ArabLit & ArabLit Quarterly
@arablit.bsky.social
An online magazine & micropublisher. ALQ & Books: http://arablit.org/ * Reader-supported: http://patreon.com/arablit, http://arablit.gumroad.com * PACBI signatory
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Help Support ArabLit: Buy a Back Issue
Join our "buy a back issue" campaign to support our work in 2025-26.
arablit.org
Help Support ArabLit: Buy a Back Issue
Join our "buy a back issue" campaign to support our work in 2025-26.
Join our "buy a back issue" campaign to support our work in 2025-26.
Judges Announce International Prize for Arabic Fiction’s 2026 Shortlist
The chair of the judges for the 2026 International Prize for Arabic Fiction, Mohamed Elkadhi, today announced the prize's 2026 vibrant six-book shortlist in Manama, Bahrain.
The chair of the judges for the 2026 International Prize for Arabic Fiction, Mohamed Elkadhi, today announced the prize's 2026 vibrant six-book shortlist in Manama, Bahrain.
Judges Announce International Prize for Arabic Fiction’s 2026 Shortlist
The chair of the judges for the 2026 International Prize for Arabic Fiction, Mohamed Elkadhi, today announced the prize's 2026 vibrant six-book shortlist in Manama, Bahrain.
arablit.org
February 4, 2026 at 8:59 AM
Judges Announce International Prize for Arabic Fiction’s 2026 Shortlist
The chair of the judges for the 2026 International Prize for Arabic Fiction, Mohamed Elkadhi, today announced the prize's 2026 vibrant six-book shortlist in Manama, Bahrain.
The chair of the judges for the 2026 International Prize for Arabic Fiction, Mohamed Elkadhi, today announced the prize's 2026 vibrant six-book shortlist in Manama, Bahrain.
Part One, Emile Habiby’s ‘The Six-Day Sextet’
Over the next six weeks, we will be publishing installments of Emile Habiby's The Six-Day Sextet, which is available in an open-access, non-commercial translation by Invisible Dragoman. The next installment is set to appear February 9, 2026.
Over the next six weeks, we will be publishing installments of Emile Habiby's The Six-Day Sextet, which is available in an open-access, non-commercial translation by Invisible Dragoman. The next installment is set to appear February 9, 2026.
Part One, Emile Habiby’s ‘The Six-Day Sextet’
Over the next six weeks, we will be publishing installments of Emile Habiby's The Six-Day Sextet, which is available in an open-access, non-commercial translation by Invisible Dragoman. The next installment is set to appear February 9, 2026.
arablit.org
February 3, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Part One, Emile Habiby’s ‘The Six-Day Sextet’
Over the next six weeks, we will be publishing installments of Emile Habiby's The Six-Day Sextet, which is available in an open-access, non-commercial translation by Invisible Dragoman. The next installment is set to appear February 9, 2026.
Over the next six weeks, we will be publishing installments of Emile Habiby's The Six-Day Sextet, which is available in an open-access, non-commercial translation by Invisible Dragoman. The next installment is set to appear February 9, 2026.
New Poetry in Translation: ‘From a Country That Was’
"The temperature dipped a little / but the country’s still burning—"
"The temperature dipped a little / but the country’s still burning—"
New Poetry in Translation: ‘From a Country That Was’
"The temperature dipped a little / but the country’s still burning—"
arablit.org
February 2, 2026 at 5:22 AM
New Poetry in Translation: ‘From a Country That Was’
"The temperature dipped a little / but the country’s still burning—"
"The temperature dipped a little / but the country’s still burning—"
Forthcoming February 2026: Thrillers from Algeria, Emerging Voices from Gaza, and More
Forthcoming this month: Two criminal investigations from Algeria, an anthology of raw portraits of Gaza from emerging writers, and a new collection of poems by Ghassan Zaqtan.
Forthcoming this month: Two criminal investigations from Algeria, an anthology of raw portraits of Gaza from emerging writers, and a new collection of poems by Ghassan Zaqtan.
