International Prize for Arabic Fiction
The International Prize for Arabic Fiction 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 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.Trustees
- 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
- 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 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
2008
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
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
''Also longlisted in 2009''
- 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
2010
- 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
''Also longlisted in 2010''
- 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
2011
- Mohammed Achaari, The Arch and the Butterfly, Morocco
- Raja Alem, The Doves’ Necklace, Saudi Arabia
- 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
''Also longlisted in 2011''
- 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
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
''Also longlisted in 2012''
- 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
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
''Also longlisted in 2013''
- 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
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
''Also longlisted in 2014''
- 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
2015
- Shukri Mabkhout, The Italian, Tunisia
- Atef Abu Saif, A Suspended Life
- Jana ElHassan, Floor 99
- Lina Hawyan Elhassan, Diamonds and Women
- Hammour Ziada, The Longing of the Dervish
- Ahmed el-Madini, Willow Alley
''Also longlisted in 2015''
- Antoine Douaihy, Drowning in Lake Morez
- Ashraf al-Khamaisi, Sharp Turning
- Mohammed Berrada, Far from Clamour, Close to Silence
- Hadia Hussein, Riyam and Kafa
- Abdel Wahab al-Hamadi, Don't Tell Your Nightmare!
- Hisham al-Khashin, Graphite
- Habib Abdulrab Sarori, The Daughter of Suslov
- Muna al-Sheemi, The Size of a Grape
- Jabbour Douaihy, The American Neighbourhood
- Maha Hassan, Female Voices
2016
- Rabai al-Madhoun, Destinies: Concerto of the Holocaust and the Nakba, Palestine
- Mohamed Rabie, Mercury, Egypt
- Shahla Ujayli, A Sky Close to Our House, Syria
- Tareq Bakari, Numedia, Morocco
- Mahmoud Shukair, Praise for the Women of the Family, Palestine
- George Yaraq, The Guard of the Dead, Lebanon
''Also longlisted in 2016''
- Taleb Alrefai, Here, Kuwait
- Laila al-Atrash, Hymns of Temptation, Palestine/Jordan
- 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
2017
- Mohammed Hasan Alwan, A Small Death
- Najwa Binshatwan, The Slave Pens
- Ismail Fahd Ismail, Al-Sabiliat
- Elias Khoury, Children of the Ghetto
- Mohammed Abdel Nabi, In the Spider's Room
- Saad Mohammed Raheem, The Bookseller’s Murder
''Also longlisted in 2017''
- Yassin Adnan - Hot Maroc
- Sultan Al Ameemi - One Room Is Not Enough
- Amir Tag Elsir - The Witches' Resort
- Sinan Antoon - Index
- Ali Ghadeer - Swastika
- Zuheir al-Hiti - Days of Dust
- Abdul-Kareem Jouaity - The North Africans
- Taissier Khalaf - The Slaughter of the Philosophers
- Youssef Rakha - Paolo
- Renée Hayek - The Year of the Radio
2018
- Ibrahim Nasrallah - The Second War of the Dog
- Dima Wannous - The Frightened Ones
- Aziz Mohammed - The Critical Case of K
- Shahad Al Rawi - The Baghdad Clock
- Walid Shurafa - The Heir of the Tombstones
- Amir Tag Elsir - Flowers in Flames
''Also longlisted in 2018''
- Antoine Douaihy, The Last Country, Lebanon, Arab Scientific Publishers
- Ahmad Abdulatif, The Earthen Fortress, Egypt, Dar al-Ain
- Hamed al-Nazir, The Black Peacock, Sudan, Medad
- Rasha Adly, Passion, Egypt, Arab Scientific Publishers
- Amin Zaoui, Leg Over Leg - in the Sighting of the Lovers' Crescent, Algeria, Al-Ikhtilef
- Fadi Azzam, Huddud's House, Syria, Dar al-Adab
- Amjad Nasser, Here is the Rose, Jordan, Dar al-Adab
- Atef Abu Saif, Christina, Palestine, Al Ahlia
- Hussein Yassin, Ali, the Story of an Honourable Man, Palestine, Dar al-Ru'aat
- Taleb al-Refai, Al-Najdi, Kuwait, That al-Salasil
2019
- Hoda Barakat, The Night Mail, Lebanon - Dar al-Adab
- Adel Esmat, The Commandments, Egypt - Kotob Khan
- Inaam Kachachi, The Outcast, Iraq - Dar al-Jadid
- Mohammed Al-Maazuz, What Sin Caused Her to Die?, Morocco - Cultural Book Center
- Shahla Ujayli, Summer with the Enemy, Syria - Difaf Publishing
- Kafa Al-Zou'bi, Cold White Sun, Jordan - Dar al-Adab
''Also longlisted in 2019''
- Mohammed Abi Samra, Women Without Trace, Lebanon, Riyad al-Rayyes
- Jalal Bargas, Women of the Five Senses, Jordan, Arabic Institute for Research and Publishing
- Mbarek Rabi, Western Mediterranean, Morocco, Arabic Institute for Research and Publishing
- Omaima Abdullah Al-Khamis, Voyage of the Cranes in the Cities of Agate, Saudi Arabia, Dar Al Saqi
- Iman Yehia, The Mexican Wife, Egypt, Dar al-Shorouk
- Maysalun Hadi, Mohammed's Brothers, Iraq, Dar al-Dhakira
- Habib Sayah, Me and Haim, Algeria, Dar Mim
- May Menassa, I Killed My Mother in Order to Live, Lebanon, Riyad al-Rayyes
- Haji Jaber, Black Foam, Eritrea, Dar Tanweer
- Waciny Laredj, May — the Nights of Isis Copia, Algeria, Dar al-Adab
Judges
2008
- Feissal Darraj
- Ghalia Qabbani
- Mohammed Bennis
- Mohammed Berrada
- Paul Starkey
- Samuel Shimon
2009
- Fakhri Saleh
- Hartmut Faehndrich
- Mohammad al-Murr
- Rasheed El-Enany
- Youmna el Eid
2010
- Taleb Alrefai
- Raja' Ben Salamah
- Saif al-Rahbi
- Frédéric LaGrange
2011
- Fadhil al-Azzawi
- Munira Al-Fadhel
- Isabella Camera D'Afflitto
- Amjad Nasser
- Said Yaktine
2012
- Georges Tarabichi
- Maudie Bitar
- Hoda Elsadda
- Huda al-Naimi
- Gonzalo Fernández Parrilla
2013
- Galal Amin
- Sobhi al-Boustan
- Ali Ferzat
- Barbara Michalak-Pikulska
- Zahia Smail Salhi
2014
- Saad A. Albazei
- Ahmed Alfaitouri
- Zhor Gourram
- Abdullah Ibrahim
- Mehmet Hakki Suçin
2015
- Mourid Barghouti (Chair
2019
- Chair: Charafdin Majdolin, Moroccan critic and academic
- Fowziya Abu Khalid, Saudi Arabian poet, writer, academic and researcher i social and political issues
- Zulaikha Aburisha, Jordanian poet and activist
- Latif Zeitouni, Lebanese academic and literary critic
- Zhang Hong Yi, Chinese translator and researcher
Statistics
- 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
IPAF Nadwa
- For details of the annual writers' workshop, see International Prize for Arabic Fiction Nadwa.