Saudi death threat poet misses out on Million's Poet title

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JUDGES DECISION: The winner of the show was chosen through a combination of the judge’s evaluations and audience votes.

JUDGES DECISION: The winner of the show was chosen through a combination of the judge’s evaluations and audience votes.

The Saudi housewife and mother who made international headlines with her poetry attacking extremist Muslim clerics has lost out to the title of this year’s Million’s Poet.

Hissa Hilal, who received death threats because of her controversial poetry, came third in the competition that has captivated Middle Eastern audiences.

A 30 year old amateur poet Nasser al Ajami from Kuwait walked away with the $1.36 million cash prize.

He beat off competition from 47 other poets, most with experience far outstripping his own, over the five month show.

However, it is Hilal who has attracted much attention and divided opinion with her outspoken verse.

The fully veiled mother of four has been called “brave” for her poetry criticising Saudi Arabia’s strict laws, like the segregation of the sexes and fatwas restricting women from working. But she has also received death threats on Islamist websites like Ana al-Muslim.

She won $816,816 in cash for coming third in the competition.

Million’s Poet, funded by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, features the Arabian Peninsula’s native Nabati poetry.

The winner of the show was chosen through a combination of the judge’s evaluations and audience votes via SMS and in-theatre voting pods.

Al Ajami received 67 percent of the total number of public votes and judge points.

Second place went to Kuwaiti Falah al Mowraqi, who received $1.08 million prize money.

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Posted by: Achim Neinens

Dear Ms. Hilal, on our radio in Hamburg, Germany, I listened to your words of love and listened to your voice and I thank you. The woman on radio gave me a translation to the german language,- I think she made it well. I worked in 1982 in Riad and I was impressed of this great arabian land and culture. I thank your husband and your family,- god bless you. Achim Neinens (Father and Husband in a lovely german family)

Posted by: anonymous with computer

While no one ever believed that it is foreseeable for a Saudi woman to stand up in such a manner for what she honestly believes, it happened. Such courage coming from a simple and modest person, the true nature of the statement, the defiance against what is unjust and untrue, the call for peace trough upholding truth above anything else is so commendable that i can only compare her to Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa and other great figures that have fought for what they believed in against all odds. I honestly believe that she should be nominated for the Nobel peace price, and that she should win it. You strive to empower Arab women : now is the time, and this is your key.

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