Almultaqa Prize for the Arabic Short Story Announces 2025 Shortlist

JANUARY 15, 2025 — The Kuwait-based Almultaqa Prize for the Arabic Short Story today announced its five-book longlist, which comprises short-story collections by writers from five Arab countries.

They are:

The Swish of Sandals (حفيف صندل) by Egyptian writer Ahmed Al-Khamisi

The Wounds Point to Us (الجراح تدل علينا )  by Palestinian writer Ziad Khaddash

Kanfa (كنفاه) by Kuwaiti writer Najma Idrees

Calendar of Dust: Days of Hope (روزنامة الأغبرة أيام الأمل) by Syrian-Kurdish writer Abdul Rahman Afif

The Fourth Sign (الإشارة الرابعة) by Saudi writer Mohammad Al-Rashdi

This year’s jury is chaired by by Sudanese writer Amir Tag Elsir, and also includes Omani writer Mohammed Al-Yahyaei, Saudi writer Noura Al-Qahtani, Egyptian writer and scholar Sherif al-Gayyar, and Kuwaiti writer Fahad Al-Hindal.

Organizers said that, this year, they received 133 short story collections by writers hailing from 18 different countries. A longlist was announced last month. The prize, worth $20,000, is set to announce its winner in February.

Previous winners include Mazen Maarouf’s Jokes for the Gunmen, translated to English by Jonathan Wright, which went on to be longlisted for the International Booker; Shahla Ujayli’s A Bed for the King’s Daughter, translated to English by Sawad Hussain; and Sheikha Helawy’s Order C345. Helawy’s collection They Fell Like Stars from the Sky & Other Stories was translated to English by Nancy Roberts. Last year’s winner was Sad Dolls, by Egyptian writer Samir Al-Fil.

The prize is in its seventh year.