Fadi Zaghmout

It was about two years ago when Francesco Verso, an Italian science fiction author and owner of the publishing house Future Fiction, approached me. He told me that he was working on an anthology of Arab science fiction and was collecting stories. He asked me if I’d be interested in writing one.

I wanted to, but I was in the middle of writing the sequel to Heaven on Earth (Hope on Earth). I said yes, but needed a few months to start working on the short story. I usually find time to write short stories in between novels. Thankfully, he was patient and waited for me.

Why Jaha in the Metaverse?

I don’t know why at the time I felt the need to explore writing something funny. I wanted to try to write in a voice that is sarcastic in a nice and funny way. I was also pretty excited about the metaverse as Meta hyped it up for us. Watching all of those videos of Mark Zuckerberg having fun in different virtual environments inspired my imagination. I also didn’t want to imagine something that is generic or devoid of culture. I wanted to imagine the future and reflect our Jordanian culture onto it. Knowing my interest in gender dynamics, and my views about the Jaha (voiced out in 2008 and still valid today), and my wonder about how such a patriarchal practice is still accepted and practiced widely today, the idea of Jaha in the metaverse came to me.

“Jaha” is a traditional ceremony used to formally ask for a girl’s hand in marriage. The chief/elder/guardian of one tribe/family approaches the chief/elder/guardian of another to request the hand of a girl in marriage. The women, including the bride, are not allowed to attend.

A definition of the Jaha as outlined by The Markaz Review

Ironically, instead of having it disappear, I foresaw enduring the technological revolution and finding its way into the metaverse. I wanted to be cynical, and I was.

Growing interest in Arabic Science Fiction

Arabic science fiction seems to have a growing interest in the West. Publishers are looking for alternative narratives imagining the future. They want our contributions, and I am glad about that. I also wish it is reflected in the Arab world. Arabic fiction has been widely focused on the past; historical fiction has been dominating our narratives for a long time. And while I understand the need for learning our history, I think it is even more important to start imagining our futures.

In this context, I am so pleased about the work Francesco has done, and I am very thankful for him. It came from an Italian man, but he is probably the only person who managed to collect 9 short stories imagining the futures from different Arab authors. It is an amazing feat. He published it first in Italian as Arabilioso and now released it in English as Arabilious. I haven’t read the other short stories yet but I am so excited to do once I get my copy of the book.

About Arabilious

The book is edited by Cristina Jurado and Francesco Verso and Copyedited. by Sally McCorry. My short story Jaha in the metaverse got translated to English by Rana Asfour, and published before at The Markaz Review.

Here is a brief:

Arab Science Fiction is largely unknown internationally, for this reason Arabilious would like to make you discover nine short stories written by authors coming from Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. The recurring themes of the stories include the effects of new technologies on Arab society, deeply rooted in community life and far from Western individualism, as well as anxiety about the devastation produced by climate emergency or nostalgia for a past which, although difficult and troubled, it is still able to ensure cultural roots and identity to the characters.

The stories included in Arabilious are therefore full of melancholy, social tensions derived from political conflicts, and the need to distance themselves from the categories and clichés formulated by the West. All these themes mix with the rich literary tradition of the Arab peoples and their past as colonized communities to propose nine futuristic scenarios, alternatives to the existing reality.

It contains the following short stories:

1. Pan-humanism Hope and Pragmatics by Sara Saab and Jess Barber (Lebanon and USA)
2. The Standard of Ur by Hassan Abdulrazzak (Iraq)
3. The Bahrein Underground Bazar by Nadia Afifi (Bahrain)
4. A Day in the Life of Anmar 20X1 by Abdulla Moaswes (Palestine)
5. Cinammon Chewing Gum by Maria Dadouch (Siria)
6. To New Jerusalem by Farah Kader (Palestine-USA)
7. Exhibit K by Nadia Afifi (Bahrain)
8. A Jaha in the Metaverse by Fadi Zaghmout (Jordan)
9. Master of Mediterranean by Emad El-Din Aysha (Egypt)

In addition to a beautiful intro by Cristina Jurado, and an afterward by Emad El-Din Aysha.

It is a available now for orders through Amazon.