The International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) (Arabic: الجائزة العالمية للرواية العربية) is a literary prize managed in association with the Booker Prize Foundation in London, and supported by the Emirates Foundation in Abu Dhabi. The prize is specifically for prose fiction by Arabic authors, along the lines of the Man Booker Prize. Each year, the winner of the prize receives US$50,000 and the six shortlisted authors receive US$10,000 each.
The aim of the award is to recognise and reward excellence in contemporary Arabic fiction writing and to encourage wider readership of good-quality Arabic literature in the region and internationally. The prize is also designed to encourage the translation and promotion of Arabic language literature into other major world languages. An independent board of trustees, drawn from across the Arab world and beyond, is responsible for appointing six new judges each year, and for the overall management of the prize.
Rules and entry
Only novels are considered for the IPAF. Submissions are made by publishers, which can nominate up to three novels published in Arabic during the previous year. All authors must be living at the time of the award.
Ahdaf Soueif, Novelist and political and cultural commentator.
Professor Marie-Thérèse Abdel-Messih, Professor of English & Comparative Literature, University of Cairo, Egypt
Nouri Abid, Publisher, L'Edition Med Ali, Tunisia
Bachar Chebaro, Publisher, Scientific Arab Publishers, Lebanon
Dr. Peter Clark OBE, Independent Consultant and Writer, Middle East Cultural Advisory Services, UK
Professor Rasheed El-Enany, Professor of Modern Arabic Literature, University of Exeter, and Series Editor of Edinburgh Studies in Modern Arabic Literature, UK
Joumana Haddad, Writer, Poet and Journalist
Dr Khaled Hroub, Arab academic and director of Cambridge Arab Media Project (CAMP)
Assia Moussei, President and Publishing Manager of El Ikhtilef publishing house, translator and journalist, Algeria
Zaki Nusseibeh, Advisor, Ministry of Presidential Affairs – Vice-Chairman, Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage
Margaret Obank, Publisher and Editor, Banipal magazine of Modern Arab Literature, UK
William Sieghart, Chairman & Founder, Forward Publishing, National Poetry Day, UK
Professor Yasir Suleiman CBE, Professor of Arabic, University of Cambridge, UK
Evelyn (Eve) Smith, Company Secretary of International Prize for Arabic Fiction, Company Secretary Booker Prize Foundation, UK
Jonathan Taylor CBE, Current Chairman of the IPAF Board of Trustees. Chairman, Booker Prize Foundation, UK
Winners and nominees
= winner
The novels shortlisted for IPAF 2007–08:
Bahaa Taher, Sunset Oasis, Egypt
Jabbour Douaihy, June's Rain, Lebanon
Elias Farkouh, The Land of Purgatory, Jordan
Khaled Khalifa, In Praise of Hatred, Syria
May Menassa, Walking in the Dust, Lebanon
Mekkaoui Said, Swan Song, Egypt
The shortlist was announced December 10, 2008 chosen from a total of 131 submissions from 16 Arabic countries. The winner was announced March 16, 2009.
Yusuf Zeydan, Azazel, Egypt
Mohammad Al Bisatie, Hunger, Egypt
Fawwaz Haddad, The Unfaithful Translator, Syria
Inaam Kachachi, The American Granddaughter, Iraq
Ibrahim Nasrallah, Time of White Horses, Jordan/Palestine
Habib Selmi, The Scents of Marie-Claire, Tunisia
Ezzedine Choukri Fishere, Intensive Care Unit, Egypt
Abdul-Kareem Jouaity, Platoon of Ruin, Morocco
Ali al-Muqri, Black Taste, Black Odour, Yemen
Ali Bader, The Tobacco Guard, Iraq
Ibrahim al-Koni, The Tumour, Libya
Muhammed Abu Maatouk, The Bottle and the Genie, Syria
Renée Hayek, Prayer for the Family, Lebanon
Bensalem Himmich, The Man from Andalucia, Morocco
Yahya Yakhlif, Ma' Al Sama' , Palestine
The shortlist announced on December 16, 2009 was chosen from a total of 115 submissions from 17 Arabic countries. The winner was announced on March 2, 2010, the first day of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
Abdo Khal, She Throws Sparks, Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Al Mansi Qindeel, A Cloudy Day on the West Side, Egypt
Mansoura Ez Eldin, Beyond Paradise, Egypt
Rabee Jaber, America, Lebanon
Rabai’ Madhoun, The Lady from Tel Aviv, Palestine
Jamal Naji, When the Wolves Grow Old, Jordan
Mahmoud al-Rimawy, Who Will Cheer up the Lady?, Palestine
Umaima al-Khamis, The Leafy Tree, Saudi Arabia
Ali Bader, Kings of the Sands, Iraq
Muhsin al-Ramly, Fingers Pass, Iraq
Abdullah Bin Bakheet, Street of Affections, Saudi Arabia
Hassan Daoud, 180 Sunsets, Lebanon
Sahar Khalifeh, Origin and Branch, Palestine
Samir Qasimi, A Great Day to Die, Algeria
Alawiya Sobh, It's Called Love, Lebanon
Rosa Yaseen Hasan, The Guards of the Air, Syria
The shortlist was announced December 9, 2010, chosen from a total of 123 submissions and a longlist of 16. The winners were announced on March 14, 2011, the eve of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. This marked the first time the award had been split, as well as the first female winner (Raja Alem).
