Walīd Ikhlāṣī has become known as one of Syria’s most productive dramatists and novelists. Since his first short story collection in 1963 he has produced over fifty pieces of work including novels, plays, and short story collections. A well-known modernist and surrealist writer, he has introduced his own distinctive style in his writing for the theater and in his fiction. He has also been involved in work with the Arab Writers’ Union and in the editorial committees of several Syrian literary magazines, and influenced the cultural scene in Syria and the Arab world. Among Ikhlāṣī’s many plays al-ṣirāṭ (The Path) is often brought out as an example of his seemingly action-less plays which on closer examination are filled with sharp criticism of the social and political Syrian landscape. His short story collection ma ḥadatha li-‘Antara? (What Happened to Antara?) shows his engagement with Arabic cultural heritage and the use of historical references in his work.