Ali El-Makk (13 February 1937 – October 1992) (), full name Ali Muhammad Ali El-Mak, also spelled Ali El-Maak or Ali Makk, was a Sudanese writer, translator and literary scholar, known for his short stories, translations from English into Arabic and literary studies. Early life Ali was born in Omdurman, Sudan. When he was less than six years old, he started his primary education in Kottab Wad El-mostaffa, but because his father moved about as a judge, he moved to Argo in the Northern State, then moved again to El-Fasher in Darfur state (now called North Darfur). When he finished third class, the school administration advised that he join the El-woostta, or intermediate school, because of his high marks (at that time in Sudan, primary school lasted for four years), but Ali's mother refused, preferring that he finish the fourth class. Ali finished the fourth class in the El-Salemeaa primary school when his father transferred again to Meroë (Merowe) in the Northern State, a place which he later wrote much about. His interest in writing started in El-ammerria intermediate school in 1947. He was also inspired by his father's library, which contained many books of Sharia Law and its interpretation. Ali made his first attempt at writing in Meroë during the summer holiday, where he edited a fortnightly magazine, writing under the pen name Gesimtty Keeda (This Kismet). His interest in music began even earlier when listening to Mohamed Ahmed Sarror, Karoma, and Abdallah El-Mahhi. He joined the Wadi Sidenna secondary school in 1951. Career and literary works El-Makk joined Khartoum University in 1955, graduating from the Faculty of Art with a Bachelor of Arts with honours degree in 1961. He then moved to the United States, earning a master's degree in public administration in 1966 from the University of Southern California. El-Makk returned to Sudan and worked in the Human Resource Department in the Ministry of the Treasury (1961–1970) (He had been working there since graduating in 1961, and then went to the US for his studies until his return in 1966), and also worked as a chief officer in the State Institution for Cinema (1970–1971), then he worked as a lecturer in Intuition of Public Administration in Khartoum (1972–1973), and then chief and chief-editor in Housing Publishing in Khartoum University (1973–1983). Ali worked as an expert and as a professor at the Translation and Arabization Unit in Khartoum