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“The Alfaqui,” by Hassan Aourid
April 21, 20267:00 p.m.
CORDOBA
Casa Árabe Auditorium (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9).
7:00 p.m.
Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
In Spanish
On April 21, Casa Árabe will be hosting the presentation of this book by Moroccan writer Hassan Aourid at its Cordoba headquarters. The story, inspired by the life of a Morisco, and was published by Diwan. The event will feature remarks by translator Ana María Sánchez Medina and Prof. Emilio González Ferrín.
The work was inspired by a character from real life, the Morisco Aḥmad b. Qāsim al-Ḥaŷarī, born in Hornachos (Badajoz) according to some, or in Láchar (Granada) according to others (living from approx. 1570–1650) .
The novel is divided into six chronologically ordered sections. Each takes place in a different location, with the main character narrating his own autobiography as he travels through the various places where he lived. The different stages within the story are as follows: the village of Láchar, “at the foot of the Alpujarras mountain range” (1585–1595); Marrakesh (1598–1603); Amsterdam (1611); Marrakesh (1613); New Salé (1615–1637) and Tozeur (Tūzur) (1642).
The novel raises many issues, including the plight of the Moriscos and the repetition of that phenomenon throughout history, oppression in the name of religion, interfaith dialogue, the sense of belonging to a community and the occurrence of popular uprisings. The novel’s underlying theme is the situation lived by the main character: through a human story, we witness a page in history that gets repeated over and over again with frightening sense of normalcy. The book depicts the misfortune of the weak caused by religion, but also by any other form of marginalization
Ana María Sánchez Medina, holder of a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and Hispanic Philology (University of Granada). With a Master’s degree in Arabic and Hebrew Cultures from the University of Granada. International PhD in Arab Studies from the University of Jaén. She is currently a professor of Arabic at the “Axarquía” Official Language School in Vélez-Málaga. And she is also a member of the “Arab, Islamic and Christian Societies” (HUM-761) research group at the University of Jaén. She has had translations of several novels from Arabic into Spanish published, including the one presented here, The Alfaqui by Hassan Aourid (2025).
Hassan Aourid
Hassan Aourid is a Moroccan writer and intellectual born in Tazmurit (Er-Rachidia), Morocco, and a professor of Political Science at the Université Mohamed V in Rabat. He also serves as an advisor to the Moroccan culture and history journal Zamane. He earned a law degree and received his PhD in 1999 with a dissertation titled The Protest Discourse of Islamist and Berber Movements in Morocco. In 1992, he served as an advisor to the Moroccan embassy in the United States. He was Head Spokesperson for the Moroccan Royal Palace, a position which he held from 1999 to 2005. In 2005, he was named to be Governor of the Meknes region. In 2009, he was designated the official historian of the Kingdom of Morocco. As an author, he is noted for his extensive body of work, including both political essays and literary works, which have earned him international awards. Aourid is an influential figure in contemporary critical thought in Morocco, in both academia and the literary world.
The novel is divided into six chronologically ordered sections. Each takes place in a different location, with the main character narrating his own autobiography as he travels through the various places where he lived. The different stages within the story are as follows: the village of Láchar, “at the foot of the Alpujarras mountain range” (1585–1595); Marrakesh (1598–1603); Amsterdam (1611); Marrakesh (1613); New Salé (1615–1637) and Tozeur (Tūzur) (1642).
The novel raises many issues, including the plight of the Moriscos and the repetition of that phenomenon throughout history, oppression in the name of religion, interfaith dialogue, the sense of belonging to a community and the occurrence of popular uprisings. The novel’s underlying theme is the situation lived by the main character: through a human story, we witness a page in history that gets repeated over and over again with frightening sense of normalcy. The book depicts the misfortune of the weak caused by religion, but also by any other form of marginalization
Ana María Sánchez Medina, holder of a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and Hispanic Philology (University of Granada). With a Master’s degree in Arabic and Hebrew Cultures from the University of Granada. International PhD in Arab Studies from the University of Jaén. She is currently a professor of Arabic at the “Axarquía” Official Language School in Vélez-Málaga. And she is also a member of the “Arab, Islamic and Christian Societies” (HUM-761) research group at the University of Jaén. She has had translations of several novels from Arabic into Spanish published, including the one presented here, The Alfaqui by Hassan Aourid (2025).
Hassan Aourid
Hassan Aourid is a Moroccan writer and intellectual born in Tazmurit (Er-Rachidia), Morocco, and a professor of Political Science at the Université Mohamed V in Rabat. He also serves as an advisor to the Moroccan culture and history journal Zamane. He earned a law degree and received his PhD in 1999 with a dissertation titled The Protest Discourse of Islamist and Berber Movements in Morocco. In 1992, he served as an advisor to the Moroccan embassy in the United States. He was Head Spokesperson for the Moroccan Royal Palace, a position which he held from 1999 to 2005. In 2005, he was named to be Governor of the Meknes region. In 2009, he was designated the official historian of the Kingdom of Morocco. As an author, he is noted for his extensive body of work, including both political essays and literary works, which have earned him international awards. Aourid is an influential figure in contemporary critical thought in Morocco, in both academia and the literary world.
Book cover.