Forthcoming February 2026: Thrillers from Algeria, Emerging Voices from Gaza, and More
Forthcoming this month: Two criminal investigations from Algeria, an anthology of raw portraits of Gaza from emerging writers, and a new collection of poems by Ghassan Zaqtan.
arablit.org
February 1, 2026 at 5:43 AM
Forthcoming February 2026: Thrillers from Algeria, Emerging Voices from Gaza, and More
Forthcoming this month: Two criminal investigations from Algeria, an anthology of raw portraits of Gaza from emerging writers, and a new collection of poems by Ghassan Zaqtan.
Forthcoming this month: Two criminal investigations from Algeria, an anthology of raw portraits of Gaza from emerging writers, and a new collection of poems by Ghassan Zaqtan.
Omani Literature and the Translator as Intruder
In this “BETWEEN TWO ARABIC TRANSLATORS” conversation, Yasmeen Hanoosh and Zia Ahmed discuss approaching Arabic translation via English and Urdu, the layers of "outsider-ness" in translation, and the boom of narrative fiction in Oman.
In this “BETWEEN TWO ARABIC TRANSLATORS” conversation, Yasmeen Hanoosh and Zia Ahmed discuss approaching Arabic translation via English and Urdu, the layers of "outsider-ness" in translation, and the boom of narrative fiction in Oman.
Omani Literature and the Translator as Intruder
In this “BETWEEN TWO ARABIC TRANSLATORS” conversation, Yasmeen Hanoosh and Zia Ahmed discuss approaching Arabic translation via English and Urdu, the layers of "outsider-ness" in translation, and the boom of narrative fiction in Oman.
arablit.org
January 30, 2026 at 5:43 AM
Omani Literature and the Translator as Intruder
In this “BETWEEN TWO ARABIC TRANSLATORS” conversation, Yasmeen Hanoosh and Zia Ahmed discuss approaching Arabic translation via English and Urdu, the layers of "outsider-ness" in translation, and the boom of narrative fiction in Oman.
In this “BETWEEN TWO ARABIC TRANSLATORS” conversation, Yasmeen Hanoosh and Zia Ahmed discuss approaching Arabic translation via English and Urdu, the layers of "outsider-ness" in translation, and the boom of narrative fiction in Oman.
Walid Taher Makes Shortlist of 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award
The International Board on Books for Young People today announced the shortlist for the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award.
The International Board on Books for Young People today announced the shortlist for the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award.
Walid Taher Makes Shortlist of 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award
The International Board on Books for Young People today announced the shortlist for the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award.
arablit.org
January 29, 2026 at 4:14 PM
Walid Taher Makes Shortlist of 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award
The International Board on Books for Young People today announced the shortlist for the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award.
The International Board on Books for Young People today announced the shortlist for the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award.
New Short Fiction from Kuwait: ‘The Phone Call’
In this short fiction from Kuwait, the central character and his author are in a standoff over a telephone call.
In this short fiction from Kuwait, the central character and his author are in a standoff over a telephone call.
New Short Fiction from Kuwait: ‘The Phone Call’
In this short fiction from Kuwait, the central character and his author are in a standoff over a telephone call.
arablit.org
January 29, 2026 at 5:38 AM
New Short Fiction from Kuwait: ‘The Phone Call’
In this short fiction from Kuwait, the central character and his author are in a standoff over a telephone call.
In this short fiction from Kuwait, the central character and his author are in a standoff over a telephone call.
‘What have I survived’: New Poetry by Mahmoud Alshaer
"I survived—came out of yesterday / alive, carried out on the shoulders / of the wind."
"I survived—came out of yesterday / alive, carried out on the shoulders / of the wind."
‘What have I survived’: New Poetry by Mahmoud Alshaer
"I survived—came out of yesterday / alive, carried out on the shoulders / of the wind."
arablit.org
January 28, 2026 at 10:01 AM
‘What have I survived’: New Poetry by Mahmoud Alshaer
"I survived—came out of yesterday / alive, carried out on the shoulders / of the wind."
"I survived—came out of yesterday / alive, carried out on the shoulders / of the wind."
Classic Short Fiction: Mohammed Hussein Heikal’s ‘The Second Family’
Short fiction by Mohammed Hussein Heikal (1888 - 1956) about marriage and money in early twentieth century Egypt.
