Syrian writer Abdul salam al-ajili blends medicine and folklore in fiction

Syrian writer and physician Abdul Salam Al-Ajili published a short story collection titled "Bint Al-Sahira" (The Witch's Daughter), which explores the intersection of medical science, folk beliefs, and the human psyche.

Al-Ajili used his medical background to craft stories where hospitals, drugs, and illnesses serve as central elements. The collection features narratives that range from scientific inquiries to the supernatural.

In one prominent story, "Qatrat Dam" (Drops of Blood), Al-Ajili depicts a doctor at the Medical Institute Hospital who believes science can explain all human existence. However, his conviction is tested when he treats a woman and jokingly tells her that his donated blood is noble and ancient. The woman takes this comment literally, believing she must maintain her purity to honor the blood. After she survives a violent attack by her brother, she becomes obsessed with this perceived responsibility.

Even when the doctor tries to explain that blood is simply a mixture of water and minerals, the woman remains convinced of his original joke and eventually commits suicide. The collection also features stories involving magic and folklore, such as "Al-Arraf" and "Al-Dhahira," which include characters like a gypsy sorcerer.

These stories contrast with the more clinical narratives like "Al-Kumaa Wal-Kinin" and "Al-Kas Wal-Takhdir." Al-Ajili began his literary career in 1936 and graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Damascus University in 1945. Beyond his work in literature and medicine, he served as a deputy for Raqqa in 1947, volunteered as a doctor during the Palestine War in 1948, and held ministerial positions in culture, media, and foreign affairs in 1962.