(My Philosopher Friend) Glimpses of Yemeni Reality in the Work of Abdulkarim Al Shahari

Yemenat

Mohammed Al Mekhlafi

(My Philosopher Friend Philosophical Fragments) represents the third literary contribution of the Yemeni writer and novelist Abdulkarim Al Shahari. It occupies a distinctive position within his creative journey, which also includes four notable works (Shifting Sands), (Modern Life), (Raffila), and (Sharif Al Jann).

Published by Dar Al Kotob in Sana’a in 2022, the book consists of 152 medium sized pages. It does not present itself as a systematic philosophical study or an attempt to construct a comprehensive intellectual theory. Instead, it unfolds as a series of brief fragments that reflect everyday life on the Yemeni street. These reflections are written in a concise and direct language that closely engages the reader.

Al Shahari opens the book with an introduction explaining that these texts were originally conceived as short (status) updates on the WhatsApp application under the title (My Philosopher Friend or Inspired by Freedom) at the beginning of 2017.

The fragments range across political and social themes, capturing the lived reality of the Yemeni individual.

Accordingly, the book may be read as a personal record of daily life and modest reflections. It does not aim to offer a total or definitive interpretation of reality, but rather to document what the author witnesses and feels deeply.

The tone of the texts moves between calm contemplation and sharp satire, reflecting the rhythm of daily life in Yemen with all its contradictions, pressures, and turbulence.

The reader senses that these fragments arise from genuine lived experience rather than abstract theoretical speculation, lending the book a strong human presence and a striking sense of realism.

The title (My Philosopher Friend) carries layered meanings that combine intimacy with critical awareness. The word (friend) suggests closeness and familiarity, while (philosopher) signals reflection and analysis.

This balance mirrors the nature of the texts themselves, which merge personal experience with a critical reading of the social and political environment through a modest and accessible consciousness.

The cover design reinforces this spirit. It depicts a young woman holding an open book while gazing into a space where blurred silhouettes of philosophers appear.

The vivid colors, especially the red shawl and patterned dress, seem to embody the soul of the book, curiosity, open questions, and a deep desire for free thought.

The character of the (Philosopher) functions as a symbolic reflection of society. At times, she appears hesitant and preoccupied with the search for national identity amid the turmoil engulfing the country.

She struggles to reconcile human values with the demands of a harsh and complex reality. This hesitation and contradiction echo the condition of the Yemeni individual, who faces daily conflicts and social and political divisions that have reshaped consciousness and behavior.

Through this character, the author highlights the psychological tension experienced by Yemenis, the conflict between a longing for justice and critical thought, and the necessity of adapting to a reality that rarely presents clear choices.

The (Philosopher) thus transcends the role of a literary figure and becomes a lens through which Yemeni society and its daily conditions can be understood.

Al Shahari also illustrates the effects of political and social divisions on national identity, portraying individuals as they search for shared ground amid ongoing conflict.

This deep engagement with reality renders the texts closer to testimonies of everyday life than to abstract ideas or theoretical propositions. This is particularly evident in the references to the events of 2011 and 2014 and the crises that followed, which profoundly shaped individual consciousness and perceptions of authority, society, and the self.

To illustrate the nature of the fragments in the book, the following text is reproduced as it appears in the original work.

Awareness

(Thinkers are the eyes of any revolution. When a revolution fails to protect its eyes, and when its intellectuals become the first to be hunted down after its success, then know that a blind sedition and a reckless conspiracy are being prepared to undermine the revolution’s principles and goals. Expect the worst, my friend, for the storm will shake those who remain loyal to their principles and may overthrow all sincere souls in favor of the ignoble and the opportunistic.) (p. 101)

The book consists of concise texts addressing authority, fear, religion, and education. In one passage, the author writes:

(All human beings possess the potential to become absolute tyrants. They are fully prepared for the role. They only lack the opportunity.) (p. 48)

This statement confronts the reader with a striking and unsettling idea, delivered without the need for lengthy explanation. It implies that tyranny is not limited to political systems but is rooted in human nature itself.

In texts addressing religion and politics, the author exposes how emotions are exploited and transformed into tools of control, as seen in his words:

(Political religious movements exploit the strongest human instinct, hatred, to mobilize followers and direct them toward narrow objectives.) (p. 57)

Here, social criticism appears with clarity, revealing how collective emotions are shaped and manipulated to serve specific interests. The language remains direct and occasionally ironic, softening the sharpness of the critique without diminishing its seriousness.

The fragments concerning education present a critical view of its role, particularly when it shifts from nurturing free thought to reproducing inherited ideas. This is evident in the following passage:

(Because they seize individual consciousness through a directed educational system from the outset, one that works to erase independent thinking and reduce the individual to a consumer of ready made ideas.) (p. 124)

Education is treated as a central key to understanding how collective consciousness is formed, especially when it transforms from a space of inquiry into a mechanism for repetition and conformity.

Despite the book’s overall coherence and sincerity, some fragments end abruptly, as though content with presenting an idea without fully expanding it. This may leave the reader wanting more depth in certain moments.

(My Philosopher Friend) can be regarded as one of the voices that sought to capture the Yemeni everyday as it truly is, without ornamentation or claims of artificial philosophical depth.

Its strength lies not in linguistic flourish but in honesty and in its ability to resonate directly with the reader.

In the end, (My Philosopher Friend) does not present a complete philosophy, nor does it pretend to. Instead, it achieves something both simpler and more demanding.

It invites the reader to look at daily reality through a different lens and to pause and reflect on details long taken for granted. Its value lies not in theoretical complexity but in its capacity to touch lived human experience as it is.