Ousha bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi (1 January 1920 – 27 July 2018), known as “Fatat Al Arab” (Girl of the Arabs), was the most famous female Emirati Nabati poet of the 20th century. Born in Al Ain, she began reciting poetry at 15, won the UAE’s highest honours, and is remembered today in a dedicated Dubai museum room, a Google Doodle, and even an asteroid named in her honour.
This short feature covers Ousha Al Suwaidi’s corner at the 2019 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, where her poems were played in her own recorded voice:
Who Was Ousha Al Suwaidi?
Ousha bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi — in Arabic, عوشة بنت خليفة السويدي — is often simply called “Ousha the Poet”. Her official foundation and Wikipedia both record her life as spanning nearly a century of Emirati history: born on 1 January 1920 in Al Ain (Al Muwaiji) and died on 27 July 2018 in Dubai, aged 98.
She was born into a literature- and poetry-loving family, and her talent was recognised early. By the age of 15 she was already known for her poetry recitals — a remarkable achievement in a male-dominated field. Over her long life she became the defining female voice of Nabati poetry in the Emirates, composing verse on love, wisdom, nostalgia, praise, and patriotism.
Ousha Al Suwaidi: At a Glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ousha bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi (عوشة بنت خليفة السويدي) |
| Nickname | Fatat Al Arab — “Girl of the Arabs” |
| Born | 1 January 1920, Al Ain (Al Muwaiji) |
| Died | 27 July 2018, Dubai, aged 98 |
| Known for | Most famous female Emirati Nabati poet of the 20th century |
| Poetry | Written in classical Arabic; themes of love, wisdom, nostalgia, praise and patriotism |
| First book | Published 1990 (second edition 2000) |
Early Life in Al Ain
Ousha was born in Al Ain on New Year’s Day 1920, into a household where literature and poetry were part of daily life. That upbringing shaped her: she absorbed the classical Arabic poets — Al-Mutanabbi, Abu Tammam and Al-Ma’arri — alongside the Nabati masters Al Majidi bin Thahir, Rashid Al Khalawi, Saleem bin Abdul Hai and Mohsin Hazzani.
By 15, her recitals were already drawing attention. In the 1930s and 1940s, public poetic life in the region was overwhelmingly male, which makes her early recognition all the more significant. A teenage girl commanding a room with her verse — in an era when few women recited publicly at all — marked her out as exceptional from the very start.
She composed in classical Arabic, but in the Nabati spirit she had mastered — verse that carried the rhythms and themes of the desert tradition. If you are new to the form, our guide to what Nabati poetry is explains the tradition she helped define.
A Century in Verse: Ousha Al Suwaidi Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1920 | Born 1 January in Al Ain (Al Muwaiji), into a literature-loving family |
| c. 1935 | Recognised for poetry recitals at age 15, in a male-dominated field |
| 1980s | Spends around 15 years living in Qatar |
| Late 1980s | Moves to Dubai; performs joint recitals with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid |
| 1989 | Named “Fatat Al Arab” (Girl of the Arabs) |
| 1990 | First poetry collection published by Hamad Bin Khalifa Bou Shehab |
| Late 1990s | Retires from composing; continues reciting praise poems |
| 2000 | Second edition of her collection |
| 2009 | Abu Dhabi Award (5th cycle) |
| 2010 | Honoured at the 11th Sharjah Festival of Classic Poetry |
| 2011 | Annual award for female Emirati poets established in her name; Women’s Museum section dedicated; official biography by Dr. Rafia Ghubash |
| 2018 | Dies 27 July in Dubai, aged 98; funeral prayers at Farooq Masjid, burial at Al Qouz |
| 2019 | Posthumous Abu Dhabi Festival Award; focal personality of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair; Bahr Ousha published |
| 2022 | Google Doodle on 28 November |
| 2024 | English translation The Girl of the Arabs released |
| 2025 | Asteroid 23871 Ousha named in her honour |
| 2026 | Scholarly monograph FATAT AL ARAB: A Woman’s Voice from the Desert |
From “Fatat Al Khaleej” to “Fatat Al Arab”
Ousha was first known as “Fatat Al Khaleej” (Girl of the Gulf). The title that made her immortal came in 1989, after a series of poetry recitals she performed together with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum — himself a noted Nabati poet. He bestowed on her the name “Fatat Al Arab” — Girl of the Arabs.
The name was not ceremonial alone. It reflected a genuine poetic relationship: Sheikh Mohammed dedicated many poems to her, and she answered them in verse — a correspondence that ran both ways across the years.
Fifteen Years in Qatar, Then Dubai
A lesser-known chapter of her life: Ousha spent around 15 years living in Qatar before returning to the Emirates. In the late 1980s she moved to Dubai, where she would spend the rest of her life. It was in Dubai that her public honours accumulated — and where, in 2018, the nation’s leaders would mourn her passing.
