On Sunday, 20 December 2020 in the Qatari capital Doha the book Zaidism in Iran, written by Muhammad Kazem Rahmati, translated from Persian into Arabic by Mustafa Ahmad al-Bakour and published in 2020 by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies in its “Tarjuman” translations series, was proclaimed First Place Winner in the Persian-to-Arabic Category of the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, in its sixth session. The Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, a global award overseen by a board of trustees, steering committee and independent jurors, aims to honor and value translators for their role in strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the nations and peoples of the world, rewarding distinction, encouraging creativity, consolidating sublime values, and furthering diversity, pluralism and openness.

Tarjuman’s publication of al-zaidiyah fi Iran (Zaydism in Iran – 404 pp, with references and index) provides Arabic readers with the translation of the Persian original zaidi-yeh dar Iran, a comprehensive study covering the history of Zaydism in Iran, Iraq, and Yemen, and offering a remedy to the fragmentary and scattered nature of information available on this sect. The book is focused on Iranian influence in the history of Zaydism: more than merely a transmitter of Zaidi heritage or a link between its branches in each of Iraq and Yemen, Iran actively developed Zaidism at critical points in the group’s tumultuous history.

Through its Tarjuman series of Arabic book translations the Arab Center continues pursuit of its intellectual and research mission while seeking to provide advanced level university students and researchers with faithful, accurate, and authorized translations of new works and literature in diverse foreign languages (including English, French, German, Turkish, and Farsi), in fields of the social, administrative, political, and cultural sciences. In addition to Zaydism in Iran, other works featured in the Tarjuman translations series over the years have won awards.