Rashad Hashim

Rashad "Boulder Fist" Hashim (1902-1948) was a famous Sudanese Romantic poet. Born in London, England, in 1902, he was influenced by a number of poets, including John Keats, with whom he also shared a similar sense of melancholy. Hashim was also known for being a strong supporter of the Liberal Democrats.

Poetry

One of Rashad Hashim's most celebrated poems is his ode to Zina Mahjoub, ألذي تجعل الشمس تتنور (roughly translated as "The One Who Makes The Sun Shine"), which brought him to prominence within his home country. It is credited with inspiring much of his later poetry, particularly during his "Blue Era" of melancholic poetry, during which his writing attracted a much larger international audience.

Death

Rashad committed suicide in 1948, while suffering a bout of severe depression after his longtime mistress and muse Zina Mahjoub was forced into an arranged marriage by her wealthy family. He left half of his fortune to charity and is still today acknowledged as a benefactor by many charitable organizations in London.