The Punitive Expedition: The Holy Uprising of Upper Egypt

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The Punitive Expedition: The Holy Uprising of Upper Egypt

By the Sawiris Cultural Award-winning Egyptian author. In this powerful, historically rich novel, Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Sharif reconstructs the brutal military campaign launched by Khedive Ismail against the people of Upper Egypt. The Expedition centers on Amer, a young rebel leader who leads his community against the state military, only to find the promises of angelic help replaced by raw state violence. Featuring Shama, a Christian woman who rescues children inside a church, the novel is a brilliant study of local resistance and community survival in the face of absolute state authority.

Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Sharif

An Egyptian novelist, academic, and literary critic holding a PhD in Arabic Literature and Discourse Analysis, Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Sherif blends academic rigor with a profound, compassionate narrative voice. Deeply rooted in the culture of Upper Egypt, his fiction explores the existential struggles, joys, and tragedies of marginalized individuals. He is a double winner of the Sawiris Cultural Award, first in the Young Writers category for his debut novel The Season of Kibk (Mawsim Al-Kibk) in 2015, and later in the Senior Writers category (2024/2025) for his masterful flash-fiction collection A Ululation Fit for a Funeral (Zaghrouda Taliq Bi Janaza). His recent historical epic The Expedition (Al-Tajreeda, 2025) further showcases his ability to resurrect forgotten histories of popular resistance, confirming his status as a major literary force.

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