Short fiction by Mohammed Hussein Heikal (1888 - 1956) about marriage and money in early twentieth century Egypt.
Classic Short Fiction: Mohammed Hussein Heikal’s ‘The Second Family’
Short fiction by Mohammed Hussein Heikal (1888 - 1956) about marriage and money in early twentieth century Egypt.
arablit.org
January 27, 2026 at 5:34 AM
Classic Short Fiction: Mohammed Hussein Heikal’s ‘The Second Family’
Short fiction by Mohammed Hussein Heikal (1888 - 1956) about marriage and money in early twentieth century Egypt.
Short fiction by Mohammed Hussein Heikal (1888 - 1956) about marriage and money in early twentieth century Egypt.
Sinan Antoon’s ‘Of Loss and Lavender’
In this conversation over e-mail, Sinan Antoon talks about the novel, the fraught nature of collective memory, the process of self-translation, and the sort of “security checkpoints” a book must pass through in the process of translation.
In this conversation over e-mail, Sinan Antoon talks about the novel, the fraught nature of collective memory, the process of self-translation, and the sort of “security checkpoints” a book must pass through in the process of translation.
Sinan Antoon’s ‘Of Loss and Lavender’
In this conversation over e-mail, Sinan Antoon talks about the novel, the fraught nature of collective memory, the process of self-translation, and the sort of “security checkpoints” a book must pass through in the process of translation.
arablit.org
January 26, 2026 at 5:01 AM
Sinan Antoon’s ‘Of Loss and Lavender’
In this conversation over e-mail, Sinan Antoon talks about the novel, the fraught nature of collective memory, the process of self-translation, and the sort of “security checkpoints” a book must pass through in the process of translation.
In this conversation over e-mail, Sinan Antoon talks about the novel, the fraught nature of collective memory, the process of self-translation, and the sort of “security checkpoints” a book must pass through in the process of translation.
‘On the Back of Restless Winds’
In his 2015 autobiography, A Time of Wind, Anxiety, and Freedom (أزمنة الريح والقلق والحرية ), Sudanese scholar Dr. Hayder Ibrahim Ali offers a rare and insightful account of Sudan’s intellectual and political life.
In his 2015 autobiography, A Time of Wind, Anxiety, and Freedom (أزمنة الريح والقلق والحرية ), Sudanese scholar Dr. Hayder Ibrahim Ali offers a rare and insightful account of Sudan’s intellectual and political life.
‘On the Back of Restless Winds’
In his 2015 autobiography, A Time of Wind, Anxiety, and Freedom (أزمنة الريح والقلق والحرية ), Sudanese scholar Dr. Hayder Ibrahim Ali offers a rare and insightful account of Sudan’s intellectual and political life.
arablit.org
January 21, 2026 at 5:34 AM
‘On the Back of Restless Winds’
In his 2015 autobiography, A Time of Wind, Anxiety, and Freedom (أزمنة الريح والقلق والحرية ), Sudanese scholar Dr. Hayder Ibrahim Ali offers a rare and insightful account of Sudan’s intellectual and political life.
In his 2015 autobiography, A Time of Wind, Anxiety, and Freedom (أزمنة الريح والقلق والحرية ), Sudanese scholar Dr. Hayder Ibrahim Ali offers a rare and insightful account of Sudan’s intellectual and political life.
Lamia Ziadé’s ‘Rue de Phénicie’
Lebanese artist and writer Lamia Ziadé’s fifth illustrated book for adults, Rue de Phénicie, (Phoenicia Street), is a work of intellectual rigor and personal honesty. It’s a story that begins with finding hedonistic joy in Paris grows progressively more complicated…
Lebanese artist and writer Lamia Ziadé’s fifth illustrated book for adults, Rue de Phénicie, (Phoenicia Street), is a work of intellectual rigor and personal honesty. It’s a story that begins with finding hedonistic joy in Paris grows progressively more complicated…
Lamia Ziadé’s ‘Rue de Phénicie’
Lebanese artist and writer Lamia Ziadé’s fifth illustrated book for adults, Rue de Phénicie, (Phoenicia Street), is a work of intellectual rigor and personal honesty. It’s a story that begins with finding hedonistic joy in Paris grows progressively more complicated by her excavations of the past and grappling with the present.
