Hamza Shehata
Saudi Arabian poet (1911–1972)

Hamza Shehata (Arabic: حمزة شحاتة; 1910/11-1971/72) was a philosopher, poet and civic leader from the Hejaz in the western part of modern Saudi Arabia. The eccentric Hejazi genius was born in Mecca and raised in Jeddah. He studied at the Al-Falah School (established in 1905), then moved to India where he worked at the Zainal trading house for a number of years. Upon his return, he joined the Jeddah Council of Commerce.
He was influenced by key social and political leaders in the Hejaz such as Qassim Zainal and Mohammed Suroor Sabban. His literary work was influenced by, among others, Khalil Gibran, Iliyya Abu Madi and Mikha'il Na'ima.
The public source identifies “Hamza Shehata” as saudi Arabian poet (1911–1972). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Hamza, Shehata and Saudi.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Hamza Shehata”, the useful work is to connect “saudi Arabian poet (1911–1972)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Biographical claims are most persuasive when dates, appointments and relationships can be traced to records created close to the events described. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 23, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q4164609. VIAF identifies the subject as 314818344. The Library of Congress control number is nr95036527. 2 of 4 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1910, 1971 and 1905.
A concise life account rarely captures disputed attribution, private networks or the changing language used to describe a career. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Read biographical claims against dates, named institutions and the cited references. Distinguish a subject’s later reputation from evidence produced during their lifetime.
- Establishing names and roles
- Building a first chronology
- Locating cited institutions
Personal papers, civil or court records, institutional files and the scholarship cited by the source.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Hamza Shehata”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Hamza Shehata primary sources, Hamza Shehata archive and Hamza research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Hamza Shehata”?
- How has the subject’s reputation changed across later accounts?
- Which claims depend on a single source or contested interpretation?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Hamza Shehata” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.