Ayman Otoom (Arabic: أيمن العتوم; born 2 March 1972) is a Jordanian poet and novelist.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Ayman Otoom
Born (1972-03-02) 2 March 1972 (age 52)
Education
Occupation(s)Poet, novelist
WebsiteAyman Otoom

Biography edit

Otoom was born in Jerash, in northern Jordan. He went to high in the United Arab Emirates, then returned to Jordan and got a degree in civil engineering from Jordan University of Science and Technology, in 1997, then shifted careers toward language and literature. He received a BA in Arabic from Yarmouk University in 1997, and then a Master's and PhD in Arabic from the University of Jordan, in 2007, and teaches in Amman.[1]

As of 2013, he had published three novels.[1] He is a teacher in Amman. His novel O my two companions of the prison (2012) reflects the personal experience of the writer in Jordanian prisons during 1996 and 1997 as a political prisoner.[7] His novel Soldiers' Talk is a retelling of a protest in 1986 at Yarmouk University, which was suppressed by Jordanian security forces.[8] Otoom was fined 5000 Dinar because the book "foment[ed] religious and racial discord", and was detained for eight months following the verdict.[9][10]

In 2016, he was arrested for two days. He was released on bail. He was accused of blasphemy according to his lawyer.[11][12]

He has written poetry as well, including Take me to the Al-Aqsa Mosque (2013).[1][13][14] In 2013 he was invited to participate in the nadwa organized for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, a masterclass in writing.[15][16][17][18][19]

Ayman Otoom's literature is known for its Islamic character.[9]

Publications edit

Novels edit

  • Oh _you_ Two Companions of The Prison (2012)
  • They Hear Its Whispering (2012)
  • The Taste of Death (2013)
  • Soldiers' Talk (2014)


The novel They Hear Her Whispering is a bestseller amongst prison literature and it earned fame due to the controversy surrounding it.[20][21]

They Hear Her Whispering tells the story of a prisoner in Palmyra prison and the Syrian Al-Khatib military prison. Otoom at the beginning of the novel. [22][23]

Poetry edit

  • Take me to the Al-Aqsa Mosque (2013)

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Ayman Otoom | International Prize for Arabic Fiction". www.arabicfiction.org. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  2. ^ "أيمن العتوم يشارك بـ"رؤوس الشياطين" بمعرض مسقط للكتاب". جريدة الدستور. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  3. ^ "ازدهار الترجمة ينعش التبادل الثقافي بين تركيا والعالم العربي". www.aljazeera.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  4. ^ الكوري, عمان-فاتن (2020-03-08). "(رؤوس الشياطين) للعتوم.. صراع المتناقضات الداخلية". Alrai (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  5. ^ "بالفيديو.. أيمن العتوم يروي للجزيرة نت حكاية "يوم مشهود" وقصص الحب والسجن والثورة". www.aljazeera.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  6. ^ "إشهار رواية "يوم مشهود" لأيمن العتوم في "شومان"". Alghad (in Arabic). 2019-11-19. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  7. ^ "أيمن العتوم روائي أردني عاش تجربة الاعتقال وكتب عنها". تلفزيون سوريا. September 18, 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  8. ^ Sneineh, Mustafa Abu (10 July 2018). "In struggling Jordan, grassroots movements are demanding political change". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  9. ^ a b "أيمن العتوم: أكتب للإنسان والحرية والحياة". www.aljazeera.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  10. ^ ""The Story of the Soldiers": Truth Versus Falsehood". Akeed. 7 December 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  11. ^ "المدينة نيوز - محامي العتوم: الافراج عن أيمن خلال ساعتين". www.almadenahnews.com. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  12. ^ "الافراج عن الكاتب "ايمن العتوم" بكفالة مالية". www.sarayanews.com. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  13. ^ "كل ماتود/ين معرفته عن أيمن العتّوم | من هم؟". أراجيك (in Arabic). Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  14. ^ "السلطات الأردنية تحتجز الروائي أيمن العتوم". قناة الحرة (in Arabic). Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  15. ^ mlynxqualey (November 2, 2013). "Eight Young Authors at 2013 International Prize for Arabic Fiction Nadwa". ArabLit. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  16. ^ Dight, Clare (7 November 2013). "Seeking literary recognition". The National. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  17. ^ "Stepping out of the comfort zone". Khaleej Times. 10 November 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2019 – via pressreader.com.
  18. ^ Starbush (October 30, 2013). "the tanjara: 5th IPAF Nadwa for emerging Arab writers opens in Abu Dhabi resort". the tanjara. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  19. ^ https://www.pressreader.com/uae/khaleej-times/20131107/281715497376517. Retrieved 12 January 2019 – via PressReader. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. ^ العرب, Al Arab (November 20, 2014). "للقراء آراء في "يسمعون حسيسها" |". صحيفة العرب (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  21. ^ ""يسمعون حسيسها".. جحيم الطغاة على الأرض". www.aljazeera.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  22. ^ "رواية يسمعون حسيسها - أيمن العتوم". موسوعة أخضر للكتب (in Arabic). 2020-05-10. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  23. ^ العرب, Al Arab (20 November 2014). "للقراء آراء في "يسمعون حسيسها" |". صحيفة العرب (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-07-08.

External links edit

Ayman Otoom on Facebook