arablit.org
January 19, 2026 at 5:41 AM
Lamia Ziadé’s ‘Rue de Phénicie’
Lebanese artist and writer Lamia Ziadé’s fifth illustrated book for adults, Rue de Phénicie, (Phoenicia Street), is a work of intellectual rigor and personal honesty. It’s a story that begins with finding hedonistic joy in Paris grows progressively more complicated…
Lebanese artist and writer Lamia Ziadé’s fifth illustrated book for adults, Rue de Phénicie, (Phoenicia Street), is a work of intellectual rigor and personal honesty. It’s a story that begins with finding hedonistic joy in Paris grows progressively more complicated…
We have gotten a lot of new subscribers in the last few days. Naturally, we do not expect small publishing houses / scouts / agents to pay.
But if your publishing house CAN afford a subscription, it will help us improve what we offer.
arablit.substack.com
But if your publishing house CAN afford a subscription, it will help us improve what we offer.
arablit.substack.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:14 AM
We have gotten a lot of new subscribers in the last few days. Naturally, we do not expect small publishing houses / scouts / agents to pay.
But if your publishing house CAN afford a subscription, it will help us improve what we offer.
arablit.substack.com
But if your publishing house CAN afford a subscription, it will help us improve what we offer.
arablit.substack.com
An excerpt from the extraordinary literary memoir "The Fire: The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned," by Mohammad Abdo Najari.
A story to turn your heart inside out.
arablit.org/2026/01/15/t...
A story to turn your heart inside out.
arablit.org/2026/01/15/t...
‘The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned’
This excerpt comes from the first chapter of the extraordinary literary memoir The Fire: The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned, by Mohammad Abdo Najari, published in Damascus by Dar al-Hassad …
arablit.org
January 15, 2026 at 8:16 AM
An excerpt from the extraordinary literary memoir "The Fire: The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned," by Mohammad Abdo Najari.
A story to turn your heart inside out.
arablit.org/2026/01/15/t...
A story to turn your heart inside out.
arablit.org/2026/01/15/t...
Max Weiss on Translating the Gaza Doctor’s Words for the Times, and the Paper’s Failure to Cover His Abduction and Torture
lithub.com/how-the-new-...
lithub.com/how-the-new-...
How the New York Times Failed Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya
On October 29, 2023, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a pediatrician and neonatologist based at Kamal Adwan hospital in the northern Gaza Strip city of Beit Lahiya, published an op-ed in the New York Times. …
lithub.com
January 15, 2026 at 8:12 AM
Max Weiss on Translating the Gaza Doctor’s Words for the Times, and the Paper’s Failure to Cover His Abduction and Torture
lithub.com/how-the-new-...
lithub.com/how-the-new-...
‘The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned’
This excerpt comes from the first chapter of the extraordinary literary memoir The Fire: The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned, by Mohammad Abdo Najari, published in Damascus by Dar al-Hassad in 1996.
This excerpt comes from the first chapter of the extraordinary literary memoir The Fire: The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned, by Mohammad Abdo Najari, published in Damascus by Dar al-Hassad in 1996.
‘The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned’
This excerpt comes from the first chapter of the extraordinary literary memoir The Fire: The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned, by Mohammad Abdo Najari, published in Damascus by Dar al-Hassad in 1996.
arablit.org
January 15, 2026 at 5:03 AM
‘The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned’
This excerpt comes from the first chapter of the extraordinary literary memoir The Fire: The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned, by Mohammad Abdo Najari, published in Damascus by Dar al-Hassad in 1996.
This excerpt comes from the first chapter of the extraordinary literary memoir The Fire: The Tale of a Child Who Has Not Yet Burned, by Mohammad Abdo Najari, published in Damascus by Dar al-Hassad in 1996.
