Literature lets us see the world through others' eyes: Moroccan author at Sharjah Book Fair

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Moroccan novelist Abdelmajid Sebbata says stories can help young readers question the world around them, challenge prejudice and discover a shared sense of humanity during uncertain times

What if reading a novel could change not only how we see the world, but also how we understand the people around us? For award-winning Moroccan novelist Abdelmajid Sebbata, literature offers more than entertainment. It gives readers the freedom to question what they know, imagine different possibilities and better understand lives unlike their own.

Speaking to Khaleej Times during the Sharjah International Book Fair 2026, Sebbata said one of literature's greatest strengths is its ability to reshape perspectives, particularly among younger generations.

"The most beautiful aspect of literature is its ability to offer us an opportunity to reshape the way we see the world and, consequently, define our place within it," he said.

Through his novels, Sebbata explores memory, history and truth, encouraging readers to look beyond simple explanations and develop their own understanding of the world.

At a time when uncertainty can make people feel increasingly divided, Sebbata believes literature can help readers recognise what connects them.

Books allow people to experience the lives of others, even when they are separated by different cultures, countries or historical periods. "When we read about their dreams, fears and disappointments, we discover just how much we have in common with them," he said.

For Sebbata, this ability to cross boundaries is one of literature's most important contributions to society. He also believes stories can help challenge prejudice by introducing readers to characters whose backgrounds and choices may be very different from their own.

Rather than presenting people as simply good or bad, meaningful literature explores their motivations, struggles and contradictions.

"Whenever a powerful literary work helps us understand a character who is different from us, it contributes to expanding our capacity to understand others," he said.

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