Egyptian author Mohamed Samir Nada has been awarded the prestigious International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) for his novel The Prayer of Anxiety, taking home a $50,000 prize. Nada’s victory marks a significant achievement, as he becomes the first Egyptian writer to win the award since 2009. Additionally, each of the six shortlisted authors for this year’s prize receives $10,000.
The Prayer of Anxiety is Nada’s third novel, and the jury’s decision to honor it underscores the novel’s profound thematic depth. Jury chair Mona Baker explained that the novel was selected for its ability to “transform anxiety into an aesthetic and intellectual experience that resonates with readers, awakening them to pressing existential questions.” She praised Nada’s unique narrative style, noting that he “blends polyphony and symbolism with captivating poetic language,” creating a sensory reading experience where “revelation intersects with silence, and truth with illusion.”
Baker further elaborated on the novel’s symbolic significance, stating that the village of Nagaa al-Manasi, depicted in the novel, serves as more than just a setting. It becomes a metaphor for societies grappling with fear and authoritarianism, giving the book a universal dimension that transcends its geographical context.
Yasir Suleiman, the chair of the IPAF’s board, echoed Baker’s sentiments, calling The Prayer of Anxiety “outstandingly beautiful and intriguing.” While the novel references the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Suleiman emphasized that it should not be categorized as a historical novel. Instead, the war serves as a backdrop to explore themes of political tyranny in a remote Egyptian village. He explained, “Coercion, manipulation, the danger of being co-opted, and the obscuring of meaning drive the inhabitants into submission and despair. Turning to organized religion for worldly redemption brings little solace. It offers no clear way out, creating only further division.”
Suleiman praised Nada’s narrative skill, stating, “Crafted with considerable virtuosity and narrative acumen, The Prayer of Anxiety is engaging and thought-provoking. It’s destined to become a classic in the Arab literary scene in years to come.”
Nada, who works as a financial director for a tourism company in Cairo, has previously published Malika’s Kingdom (2016) and The Confession of the Walls (2021).
2025 IPAF Shortlist
This year’s shortlist for the IPAF features authors from Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and, for the first time, Mauritania. The authors, aged between 38 and 58, represent a diverse range of voices in contemporary Arabic literature. The shortlisted authors, listed alphabetically by surname, are:
Ahmed Fal Al Din – Danshmand (Mauritania, Masciliana)
Azher Jirjees – The Valley of the Butterflies (Iraq, Dar al-Rafidain)
Taissier Khalaf – The Andalusian Messiah (Syria, Al-Mutawassit)
Mohamed Samir Nada – The Prayer of Anxiety (Egypt, Masciliana)
Nadia Najar – The Touch of Light (United Arab Emirates, Al-Mutawassit)
Haneen Al-Sayegh – The Women’s Charter (Lebanon, Dar al-Adab)
Clarification: The “Arabic Booker”
It is important to note that while the International Prize for Arabic Fiction is sometimes referred to as the “Arabic Booker,” the program’s organizers have clarified that this terminology is misleading. The IPAF is an independent entity and is not affiliated with the Booker Prize Foundation in London, despite the initial mentorship it received from the foundation. The IPAF is entirely separate from the Booker Prize and is sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.
In addition to the IPAF, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre also sponsors the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, which annually recognizes outstanding Arabic literature in various categories, with a grand prize of 7.8 million dirhams (approximately US$2.1 million). The Sheikh Zayed Book Award also funds the translation of Arabic literature into other languages.