Mohammed Achaari, The Arch and the Butterfly, Morocco (co-winner)
Raja Alem, The Doves’ Necklace, Saudi Arabia (co-winner)
Khaled al-Berry, Middle Eastern Dance, Egypt
Miral al-Tahawy, Brooklyn Heights, Egypt
Amir Taj al-Sir, The Hunter of the Chrysalises, Sudan
Bensalem Himmich, My Tormentor, Morocco
Renée Hayek, A Short Life, Lebanon
Fawwaz Haddad, God's Soldiers, Syria
Fatin al-Murr, Common Sins, Lebanon
Ibtisam Ibrahim Teresa, The Eye of the Sun, Syria
Khairy Shalaby, Istasia, Egypt
Maha Hassan, Umbilical Cord, Syria
Maqbul Moussa al-Alawi, Turmoil in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Razan Naim al-Maghrabi, Women of Wind, Libya
Waciny Laredj, The Andalucian House, Algeria
Ali al-Muqri, The Handsome Jew, Yemen
A total of 101 submissions from 15 countries were whittled down to a longlist of 13. This list was announced in November 2011. The final shortlist of six books was revealed on January 11, 2012. The winner was announced March 27, 2012.
Rabee Jaber, The Druze of Belgrade, Lebanon
Jabbour Douaihy, The Vagrant, Lebanon
Ezzedine Choukri Fishere, Embrace on Brooklyn Bridge, Egypt
Nasr Iraq, The Unemployed, Egypt
Bashir Mufti, Toy of Fire, Algeria
Habib Selmi, The Women of al-Basatin, Tunisia
Fadi Azzam, Sarmada, Syria
Rashid al-Daif, Paving the Sea, Lebanon
Hawra al-Nadawi, Under the Copenhagen Sky, Iraq/Denmark
Sharbel Qatan, Suitcases of Memory, Lebanon
Mohamed al-Refai, Nocturnal Creatures of Sadness, Egypt
Ibrahim al-Zaarur, The Amazing Journey of Khair al-Din ibn Zard, Jordan
Youssef Ziedan, The Nabatean, Egypt
The longlist of 16 books was announced on December 6, 2012. The shortlist of six books was announced on January 9, 2013. The winner was announced on 23 April 2013.
Saud Alsanousi, The Bamboo Stick, Kuwait, Arab Scientific Publishers
Sinan Antoon, Ava Maria, Iraq, Al-Jamal
Jana Elhassan, I, She and Other Women, Lebanon, Arab Scientific Publishers
Mohammed Hassan Alwan, The Beaver, Saudi Arabia, Dar al-Saqi
Ibrahim Issa, Our Master, Egypt, Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation
Hussein Al-Wad, His Excellency the Minister, Tunisia, Dar al-Janub
Ashraf El-Ashmawi, Toya, Egypt, Al-Dar al-Masriya al-Lubnaniya
Hoda Barakat, The Kingdom of this Earth, Lebanon, Dar al-Adab
Anwar Hamed, Jaffa Prepares Morning Coffee, Palestine, The Arabic Institute for Research and Publishing
Rabee Jaber, The Birds of the Holiday Inn, Lebanon, Dar al-Tanwir
Elias Khoury, Sinalkul, Lebanon, Dar al-Adab
Waciny Laredj, Lolita’s Fingers, Algeria, Dar al-Adab
Mohammed Abdel Nabi, The Return of the Sheikh, Egypt, Rawafid
Ibrahim Nasrallah, Lanterns of the King of Galilee, Palestine/Jordan, Arab Scientific Publishers
Muhsin al-Ramly, The President’s Gardens, Iraq, Thaqafa
Amin Zaoui, The Goatherd, Algeria, Al-Ikhtilef
The longlist of 16 books was announced 7 January 2014. The shortlist of 6 books was announced 10 February 2014. The winner was announced 29 April 2014.
