Hekmat Dirbas

Hekmat Dirbas is a Lecturer at The Ohio State University's Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures. He holds a PhD from Leiden University (2017) and specializes in Arabic philology, classical literature, comparative Semitics, and onomastics. His research explores literary and religious connections between ancient Near Eastern civilizations and pre-Islamic Arabia.

• Education: PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Leiden University (2017)

Dirbas actively bridges academic and public spheres through publications on Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, poetry collections (e.g., Paradise in Miserable Barracks), and translations of historical works. His long-term goal involves democratizing knowledge on ancient Arabic and Near Eastern traditions.

He has translated significant works including F. al-Wazzan's study on post-Qarmatian Eastern Arabia (2019) and S. van Bellingen's Cast Lead (2012). His interdisciplinary approach combines philology, comparative studies, and modern creative writing.