Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Several writers, media persons and cultural figures in Saudi Arabia mourned the demise of renowned writer and media personality Dr. Abdullah Manna.

He passed away on Saturday evening at the age of 82 after prolonged illness. Funeral prayer was offered for him on Sunday morning and his body was buried at Hawwa Cemetery in Jeddah.

“Dr. Abdullah Manna was one of the pioneers who devoted his life to serving literature and journalism,” tweeted Acting Minister of Media Majed Al-Qasabi.

Mourning the death of Dr. Manna, many intellectuals, writers and media professionals recalled his outstanding contributions in a wide range of areas, including dentistry, literature, media and culture. A dentist by profession, he devoted himself to writing and journalism.

Born in Jeddah in 1939, Manna completed school education in the city and graduated in dentistry from the Faculty of Dentistry at Alexandria University of Egypt in 1962.

After returning to the Kingdom, he worked as dentist at the Jeddah General Hospital. Later, he quit his job and devoted fully to literature, writing and media work. He started his journalistic career at the weekly newspaper Al Raed and later became editor of Iqra magazine and a columnist in Al-Bilad newspaper.

Dr. Manna served as editor-in-chief of Al-Bilad newspaper. He was also a member of the Al-Bilad Foundation for Press and Publication, the Jeddah Literary and Cultural Club, the Society of Culture and Arts in Jeddah, and a member of the Board of Directors of Tihama Company for Advertising, Research, Marketing and Publishing.

Dr. Manna authored many books, and his first collection of short stories titled “Touches” was published in 1960, and “Anin Al-Hiyari” in 1966. His books included “The World is a Journey,” “A sense of thought,” the “Empire of Tone, ” and “The Jeddah of Man and Place.”

He also published a novel titled “On the tops of misery” in 2013. The Jeddah Literary and Cultural Club named him to be “the Personality of the Forum” for this year 2021 and honored him at the 17th text reading forum organized by the club.