[3] al-Sarraf's great ancestor, Mehdi al-Asadi, was a renowned poet, and upon performing one of his pieces of poetry, instead of saying bezeghet (Arabic: بزغت), he made a speech error, and said bedeqet (Arabic: بدقت), and because of that incident, he became known as Haaj Mehdi Bedget.
al-Sarraf's great uncle, Jawad Bedget (1795–1864) was a prominent poet, and one of the literary leaders of his time, especially praised for his skill in turning out quick responses.
He also worked in journalism, starting as an editor at the al-Hatif magazine, that was issued by prominent Iraqi writer, Jafar al-Khalili.
al-Sarraf was the first Iraqi journalist to hold an interview with Iranian revolutionary, Navvab Safavi, when he was in Baghdad.
He then returned to Iraq after completing his doctorate, and began teaching at the University of Baghdad, in the Eastern Languages department.
However, not long after his arrival, the Iran-Iraq war set off, rendering it difficult for al-Sarraf to return home.
Whilst in London, al-Sarraf continued his literary activities, writing articles, books, prose, and poetry.
He always dreamt of returning to Iraq, where the Baath was no more, and wrote poetry criticising Saddam Hussein: يَا أَيُّهَا المُتَجَبِّرُ الطَاغِي الذِي لَمْ يَبْقِ مِنْ دَارٍ وَلَا دِيَارِ فَتَجَسَدَتْ فِيكَ المَظَاِلمِ كُلَهَا وَتَمَثلْتَ مَا فِيكَ مِنْ اَوْزَارِ مَا زَالَ فِي سَمْعِ الدُجَى أنَاتُ مَنْ أفْنَيْتَهُم بِـ حَلَبْجَةَ الابْرَارِ بِالغَازِ اَفْنَيْتَ الجَمِيعَ وَلَمْ تَدَعْ شَيْخَاً وَلَا مِنْ نِسْوَةً وَصِغَارِ O' arrogant tyrant who, never left a house or household safe.
Then when Saddam started the Gulf War, al-Sarraf wrote: (أُمُّ الكَوَاَرِثِ) لَمْ تَدَعْ شَيْئاً سِوَى اِطْلَالَ اَرضِ خَرَائِبٍ وَبَوَارِ وَفَخَرْتَ لَا بِالعِلْمِ يَنْشُرُ فِي الحَي بَل بِالسِلَاحِ وجَيْشُكَ الجَرَّارِ ِلمَن الجيُوشَ تَعُدّهَا؟ لِلْقُدْسِ؟ لَا لِبَنِي العُرُوبَةِ سَقَتْهَا والجَارِ أمِن المُرُوءَةِ اَنْ تُقَاتِلَ أُخْوَةٌ فِي الدِينِ والتَارِيخِ؟ يَا للعَارِ (Mother of tragedies), you did not leave anything but, a desecrated land and slum.