Moroccan scholars sweep honors at prestigious Doha Arabic Book Prize

Monday 10 February 2025 - 07:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Moroccan scholars sweep honors at prestigious Doha Arabic Book Prize

Nine Moroccan authors and researchers have received distinguished recognition at the inaugural Doha Arabic Book Prize, demonstrating Morocco's continued excellence in Arabic scholarship. The competition drew over 1,200 submissions from 35 countries across multiple categories.

Abderrahmane Boudraa secured first place in Linguistic and Literary Studies, while Mohamed Ghalim earned third place in the same category. In Historical Sciences, Younes El Mrabet claimed second place, and Mohammed Sadki achieved second position in Social and Philosophical Studies, followed by Youssef Tibes in third.

The awards extended across various disciplines, with Abdelkader Merzak winning second place in Social Sciences and Elhassan Chahid matching that rank in Sharia Sciences and Islamic Studies. The Achievement category honored Ahmed El Moutaouakil for linguistics contributions and Ibrahim Elkadiri for historical research.

Abdelouahed Alami, the prize's executive director, told MAP that the Moroccan winners distinguished themselves through their research depth and credibility. "This recognition is well deserved. Their contributions enrich Arabic scholarship and bring valuable perspectives," he stated.

The competition featured peer review by prominent academics from Qatar and beyond, bringing together specialists from across the Arab world. The prize aims to celebrate exceptional Arabic works and foster intellectual contributions that enhance the region's literary and scholarly landscape.

Morocco's literary heritage runs deep, from Goncourt Prize recipients Leila Slimani and Tahar Ben Jelloun to influential writers like Mohamed Choukri and Mohammed Berrada, as well as scholars such as Fatima Mernissi and Abdelafattah Kilito. Contemporary authors including Zineb Mekouar and Abdellah Taia continue to contribute to this rich tradition.

The success in Doha reinforces Morocco's position as a significant center for literature, history, and social sciences, while raising standards for future scholarly contributions to contemporary Arabic philosophy.