Canadian publishers, this is for you:
Our Jan 2026 newsletter ("Writing in Arabic, Living in Canada") is coming tomorrow. If you're not yet a subscriber, it'll be at: arablit.substack.com.
Special thanks this month to Badar Salem, Chloe Bordewich, & Mennan Salih.
Our Jan 2026 newsletter ("Writing in Arabic, Living in Canada") is coming tomorrow. If you're not yet a subscriber, it'll be at: arablit.substack.com.
Special thanks this month to Badar Salem, Chloe Bordewich, & Mennan Salih.
ArabLit’s Monthly Newsletter for Publishing Professionals | Substack
Our monthly newsletter about Arabic literature and translation aimed at publishing professionals. Click to read ArabLit’s Monthly Newsletter for Publishing Professionals, a Substack publication with h...
arablit.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 12:20 PM
Canadian publishers, this is for you:
Our Jan 2026 newsletter ("Writing in Arabic, Living in Canada") is coming tomorrow. If you're not yet a subscriber, it'll be at: arablit.substack.com.
Special thanks this month to Badar Salem, Chloe Bordewich, & Mennan Salih.
Our Jan 2026 newsletter ("Writing in Arabic, Living in Canada") is coming tomorrow. If you're not yet a subscriber, it'll be at: arablit.substack.com.
Special thanks this month to Badar Salem, Chloe Bordewich, & Mennan Salih.
’48 kg’: Creating Life from a Desire to Diminish and Fade Away
Gaza-based Palestinian writer Husam Maarouf responds to Batool Abu Akleen's '48 kg.'
Gaza-based Palestinian writer Husam Maarouf responds to Batool Abu Akleen's '48 kg.'
’48 kg’: Creating Life from a Desire to Diminish and Fade Away
Gaza-based Palestinian writer Husam Maarouf responds to Batool Abu Akleen's '48 kg.'
arablit.org
January 13, 2026 at 5:16 AM
’48 kg’: Creating Life from a Desire to Diminish and Fade Away
Gaza-based Palestinian writer Husam Maarouf responds to Batool Abu Akleen's '48 kg.'
Gaza-based Palestinian writer Husam Maarouf responds to Batool Abu Akleen's '48 kg.'
Two (Communist) Poems by Saadi Youssef
"I’ve said it before, and I say it now on this London evening / before it’s too late: / I am the last communist!"
"I’ve said it before, and I say it now on this London evening / before it’s too late: / I am the last communist!"
Two (Communist) Poems by Saadi Youssef
"I’ve said it before, and I say it now on this London evening / before it’s too late: / I am the last communist!"
arablit.org
January 12, 2026 at 5:36 AM
Two (Communist) Poems by Saadi Youssef
"I’ve said it before, and I say it now on this London evening / before it’s too late: / I am the last communist!"
"I’ve said it before, and I say it now on this London evening / before it’s too late: / I am the last communist!"
Mohammed el-Makki Ibrahim and the Homeland as Beloved
For Sudanese readers living through the current crisis, the following lines by the late Mohammed el-Makkī Ibrahim resonate with striking immediacy, even though they were written in the 1980s. Beneath the layers of grief, a restrained optimism…
For Sudanese readers living through the current crisis, the following lines by the late Mohammed el-Makkī Ibrahim resonate with striking immediacy, even though they were written in the 1980s. Beneath the layers of grief, a restrained optimism…
Mohammed el-Makki Ibrahim and the Homeland as Beloved
For Sudanese readers living through the current crisis, the following lines by the late Mohammed el-Makkī Ibrahim resonate with striking immediacy, even though they were written in the 1980s. Beneath the layers of grief, a restrained optimism continues to breathe through its lines.
arablit.org
January 8, 2026 at 6:00 AM
Mohammed el-Makki Ibrahim and the Homeland as Beloved
For Sudanese readers living through the current crisis, the following lines by the late Mohammed el-Makkī Ibrahim resonate with striking immediacy, even though they were written in the 1980s. Beneath the layers of grief, a restrained optimism…
For Sudanese readers living through the current crisis, the following lines by the late Mohammed el-Makkī Ibrahim resonate with striking immediacy, even though they were written in the 1980s. Beneath the layers of grief, a restrained optimism…
Reposted by ArabLit & ArabLit Quarterly
Congratulations to Marilyn Booth for winning the 2025 Banipal prize for her translation of Honey Hunger by Zahran Alqasmi.
