Fifth Prix littéraire de la Grande Mosquée de Paris awarded

The fifth edition of the Prix littéraire de la Grande Mosquée de Paris took place on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, with two prizes awarded: one for fiction and one for essays. The event also included a special mention and a tribute to a notable figure.

Fiction prize goes to Rachida Brakni

Rachida Brakni won the fiction prize for her book La part absente (Stock). Published in August 2026, the novel follows Karina Leroy, a Parisian gallery owner who changes her name to Karima to escape prejudices related to her Algerian origins. When her past resurfaces, she must confront the silences of her family and the wounds inherited from the Algerian War.

Rachida Brakni's background and achievements

Rachida Brakni is a comedian and stage director who has been a pensioner of the Comédie-Française. She won the César for Best New Actress in 2002 for her role in Chaos by Coline Serreau. She published her first book, Kaddour (Stock), in 2024, a narrative dedicated to her father.

Essay prize awarded to Akram Belkaïd

The best essay prize went to Akram Belkaïd for Chroniques du ramadan. Voyage intimiste au cœur du jeûne (Tallandier). The journalist, chief editor at Le Monde diplomatique, examines the practice of Ramadan through its religious, social, cultural, and political dimensions.

Akram Belkaïd's expertise and other works

Akram Belkaïd is an Algerian journalist and essayist specializing in the Arab world and international economics. He has worked for La Tribune and Le Quotidien d'Oran. He is also the author of several books dedicated to Algeria and the Maghreb, including L'Algérie en 100 questions. Un pays empêché (Tallandier).

Special mention awarded to Sylvia Chiffoleau

The jury's special mention was awarded to historian Sylvia Chiffoleau for Une histoire du temps dans le monde arabe (CNRS Éditions). A research director at CNRS, she examines how time is measured, organized, and experienced in the Arab world.

Sylvia Chiffoleau's work and focus

Sylvia Chiffoleau's work retraces the history of calendars, social rhythms, and transformations of daily practices, from the Ottoman period to colonial contexts, and then to changes associated with the modernization of societies.

Centenary tribute to Assia Djebar

This edition is part of the celebrations of the centenary of the Grande Mosquée de Paris, inaugurated in 1926. A Centenary Prize, presented by the rector as a special distinction, was awarded posthumously to Assia Djebar for her entire body of work.

Assia Djebar's legacy and the tribute

Algerian novelist, historian, and filmmaker Assia Djebar, who died in 2015, was elected to the Académie française in 2005, becoming the first woman from the Maghreb to sit on it. The rector of the Grande Mosquée de Paris, Chems-eddine Hafiz, spoke about her novel Loin de Médine, which gives a place to women from the early centuries of Islam.

Prize criteria and selection process

Created in 2022, the Prix littéraire de la Grande Mosquée de Paris annually rewards a novel and an essay dedicated to Muslim civilization, in its historical, cultural, religious, or philosophical dimensions. For this fifth edition, about thirty books were eligible, with eight selected for the final shortlist.

Jury composition and previous winners

The jury is presided over by Chems-eddine Hafiz, rector of the Grande Mosquée de Paris. It includes a mix of journalists, writers, philosophers, and publishing professionals. During the fourth edition, Hajar Azell won for her novel Le sens de la fuite and El Mouhoub Mouhoud for his essay Le Prénom.

Publication details of winning books

La part absente was published on August 19, 2026, by Stock, with 240 pages and a price of 20.00 €. Chroniques du ramadan was published on February 12, 2026, by Editions Tallandier, with 235 pages and a price of 19.90 €. Une histoire du temps dans le monde arabe was published on April 23, 2026, by CNRS Éditions, with 384 pages and a price of 26.00 €.