Qatari literature
[1] Due to the increasing number of Qataris who began receiving formal education during the 1950s and other significant societal changes, the following years saw the introduction of short stories, and later, novels.
[1] Unlike most other forms of art in Qatari society, females have been involved in the modern literature movement on a similar magnitude to males.
Oil revenues transformed the economy from ailing to prosperous, and the subsequent rural flight caused a decline in the popularity of many Bedouin traditions.
He would go on to form a close relationship with Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, then ruler of Qatar, and even composed eulogies praising him.
[6] Nonetheless, according to academic Mohammed Al Qafud, these two poets did not leave a lasting impact on the poetry scene in Qatar, mainly due to the temporary nature of their stays in the country.
[1] One of the first Qatari-born poets to leave an enduring impact on the peninsula's literary culture was Majid bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi, born in 1873.
Al-Jaber wrote many poems with religious as well as political themes, including a eulogy for Gamal Abdel Nasser, the recently deceased President of the United Arab Republic.
This calendar outlined the months and days of the year, specified prayer times, and included observations on agriculture and seasonal variations.
[10] The Qatari Almanac (Arabic: التقويم القطري, romanized: al-Taqwīm al-Qaṭari) was an annual almanac authored by religious scholar Sheikh Abdullah Ibrahim Al-Ansari that integrated traditional and astronomical knowledge, offering invaluable insights into prayer timings, seasonal weather patterns, and local celestial navigation across the Persian Gulf region.
It also offered insights into the distances between Doha and other Qatari towns in kilometers and included poetry and sayings reflecting traditional knowledge of environmental shifts with each season.
[11] Al-Ansari’s work not only aligned the Hijri calendar with the zodiac but also preserved a treasure trove of star lore dating back to the pre-Islamic period in the Arabian Peninsula, encapsulated in a genre known as anwa.
[11] Additionally, the almanac chronicled the practical use of shadow lengths to determine prayer times before the advent of modern clocks, a method still observable in many older mosques.
[9] Although poetry no longer dwarfs other literary forms in importance, it is still a long-honored tradition that has attracted new writers in the mid-and late-1900s and even into the 21st century.
Around this time, females such as Kaltham Jaber, Hessa Al Awadhi, and Zakiya Mal Allah also started composing poems.
[17] Yousef Ni'ma introduced the first two collections of short stories in 1970, entitled Bint Al-Khaleej (Daughter of the Gulf) and Liqa fi Beirut (A Meeting in Bayrut).
[9] Since the 2000s, most novels released have explored topics of social change, cultural alienation, and political issues through the perspectives of highly educated youth.
[21] Al Qursan's plot revolves around British politics and piracy in the Persian Gulf region during the 19th century, with the central figure being the Arab pirate Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalahimah.
Six new female Qatari writers published novels in 2014: Hanan Al-Fayyad, Sumayya Tisha, Amala Al-Suwaidi, Shamma Al-Kuwari, Muhsina Rashid, and Iman Hamad.
[9] Ali Al-Naama emerged as a significant voice in Qatari literature with his 2022 fantasy fiction novel "Circus of the Greats," published by Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press.
Following the success of his debut novel, Ali released "The Scenarist" in 2025, further establishing his presence in Qatar's contemporary literary scene.
His creative momentum continues as he prepares to release the anticipated sequel to "Circus of the Greats" in the coming year, expanding his contribution to Qatari literature.
[26] An independent and modernized version of Qatar's town of Zubarah is the setting for a large portion of Larry Correia's and Micheal Kupari's military thriller Dead Six.
[27] In the late 20th century, the works of some of Qatar's most eminent early poets were posthumously documented in diwans by academics and fellow writers.
[1] Mohammed Hassan Al-Kuwari, a researcher for Qatar's Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, composed a directory of known Qatari authors in 2012.
[10] In March 2017, the Qatar Poetry Center (QPC) (Diwan Al Arab) was inaugurated by the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
Some 475,000 pages, dating from the mid-18th century to 1951, are from the India Office Records and Private Papers, and 25,000 are of medieval Arabic scientific manuscripts.
[39] The Ministry of Culture hosted the first edition of the Ramadan Book Fair in April 2022, which was marked by the participation of 35 international and local publishing houses.
