of the Poets Between Reality and Imagination)
* Ahadith al-Rabee (Conversations of Spring) - 1943
* Al-Malik Abdul Aziz Al Saud: Sirah wa Tarikh (King Abdul Aziz Al Saud: Biography and History) - 1955
* Rahlat al-Rabee (Spring Journeys) - 1943, 1946, 1983, 1999
* Dar al-Aytam wal-Sanaae (Orphanage and Crafts in Mecca) - 1943
* Takhleed Dhikra Insha' al-Sadd al-Saudi (Commemorating the Saudi Dam Construction Ordered by King Abdul Aziz) - 1943
* Liluwa' wal-Zikra... Maqil fi Hafl al-Faqid Jamil Dawood - 1943
* Dalil al-Mamlaka al-Arabiya al-Saudiya (Guide to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) - 1948
* Hadayeq wa Azhaar (Gardens and Flowers) - 1950
* Rihlat al-Rabee: Risalah (Spring Journeys: A Message) - 1954
* Al-Malik Saud fi Ahadithihi wa Khutbihi (King Saud in His Conversations and Speeches) - 1955
* Hayya 'ala al-Salat (Come to Prayer) - 1956
* Silsilat min Amjad al-Thaqafa al-Arabiya (A Series of Arab Cultural Glories) - 1958
* Wahi al-Fuad (The Revelation of the Heart) - 1967
==Honors and Awards==
* Received various medals and honors from Arab and non-Arab countries.
* A street in Jeddah is named after him.
* In 2009, the Gulf Press Union in Doha honored him alongside 40 other Saudi journalism pioneers, with awards presented to his children.
==Personal Life==
Fouad Ismail Shaker had several children, including:
* Azza Fouad Shaker, a Saudi poet and broadcaster who passed away in August 2011.
* Mona Fouad Shaker, a Saudi media personality and wife of the Egyptian media figure Jalal Abu Zaid.
* Other children: Issam Fouad Shaker, Adel Fouad Shaker, Mohammed Fouad Shaker, Adnan Fouad Shaker (deceased), Nizar Fouad Shaker, and Noura Fouad Shaker.
==Death==
Fouad Ismail Shaker passed away in 1973 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the age of 70.
==See Also==
* Azza Fouad Shaker
Category:1905 births
Category:1973 deaths
Category:Saudi Arabian poets
Category:Saudi Arabian journalists
Category:People from Mecca
Category:Saudi Arabian Muslims