Every winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (2008–2025)
The top 3 according to 24 votes from people: Azazeel – Youssef Ziedan · The Arch and the Butterfly – Mohammed Achaari · The Bamboo Stalk – Saud Alsanousi. (Updated Aug 27, 2025.)
Since its first edition in 2008, won by Bahaa Taher's Sunset Oasis, the International Prize for Arabic Fiction – often called the "Arabic Booker" – has become the most important novel prize in the Arab world, with US$50,000 for the winner. These are all the winning novels up to the 2025 edition, with year and the author's country. In 2011 the prize was shared by Mohammed Achaari and Raja'a Alem.
Automatically translated (original in العربية). See the original
Top 19
-
1
Azazeel – Youssef Ziedan
2009, Egypt.
-
2
The Arch and the Butterfly – Mohammed Achaari
2011, Morocco. Joint winners that year.
-
3
The Bamboo Stalk – Saud Alsanousi
2013, Kuwait.
-
4
A Small Death – Mohammed Hasan Alwan
2017, Saudi Arabia.
-
5
The Second War of the Dog – Ibrahim Nasrallah
2018, Palestine/Jordan.
-
6
The Spartan Court – Abdelouahab Aissaoui
2020, Algeria.
-
7
Sunset Oasis – Bahaa Taher
2008, Egypt.
-
8
Throwing Sparks – Abdo Khal
2010, Saudi Arabia.
-
9
The Dove's Necklace – Raja'a Alem
2011, Saudi Arabia. Joint winners that year.
-
10
The Druze of Belgrade – Rabee Jaber
2012, Lebanon.
-
11
Frankenstein in Baghdad – Ahmed Saadawi
2014, Iraq.
-
12
The Italian – Shukri Mabkhout
2015, Tunisia.
-
13
Notebooks of the Bookseller – Jalal Barjas
2021, Jordan.
-
14
A Mask, the Colour of the Sky – Basim Khandaqji
2024, Palestine.
-
15
Destinies: Concerto of the Holocaust and the Nakba – Rabai al-Madhoun
2016, Palestine.
-
16
Bread on Uncle Milad's Table – Mohamed Alnaas
2022, Libya.
-
17
The Exile of the Water Diviner – Zahran Alqasmi
2023, Oman.
-
18
The Prayer of Anxiety – Mohamed Samir Nada
2025, Egypt.
-
19
The Night Mail – Hoda Barakat
2019, Lebanon. The first woman to win the prize outright.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first!