Doha, Qatar: The Katara Cultural Village Foundation has announced the opening of nominations for the fifth edition of the Katara Prize for Arabic Poetry, dedicated to the Mothers of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with them).
Participation in the competition is open to interested individuals from all over the world, starting from the first day of Ramadan.
The deadline for submissions is the 30th of Ramadan (1447 AH / 2026 CE).
Submissions must include the participant’s CV, a personal photograph, a copy of their passport or national ID card, and the poem itself in both Word and PDF formats, without the participant’s name or country.
Submissions should be sent via email to ummahat@katara.net. The prize stipulates that the submitted poem must be at least 30 lines long if written in classical Arabic meter (Khalil ibn Ahmad).
Free verse poems are also accepted, provided they adhere to a specific metrical system.
The poem must demonstrate dramatic power by condensing the character’s life in an unconventional way, focusing on the impact of events and situations.
The poem must also adhere to the rules of poetic language and purity, as well as the correct meter and rhythm. It should address the life of the Mother of the Believers (Umm al-Mu’minin) in the Prophet’s household, her approach to spreading the message of Islam, and her character.
The total prize money for the Katara Prize for Arabic Poetry dedicated to the Mothers of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with them) is approximately QR120,000, distributed across three prizes. The first prize is worth QR60,000, the second prize is approximately QR40,000, and the third prize is QR20,000.
The prize aims to strengthen the position of the Prophet’s household, particularly the Mothers of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with them), in the memory of future generations.
It also seeks to present a modern poetic corpus about the Mothers of the Believers, their virtues, and their history.
Furthermore, the prize aims to highlight the impact of the Mothers of the Believers on the course of Islamic propagation and the formation of women’s roles in society.
It also aims to connect the lives of the Mothers of the Believers with poetry and art through dramatic and artistic texts. Finally, the prize encourages poets to employ narrative poetry in praising the Mothers of the Believers.
It is noted that the first edition of the award dealt with Lady Khadija bint Khuwaylid, may Allah be pleased with her, the second edition dealt with Lady Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, while the third edition focused on Lady Hafsa bint Omar, may Allah be pleased with her, and the fourth edition dealt with Lady Umm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya al-Makhzumiyya.