Ahmed Saadawi, Frankenstein in Baghdad, Iraq, Al-Jamal
Youssef Fadel, A Rare Blue Bird that Flies with Me, Morocco, Dar al-Adab
Inaam Kachachi, Tashari, Iraq, Dar al-Jadid
Khaled Khalifa, No Knives in this City's Kitchens, Syria, Dar al-Ain
Abdelrahim Lahbibi, The Journeys of 'Abdi, Morocco, Africa East
Ahmed Mourad, The Blue Elephant, Egypt, Dar al-Shorouq
Ibrahim Abdelmeguid, Clouds Over Alexandria, Egypt, Dar al-Shorouq
Badryah El-Bishr, Love Stories on al-Asha Street, Saudi Arabia, Dar al-Saqi
Antoine Douaihy, The Bearer of the Purple Rose, Lebanon, Arab Scientific Publishers
Amir Tag Elsir, 366, Sudan, Arab Scientific Publishers
Ismail Ghazali, The Season of Pike Fishing, Morocco, Dar al-Ain
Ismail Fahd Ismail, The Phoenix and the Faithful Friend, Kuwait, Arab Scientific Publishers
Ashraf al-Khamaisi, God's Land of Exile, Egypt, Al-Hadara
Waciny Laredj, Ashes of the East: The Wolf who Grew Up in the Wilderness, Algeria, Al-Jamal
Ibrahim Nasrallah, The Edge of the Abyss, Jordan/Palestine, Arab Scientific Publishers
Abdel Khaliq al-Rikabi, The Sad Night of Ali Baba, Iraq, The Arab Institute for Research and Publishing
The longlist. On February 13, 2015 the shortlist was announced. The winner was announced May 6, 2015.
Shukri Mabkhout, The Italian, Tunisia
Jana ElHassan, Floor 99
Antoine Douaihy, Drowning in Lake Morez
Ashraf al-Khamaisi, Sharp Turning
Atef Abu Saif, A Suspended Life
Mohammed Berrada, Far from Clamour, Close to Silence
Lina Hawyan Elhassan, Diamonds and Women
Abdel Wahab al-Hamadi, Don't Tell Your Nightmare!
Hadia Hussein, Riyam and Kafa
Hisham al-Khashin, Graphite
Habib Abdulrab Sarori, The Daughter of Suslov
Muna al-Sheemi, The Size of a Grape
Hammour Ziada, The Longing of the Dervish
Ahmed el-Madini, Willow Alley
Jabbour Douaihy, The American Neighbourhood
Maha Hassan, Female Voices
The longlist was announced on 12th January 2016. The winner was announced April 26, 2016.
Rabai al-Madhoun, Destinies: Concerto of the Holocaust and the Nakba, Palestine
Taleb Alrefai, Here, Kuwait
Laila al-Atrash, Hymns of Temptation, Palestine/Jordan
Tareq Bakari, Numedia, Morocco
Ibrahim Farghali, The Temple of Silken Fingers, Egypt
Janan Jasim Halawi, People of the Palms, Iraq
Mahmoud Hasan al-Jasim, Mariam's Journey, Syria
Hazim Kamaledin, Desertified Waters, Iraq
Abdennour Mezzine, Letters of the Storm, Morocco
Ahmed Muhsin, Warsaw a Little While Ago, Lebanon
Hamed al-Nazir, The Prophecy of Saqqa, Sudan
Mohamed Mansi Qandil, The Black Brigade, Egypt
Mohamed Rabie, Mercury, Egypt
Mahmoud Shukair, Praise for the Women of the Family, Palestine
Shahla Ujayli, A Sky Close to Our House, Syria
George Yaraq, The Guard of the Dead, Lebanon
The judges since 2008 are listed below:
Feissal Darraj
Ghalia Qabbani
Mohammed Bennis
Mohammed Berrada
Paul Starkey
Samuel Shimon
Fakhri Saleh
Hartmut Faehndrich
Mohammad al-Murr
Rasheed El-Enany
Youmna el Eid
Taleb Alrefai
Raja' Ben Salamah
Saif al-Rahbi
Frédéric LaGrange
Fadhil al-Azzawi
Munira Al-Fadhel
Isabella Camera D'Afflitto
Amjad Nasser
Said Yaktine
Georges Tarabichi
Maudie Bitar
Hoda Elsadda
Huda al-Naimi
Gonzalo Fernández Parrilla
Galal Amin
Sobhi al-Boustan
Ali Ferzat
Barbara Michalak-Pikulska
Zahia Smail Salhi
Saad A. Albazei (Chair)
Ahmed Alfaitouri
Zhor Gourram
Abdullah Ibrahim
Mehmet Hakki Suçin
Mourid Barghouti (Chair}
Ayman A. El-Desouky
Parween Habib
Najim A. Kadhim
Kaoru Yamamoto
The following authors have been longlisted multiple times:
Thrice - Ibrahim Nasrallah, Jabbour Douaihy, Rabee Jaber, Waciny Laredj
Twice - Ali al-Muqri, Ali Bader, Amir Tag Elsir, Antoine Douaihy, Ashraf al-Khamaisi, Bensalem Himmich, Ezzedine Choukri Fishere, Fawwaz Haddad, Habib Selmi, Inaam Kachachi, Jana ElHassan, Khaled Khalifa, Maha Hassan, Muhsin al-Ramly, Renée Hayek, Youssef Ziedan
114 novels have been longlisted in the first nine years.
For details of the annual writers' workshop, see International Prize for Arabic Fiction Nadwa.
