With these words, Dr. Taha Hussein opened this book, which was first published in 1926. This is a new approach to researching the history of Arabic poetry, never attempted before in our society. I almost trust that some will criticize it angrily, while others will visit it with admiration. The book’s content raised strong opposition because Dr. Taha Hussein adopted the principle of Cartesian doubt in studying pre-Islamic poetry, departing from the traditional inherited critical style and adopting a new critical approach. This faced severe opposition from scholars of Al-Azhar at that time, leading to accusations against the author’s beliefs and the withdrawal of the book from the markets for some modifications. This controversial issue, along with others, resulted in Dr. Taha Hussein’s dismissal from the university. The book returns to you, dear reader, the intellectual conflicts of the Enlightenment era, where you will find several books contending against it, like ‘Under the Banner of the Qur’an’ by Al-Rafii and ‘Refuting a Book on Pre-Islamic Poetry’ by Muhammad Farid and Jad. These critiques are, at the very least, an acknowledgment of the value of this book.

Taha Hussein says, “I prefer to establish a sort of fellowship between me and the readers, so that we start the story together, proceed in it together, and conclude it together. Sometimes we agree, and sometimes we differ.”
With these words, Taha Hussein lays the foundation for the relationship between him and the readers of his novel, presenting a literary text characterized by interactivity, blending valuable philosophical elements, and offering a distinctive presentation of the social conflict beyond the river. This is a class struggle, manifested in the oppression of the rich over the poor and the forces that coerce the weak. Beyond the river, there are people who do not deny injustice; rather, they subjugate their weak counterparts, a matter rejected by our great writer who was always concerned with establishing the values of citizenship and social justice.
In this novel, he advocates for reform and holding onto the ray of hope despite the dark shadows. Moreover, he intentionally leaves the ending open, allowing the text to interact with its readers and enabling them to discover what lies beyond the river on their own.

Dawood Barakat was the longest-serving editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram, holding the position from 1901 to 1933. He was of Lebanese origin, born and raised in Lebanon, and graduated from Al-Hikma School in Beirut. He lived in Egypt and initially worked as a civil servant in the Survey Authority before joining Al-Ahram.
This book brings together a diverse collection of articles by Professor Dawood Barakat, which were published in Al-Ahram during the first quarter of the twentieth century, spanning from 1907 to 1929. This period witnessed significant events, such as World War I, the Balkan Wars, the fall of the Ottoman Empire, and the beginning of the Zionist occupation plan in Jaffa and other cities in Palestine. These articles represent an important phase in the history of Egyptian journalism and the issues they addressed. They serve as a living record of contemporary Arabic and are particularly valuable for researchers in journalism, linguistics, communication, and related fields. The book, in essence, serves as a historical account of the press in the Arab world.

Among the writings of the late great writer, the book includes thirty-seven selected articles covering various journalistic genres, including interviews, opinion pieces, travelogues, eulogies, book reviews, and investigative journalism. Additionally, the reader will find two letters from readers and Professor Dawood Barakat’s responses to them