The passing of the Army Poet, Ali Zain al‑Abidin, leaves behind four notable poetic works; his poem recited before the Founder King revealed the depth of his poetic talent.
The cultural scene recently lost the distinguished poet and military officer, Major General Ali Zain al‑Abidin, who passed away at the age of eighty‑five after a life devoted to serving his faith, his king, and his homeland. Throughout his long career, he presented a remarkable poetic experience that contributed to showcasing the Saudi poetic voice in many cultural forums and poetry evenings. Several literary studies praised the depth and quality of his poetic contributions.
Ali Zain al‑Abidin was born in Makkah in 1343 AH, where he completed his schooling up to the secondary level. He later joined the Military Academy in Egypt, graduating in 1366 AH with a bachelor’s degree in military sciences. Upon returning to Saudi Arabia, he joined the Armored Corps. He was then sent to the United States for advanced military studies.
Over the years, he held several key military positions, including:
- Director of the Military Academy
- Director of Military Health Services
- Chief of Military Operations
- Member of the Joint Arab Command in Cairo
- Military Attaché at the Saudi Embassy in Paris
- Commander of the Makkah Military Region
He retired with the rank of Major General.
The poet published much of his work in local and Arab newspapers and magazines. His major published works include:
- “Saleel” (1984) — a collection of patriotic and martial poems
- “Hadeel” (1984)
- “Taghreed” (1984) — containing love poems and celebratory pieces
- “Najwa”
- “Judaism and Christianity in the Qur’anic Perspective” — a study
- “The Four Wars” — an analytical study
The Makkah poet Farouq Banjir expressed deep sorrow over his passing, saying:
“Major General and poet Ali Zain al‑Abidin—may God have mercy on him—came from a long-standing literary family in Makkah that produced more than five generations of writers and poets. He was among the most gifted of them. He was a contemporary of poets such as Hassan Qirshi, Abdulaziz Al‑Rifai, and Muhammad Abdulqadir Faqih. Although he was a military poet, he possessed a natural poetic talent, artistic creativity, linguistic mastery, and literary experience. His long poems in Saleel, Hadeel, Taghreed, and Najwa revolve around Arab, Islamic, national, humanitarian, and personal themes. His latest collection, published only weeks ago, was titled ‘Azf wa Nazf’, a poetic tapestry of family emotions and personal reflections. Despite not receiving the literary recognition he deserved, he remains one of the prominent poets of his generation.”
Academic researcher Dr. Khidr Arif described his passing as a great loss to the Saudi cultural scene, saying:
“Yesterday, Saudi literature suffered a major loss with the death of the veteran writer and retired Major General Ali Zain al‑Abidin—may God have mercy on him. He was among the founders of the Saudi military establishment and one of the pioneers of modern Saudi literature. In 1372 AH, Prince Mishaal bin Abdulaziz appointed him as commander of the Military School, where he worked tirelessly to develop its curriculum, adding important subjects such as international law, military economics, automotive engineering, and tactics. He redesigned the teaching of military geography and improved the teaching of military history.”
Dr. Arif continued:
“He also introduced new academic positions, such as ‘Chief Instructor,’ a role first held by Ali Al‑Shaer (later Minister of Information), who was then a captain. He also introduced the role of ‘Unit Staff Officer,’ responsible for speaking and acting on behalf of the commander. He supervised the construction of the Military Academy in Riyadh from its foundations, completing its buildings in 1374 AH. The academy, originally located in Taif, was later moved to Riyadh and renamed King Abdulaziz Military Academy, officially opened on 5 Jumada II 1375 AH.”
Among his other positions was Director General of Military Health, where he oversaw major improvements, including renovations to Taif Military Hospital, the construction of new specialized clinics, and similar expansions in Riyadh.
Ali Zain al‑Abidin’s literary talent emerged early. At the age of nineteen, he recited a poem before King Abdulaziz, representing the Saudi Scouts, earning the title “Poet of the Scouts.” Later, Prince Mishaal bin Abdulaziz named him “Poet of the Army” in 1371 AH. He recited many poems before Saudi kings, including King Abdulaziz, King Saud, and King Faisal—may God have mercy on them.
His poetry collections include:
- Saleel — martial, political, and national themes
- Taghreed — love, celebrations, and descriptive poetry
- Hadeel — emotional and reflective poems
All were published in 1404 AH.
His contributions extended beyond poetry to political journalism, where he wrote extensively on issues concerning the Arab and Islamic world.
May God have mercy on Ali Zain al‑Abidin. His passing is a true loss to literature, thought, and creativity.