Master’s Degree Awarded to Mr. Ahmed Al-Bakeri in English Literature

Mr. Ahmed Saleh Mohammed Ahmed Al-Bakeri was awarded a Master’s Degree in English Literature with an average of (Excellent) and a grade of (91%) for his thesis titled: Exploring Gurnah’s By the Sea from an Islamic Perspective: A Critical Study, which was submitted to the Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts and Humanities – Sana’a University. The MA defense was held on Saturday, October 4, 2025.

The MA Viva-voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:

The research aimed to:

• Evaluate the actions and behaviors of the novel’s characters from a religious perspective.
• Examine the extent to which the characters adhere to Islamic principles and obligations.
• Explore whether the novel can be interpreted as a satire of moral neglect and indifference to Islamic and religious teachings in the postcolonial era.

The research yielded several findings summarized as follows:

• The characters in By the Sea fail to uphold Islamic teachings in key areas such as inheritance, orphans’ wealth, and Islamic leadership.
• The novel can be viewed as a satirical reflection on neglect and indifference toward Islamic and religious teachings.

In light of these findings, the researcher recommended that future studies:

• Compare By the Sea with other postcolonial or diasporic novels through an Islamic ethical framework.
• Combine literary analysis with Islamic theology or Sufi philosophy to explore how spiritual exile, repentance, and divine mercy shape moral transformation and character development in Gurnah’s works.

The defense session was attended by a number of academics, researchers, colleagues and the researcher’s family members.‎