"The Sound of Paradise": Arabic Poetry in German

What can poems written on the Arabian Peninsula around 1,500 years ago tell us? And what new discoveries can a fresh translation reveal in seemingly familiar stories such as One Thousand and One Nights? Classical Arabic literature is one of the great traditions of world literature, yet remains surprisingly little known in the German-speaking world. Ambitious new translations bring its linguistic power, imagery and sometimes startling contemporary relevance to life.

Stefan Weidner, recipient of the 2026 Sheikh Zayed Book Award in the category “Arabic Culture in Other Languages,” will present his collection Der arabische Diwan. Die schönsten Gedichte aus vorislamischer Zeit (The Arabic Dīwān: The Most Beautiful Poems from the Pre-Islamic Era, Die Andere Bibliothek, 2024).

Claudia Ott, nominated for the 2025 Sheikh Zayed Book Award in the Translation category, will discuss her new translations of One Thousand and One Nights (C.H.Beck). How can classical Arabic literature be translated into a contemporary language? What is lost in the process—and what newly comes into view?

A conversation about the art of translation, the social significance of poetry and storytelling, why classical Arabic literature deserves a firm place in our understanding of world literature, and the role initiatives such as the Sheikh Zayed Book Award can play.

An event organised by Litprom / Frankfurter Buchmesse and the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, featuring:

• Stefan Weidner, scholar of Islam, author and translator
• Claudia Ott, Arabist, translator and musician

Moderator: Christian Junge, Arabist and scholar of Islam