Nine Moroccan Authors Receive Awards at Doha Arabic Book Prize

Nine Moroccan authors and researchers received awards in Doha during the first edition of the Doha Arabic Book Prize, an event that garnered over 1,200 submissions from 35 countries.

Rabat – Nine Moroccan authors and researchers received awards in Doha during the first edition of the Doha Arabic Book Prize, an event that garnered over 1,200 submissions from 35 countries.

Abderrahmane Boudraa came first in the “Linguistic and Literary Studies” category, while Mohamed Ghalim ranked third.

In “Historical Sciences,” Younes El Mrabet finished second, while Mohammed Sadki took second place in “Social and Philosophical Studies,” followed by Youssef Tibes in third.

Abdelkader Merzak won second place in “Social Sciences,” and Elhassan Chahid got the same rank in “Sharia Sciences and Islamic Studies.”

Meanwhile, in the “Achievement” category, Ahmed El Moutaouakil was honored for his contributions to linguistics and Ibrahim Elkadiri for his work in history.

The executive director of the Prize Abdelouahed Alami told MAP that the Moroccan winners stood out for the depth and credibility in their research.

“This recognition is well deserved. Their contributions enrich Arabic scholarship and bring valuable perspectives,” he said.

The event brought together specialists from the Arab world in a competition that was peer-reviewed by top academics in Qatar and beyond.

Organizers launched the prize to celebrate exceptional Arabic works and encourage intellectual contributions that go towards strengthening the literary and scholarly landscape of the region.

It has raised the bar for Moroccan authors and researchers to continue to uphold quality in their contributions to contemporary Arabic philosophy. Their success in Doha solidifies Morocco’s position as a center for literature, history, and the social sciences.

The literary scene is no foreign territory for Moroccans.

From Goncourt Prize winners Leila Slimani and Tahar Ben Jelloun to literary revolutionaries like Mohamed Choukri and Mohammed Berrada — down to pioneering scholars like Fatima Mernissi and Abdelafattah Kilito, their mark runs deep.

Contemporary voices such as Zineb Mekouar and Abdellah Taia also continue to shape the landscape, adding new narratives to an already vast literary tradition.