Katara Prize for Arabic Novel
1 appearances
-
Edition 4 (2018) Winner
Najat Abdul Samad
ナジャート・アブド・アル＝サマド
Najat Abed Alsamad
Aliases:
Najat Abed Alsamad / Najat Abed Al-Samad
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1967 （As-Suwayda, Syria）
- Nationality
- Syrian
- Languages
- Arabic
- Religion
- Druze
- Residence History
- As-Suwayda (birthplace) → Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine (study) → Damascus, Syria (education) → Berlin, Germany (residence)
Career
- Occupations
- writer, poet, gynecologist, obstetrician
- Active Years
- 2010-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Zaporizhzhia (medical/obstetrics & gynecology training) | — | Medicine — Obstetrics & Gynecology | — | — | Ukraine |
| Damascus University | — | Arabic Language and Literature | — | — | Syria |
University of Zaporizhzhia (medical/obstetrics & gynecology training)
Medicine — Obstetrics & Gynecology
Country:
Ukraine
Clinical training and practice in obstetrics and gynecology
Damascus University
Arabic Language and Literature
Country:
Syria
Degree in Arabic language and literature obtained after medical training
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Katara Prize for Arabic Novel | La Ma' Yarweeha (No Water to Quench their Thirst) | published novels | Katara Cultural Centre | winner |
| 2021 | Translation Prize in Fiction | — | — | Gulf Coast | winner |
| 2024 | LitProm list of best recently translated works | La Ma' Yarweeha (German: Kein Wasser stillt ihren Durst) | — | LitProm | listed |
Katara Prize for Arabic Novel
2018
Work:
La Ma' Yarweeha (No Water to Quench their Thirst)
Category:
published novels
Organization:
Katara Cultural Centre
Result:
winner
Translation Prize in Fiction
2021
Organization:
Gulf Coast
Result:
winner
LitProm list of best recently translated works
2024
Work:
La Ma' Yarweeha (German: Kein Wasser stillt ihren Durst)
Organization:
LitProm
Result:
listed
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Bilad Al Manafi (Lands of Exile)
2010 novelA novel about young refugees who have lost their jobs at home and struggle to accept any kind of employment in exile, exploring socioeconomic hardship and identity loss.
exilework and livelihoodidentity
Ghornikat Suria (Syrian Guernicas)
2013 short storiesA collection of stories recounting the consequences of war on families, with absent, maimed, or killed men and the resulting burdens placed on women.
impact of warburden on womenfamily disintegration
Fi Hananya Al Harb (In the Tenderness of War)
2015 short storiesStories based on people the author met as a gynecologist and humanitarian volunteer, portraying violence and trauma alongside frank dialogue.
violence and traumamedical testimonyhuman dignity
Translations
- English (selected stories translated)
La Ma' Yarweeha (No Water to Quench their Thirst)
2016 novelTold from a woman's perspective, inspired by Druze customs and oral traditions; it follows a woman who rebels against social traditions and is punished, set against a barren region where water is scarce.
tradition vs. rebellionoppression of womenregional identity and environment
Translations
- German translation: Kein Wasser stillt ihren Durst (2023)
Manazel al-Awtan (Home of Nations)
2018 novelA novel addressing community, national identity, and belonging. Detailed information limited.
belongingcommunity
Khayṭ al-bandūl (The Pendulum Thread)
2022 novelA novel that addresses the role of responsibility and care in contemporary society alongside its narrative.
responsibility and carecontemporary social relations
Bibliography
- Bilad Al Manafi (2010)
- Ghornikat Suria (Syrian Guernicas, 2013)
- Fi Hananya Al Harb (In the Tenderness of War, 2015)
- La Ma' Yarweeha (No Water to Quench their Thirst, 2016)
- Manazel al-Awtan (Home of Nations, 2018)
- Khayt al-bandul (The Pendulum Thread, 2022)
Translations by Author
- Co-translation from Russian into Arabic of Mikhail Bulgakov's 'A Young Doctor's Notebook'
Translations of Works
- German translation of La Ma' Yarweeha: Kein Wasser stillt ihren Durst (2023)
- Selected short stories translated into English and published in Gulf Coast and Stinging Fly
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- realist depictionpoetic, vivid imageryfrank, unadorned dialogue
- Recurring Motifs
- war and displacementfemale perspectives and resiliencepressure of tradition and community
Legacy
Recognized as a writer who draws on medical experience to portray war in Syria and women's lives; international translations and awards have brought attention to her work in diasporic and contemporary Middle Eastern literature.
Quotes
-
When I Am Overcome by Weakness
Source: Quoted in the dedication of 'Imagining Justice for Syria' (ed. Beth Van Schaack) and featured on Al Jazeera (2020)
Trivia
- She trained and worked as a gynecologist; clinical experience informs much of her fiction.
- Winner of the 2018 Katara Prize for 'La Ma' Yarweeha'.
- Currently resides in Berlin, Germany.
- Short stories and novels have been translated into English and German.