A journalist, novelist, and short-story writer, Abd al-Quddus began his literary career as an editor and writer for the leading Egyptian weekly magazine Rose al-Yosouf, which was founded in 1925 by his mother, Fatima al- Yosouf, a former actress. These writings made him well known throughout the Arab world. In the 1960s and 1970s, he was the editor of the newspapers Akhbar al-Yom and the influential al-Ahram. In his column, "At a Cafe on Politics Street," he created fictional dialogues between customers at a cafe to discuss contemporary issues.

Having started writing when he was ten, Abd al-Quddus wrote more than sixty novels and collections of short stories, many of which were made into films. His works of Arabic literature were characterized by psychological studies of political and social behavior. His most prominent works are: I Am Free, The Bus Thief, A Boy's Best Friend, The Dark Glasses, I Cannot Sleep, The Empty Pillow, The Dead-end, There Is a Man in Our House; Something in My Bossom; Do not switch-off the Light of the Sun and Don't Leave Me Here Alone.