I reviewed Honey Hunger in @irishtimes.com last February.
I reviewed Honey Hunger in @irishtimes.com last February.
Marilyn Booth Wins 2025 Banipal Prize
Although Kay Heikkenen has previously won the Banipal (for her translation of Huzama Habayeb's Velvet) this was, surprisingly, the first time Marilyn Booth has won the prize.
Although Kay Heikkenen has previously won the Banipal (for her translation of Huzama Habayeb's Velvet) this was, surprisingly, the first time Marilyn Booth has won the prize.
Marilyn Booth Wins 2025 Banipal Prize
Although Kay Heikkenen has previously won the Banipal (for her translation of Huzama Habayeb's Velvet) this was, surprisingly, the first time Marilyn Booth has won the prize.
arablit.org
January 7, 2026 at 9:51 AM
Congratulations to Marilyn Booth for winning the 2025 Banipal prize for her translation of Honey Hunger by Zahran Alqasmi.
I reviewed Honey Hunger in @irishtimes.com last February.
I reviewed Honey Hunger in @irishtimes.com last February.
Congratulations to Marilyn & Kay.
Couldn't believe this was Marilyn's first Banipal win.
arablit.org/2026/01/07/m...
Couldn't believe this was Marilyn's first Banipal win.
arablit.org/2026/01/07/m...
January 7, 2026 at 10:27 AM
Congratulations to Marilyn & Kay.
Couldn't believe this was Marilyn's first Banipal win.
arablit.org/2026/01/07/m...
Couldn't believe this was Marilyn's first Banipal win.
arablit.org/2026/01/07/m...
Reposted by ArabLit & ArabLit Quarterly
What does it mean to archive during a livestreamed and unfolding genocide in Gaza?
How do we address the act of archiving as a productive and imaginative process that responds to destruction and erasure?
Join us on 21 January to discuss:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/archiving-...
How do we address the act of archiving as a productive and imaginative process that responds to destruction and erasure?
Join us on 21 January to discuss:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/archiving-...
Archiving Gaza in the Present: Art, Memory, Erasure
This event is a conversation around archiving and what it means to archive during a livestreamed and unfolding genocide in Gaza.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
January 7, 2026 at 10:23 AM
What does it mean to archive during a livestreamed and unfolding genocide in Gaza?
How do we address the act of archiving as a productive and imaginative process that responds to destruction and erasure?
Join us on 21 January to discuss:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/archiving-...
How do we address the act of archiving as a productive and imaginative process that responds to destruction and erasure?
Join us on 21 January to discuss:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/archiving-...
Marilyn Booth Wins 2025 Banipal Prize
Although Kay Heikkenen has previously won the Banipal (for her translation of Huzama Habayeb's Velvet) this was, surprisingly, the first time Marilyn Booth has won the prize.
Although Kay Heikkenen has previously won the Banipal (for her translation of Huzama Habayeb's Velvet) this was, surprisingly, the first time Marilyn Booth has won the prize.
Marilyn Booth Wins 2025 Banipal Prize
Although Kay Heikkenen has previously won the Banipal (for her translation of Huzama Habayeb's Velvet) this was, surprisingly, the first time Marilyn Booth has won the prize.
arablit.org
January 7, 2026 at 9:01 AM
Marilyn Booth Wins 2025 Banipal Prize
Although Kay Heikkenen has previously won the Banipal (for her translation of Huzama Habayeb's Velvet) this was, surprisingly, the first time Marilyn Booth has won the prize.
Although Kay Heikkenen has previously won the Banipal (for her translation of Huzama Habayeb's Velvet) this was, surprisingly, the first time Marilyn Booth has won the prize.
On January 17: www.instagram.com/p/DTImY_yk4Ib/
January 6, 2026 at 3:41 PM
On January 17: www.instagram.com/p/DTImY_yk4Ib/