The second episode of the “Mathayel” Nabati poetry competition, now in its second edition, concluded on Tuesday evening. Organized by the Ministry of Culture under the slogan “Morality Has Its Signs”, the competition is held monthly at the Mathayel Theater in the Ministry’s building, leading up to the final episode, which will coincide with the State’s National Day in December.
At the end of this episode, poet Hamad Mohammed Al-Marri was announced as the winner of the second round, which centered on the theme of friendship. He now qualifies for the grand finale, where he will compete against other finalists in December.
The episode saw a strong contest among five poets: Ahmed Khalifa Al-Busaidi, Hamad Mohammed Al-Marri, Ali Hassan Al-Fuhaida, Saud Mohammed Al-Nabit, and Rashid Mohammed Al-Daiyah. Each poet presented original verses before a panel of judges and a live audience, showcasing fresh poetic voices and reinforcing Nabati poetry’s role in the cultural scene.
Poet Mubarak Al-Khalifa, Director of the Publications and Artistic Works Department at the Ministry of Culture, noted that the theme for this episode was friendship, featuring a group of young poets from Qatar and one from the Sultanate of Oman. He emphasized that one of the competition’s goals is to give emerging poets a platform, and despite the presence of well-known names, the young poets stood out with their talent.
He added that the competition has received significant interest from poets across the region, pointing out that it continues to uncover promising poetic talents. Each episode of the competition revolves around a specific cultural value, culminating in the final round aligned with National Day celebrations.
Al-Khalifa also revealed that the theme for the third episode, previously announced by the Ministry, is “Literature”—a noble value that reflects morals, preserves cultural memory, and elevates both the individual and society. As the saying goes: “Literature is the memory of nations.”
For his part, poet Hamad Mohammed Al-Marri, winner of the second round, expressed his joy at qualifying for the finals. He described his experience in Mathayel as unique, noting it’s an honor to be among the finalists and that he will give his utmost to win the title in this second season.
The judging panel—comprised of Hamad bin Saleh Al-Marri and Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Naimi from Qatar, Zeidan Al-Muraikhi from Saudi Arabia, Mishaal Al-Zoubi from Kuwait, and Hammoud bin Wahqa from Oman—praised the level of the poets in both the first and second rounds.
They commended the poets’ presentation styles, the depth of their vocabulary and meanings, and how their poems captured the essence of the theme of friendship. The panel noted that although there can only be one winner per round, Mathayel stands out by giving non-winners the opportunity to rejoin in future episodes.
The Mathayel competition is part of the Ministry of Culture’s ongoing effort to support and highlight outstanding poetic talent. It plays a key role in enriching Qatar’s literary movement, especially in spotlighting Nabati poetry—a vital component of Gulf and Arab cultural heritage. The competition aims to reinforce the relevance of Nabati poetry among younger generations and encourage creative expression that blends tradition with contemporary sensibilities.