“Al-Ikhtiyar” (The Choice): A Luminous Page in the History of Egyptian Drama

Written by Dr. Hamada Alantably

There is no doubt that drama plays a major role in shaping the consciousness of nations, especially those works linked to national or patriotic events. The history of Egyptian drama is intertwined with many distinguished artistic works that have shaped a significant part of our consciousness, character, and connection to national milestones. Among these, the first and second seasons of the series Al-Ikhtiyar (The Choice) stand as another luminous page in the history of Egyptian drama—particularly because they reflect events that we all followed simply as news headlines, without knowing the fine details of what truly happened or seeing a close representation of reality.

Many of us used to read or hear about martyrdom or confrontations with terrorism without fully grasping the reality of what took place, or the immense sacrifices made by our brothers in the police and armed forces. The true value of such works is that our children have the right to know the reality of what we lived through during those seven lean years—years in which Egypt faced terrorism in every sense of the word, and during which Egypt offered the finest of its youth from the police and army so that we and our children could live in peace. We are all indebted to our righteous martyrs from the police and armed forces.

A salute of honor and appreciation goes to all those behind this distinguished artistic work, the TV series Al-Ikhtiyar, for portraying a reality we all lived through. When art has a purpose, it truly becomes the mirror of society. These works will remain immortal, taught to our children so they know there were men who willingly sacrificed their lives, leaving behind their children and spouses for the security and stability of this homeland.

We will teach our children that there are religious merchants whose primary goal is power and plundering the resources of this nation for base agendas. We will teach our children that our soldiers are the best soldiers on earth, and that the soil of the homeland is the most precious thing we have—for its sake, our blood is cheap.

Thank you to the creators of Al-Ikhtiyar, and thank you to every artist who contributed to this outstanding work. As for our righteous martyrs—those depicted in these artistic works and the countless others whose heroism hundreds of dramas could never fully capture—our consolation is that you are martyrs resting in Paradise, and Egypt will remain safe and stable thanks to its loyal sons. And Almighty God spoke the truth when He said: “Enter Egypt, if God wills, in safety.”

By Dr. Hamada Alantably