OMAR IMADY

Omar Imady holds a Ph.D from the University of Pennsylvania and is a disciple of Muhammad Bashir al-Bani, a Damascene Sufi Muslim scholar. 

Omar Imady’s creative mind resembles the city he was born in, and the city he often writes about in both his fiction and poetry: Damascus. A city of sharp contrasts, Damascus is both ancient and modern, spiritual and mechanical, delicate and vulgar. The fact that he was born in Damascus to a mother from New York only deepened Imady’s complex perspective. Imady is a novelist, a poet, a scholar, and above all, a spiritual individual with a deep understanding of how humanity sees, lives, and even transforms the divine. Critics and readers have aptly described his fiction as “futuristic, spiritual, erotic, post-apocalyptic thrillers.”

In The Gospel of Damascus, (the first of a trilogy), a Book of the Year Award (BOTYA) finalist, Imady weaves together Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions to tell a story of a strong yet flawed human being who tries to prepare the world for a seemingly impossible event. Beyond telling a compelling story in elegant yet accessible language, Imady has a distinct talent to infuse his writing with vivid and moving imagery. Rich characters transport readers to places and events as if they were watching it all unfold before their very eyes. 

The Gospel of Damascus, ("Recommended" by US Review of Books and featured as a "Reviewer's Choice" by MidWest Book Review) is available from Villa Magna Publishing here in four different languages. 

Imady’s second novel, The Gospel of Bethany, moves from the poetic and ecumenical perspective of God which permeated his first novel to a world painted with Gnostic, feminist and even erotic shades and colors. The Gospel of Bethany is a fast paced thriller that delves deep into how God and religion are experienced by three strong and enigmatic women. 

In his third novel, The Gospel of Fátima (October 2020), Imady completes his Gospel-trilogy and shares the story of an ancient manuscript found in Portugal’s Ourém Castle. The discovery has implications that are as uncomfortable to patriarchal religious authorities, from the Vatican to Mecca, as they are liberating to those experiencing faith crises, women in particular.

The Golden Scrolls is a spiritual fantasy drama based on the best-selling novel The Gospel of Damascus, written by Syrian American poet and novelist Omar Imady.  

This is a story about angels trying to prepare a Damascene child called Yune to play an important role in the Second Coming of Christ. As the child grows up, his life is one of intense emotional, sensual and spiritual encounters. Yune’s experiences include immense joy, deep sorrow and much confusion, all very human experiences. But those experiences and all involved, including the angels, help shape his character and prepare him for a mission that not even the angels fully understand. 

In this exciting story, the characters’ lives are shaped, twisted and then untangled by the prophecies revealed through seven golden scrolls. The angels are mainly tasked with taking action on the scrolls to ensure Yune’s mission is fulfilled. The other characters contribute to his mission, either voluntarily or blissfully unaware. The beautiful city of Damascus is the geographic location where the story reaches a climax.