Her Poetry: Themes and Famous Poems
Her official foundation describes her poems as written in classical Arabic, with five recurring themes: love, wisdom, nostalgia, praise and patriotism. Her most important poem, by her own foundation’s account, was one in praise of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Among her named poems are “Salmeen Radaif” and “Al-Shamoot Yamoot”, along with the prayer poem “My Lord, The Forgiver” — recited at the major honour event held for her on 28 November 2011. Her words travelled beyond the page: celebrated singers Jaber Jassem, Ali bin Rogha and Mehad Hamad all performed poems set to her verses. Read more in our guide to the famous poems of Ousha Al Suwaidi.
Poetic Correspondence with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
One of the most distinctive threads of her story is the exchange of poems with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He dedicated many poems to her; she answered in kind. Their joint recitals in the late 1980s led directly to the “Fatat Al Arab” title in 1989 — a rare instance of a ruler and a poet carrying on a public dialogue in verse.
This was no one-sided patronage. The correspondence ran both ways, poem for poem — a mark of the genuine respect her craft commanded at the very highest level of Emirati public life.
Her Place in Emirati Culture
It is worth pausing on what her career meant. When Ousha began reciting as a teenager, the UAE as a nation did not yet exist — she was born in 1920, half a century before the Union. She lived through the entire transformation of the Emirates, from Trucial States to federation to global crossroads, and her poetry gave that transformation a voice rooted in the oldest literary traditions of the region.
She is the bridge figure: trained in the classical canon of Al-Mutanabbi and Abu Tammam, steeped in the Nabati masters, yet recognised by the modern state with its highest awards. That is why her honours span such different worlds — a museum room and an asteroid, a book fair and a Google Doodle.
Books and Publications
Ousha’s work reached print relatively late in her life, but it has been studied and republished ever since:
| Year | Publication |
|---|---|
| 1990 | First poetry collection, published by the poet Hamad Bin Khalifa Bou Shehab |
| 2000 | Second edition of the collection |
| 2011 | Official biography by Dr. Rafia Ghubash |
| 2019 | Bahr Ousha: Diving into the Poetry of Fatat Al Arab by Mu’ayyad Al Sheibani, Al Owais Cultural Foundation |
| 2024 | English translation The Girl of the Arabs by Nadia Khawandanah, released at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature |
| 2026 | Scholarly monograph FATAT AL ARAB: A Woman’s Voice from the Desert by Dr. Ana Stjelja, Dubai LitArt Society |
Awards and Recognition
| Year | Honour |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Abu Dhabi Award (5th cycle), presented by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
| 2010 | Honoured at the 11th Sharjah Festival of Classic Poetry |
| 2011 | Annual award for female Emirati poets established in her name |
| 2011 | Dedicated section at the Women’s Museum, Dubai |
| 2019 | Abu Dhabi Festival Award (ADMAF), posthumous |
| 2022 | Google Doodle on 28 November — see why Google honoured Ousha Al Suwaidi |
Retirement and Later Years
Ousha retired from composing poetry in the late 1990s, but she never stopped reciting — particularly her praise poems for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which remained closest to her heart. Even in retirement she was a fixture of the Emirates’ cultural life, a living link to a century of change.
Death and Funeral
Ousha Al Suwaidi died in Dubai on 27 July 2018, aged 98. UAE leaders offered their condolences on the passing of the renowned pioneer. Funeral prayers were held at Farooq Masjid in Dubai, and she was buried at Al Qouz cemetery.
Her Legacy Today
Few cultural figures in the UAE are remembered in as many ways as Ousha:
- The Women’s Museum, Dubai houses the “Diwan Ousha Bint Khalifa Room” — a dedicated section preserving her memory. It makes a fine addition to a cultural day out; see our round-up of free things to do in Dubai for more heritage stops.
- Google Doodle, 28 November 2022 — drawn by Abu Dhabi artist Reem Al Mazrouei, marking the anniversary of her 2011 honour event.
- Asteroid 23871 Ousha — named in her honour in 2025, with a planned visit by the UAE’s MBR Explorer mission.
- 2019 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair — she was the focal personality of the 29th edition, with a special corner playing her poems in her own recorded voice.
- “Ousha & the Moon” — a bilingual stage production about her childhood, bringing her earliest years to the theatre.
- The Fatat Al Arab Award — the annual prize for female Emirati poets established in her name in 2011, nurturing the next generation she helped inspire.
Notice the pattern: each generation finds a new medium for her. Print in 1990. A biography in 2011. A book-fair corner with her recorded voice in 2019. An English translation in 2024. A scholarly monograph in 2026. Fatat Al Arab keeps being rediscovered — which is exactly what a living legacy looks like.
From a 15-year-old reciting in Al Ain to a name carried by an asteroid, Ousha Al Suwaidi’s journey mirrors the Emirates’ own: rooted in the desert’s poetic tradition, yet reaching far beyond it. Her story is inseparable from the desert heritage of the UAE that shaped Nabati verse itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ousha Al Suwaidi?
Ousha bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi (1920–2018), known as “Fatat Al Arab” (Girl of the Arabs), was the most famous female Emirati Nabati poet of the 20th century. Born in Al Ain, she began reciting poetry at 15 and was honoured by UAE leaders, museums and Google.
When was Ousha Al Suwaidi born and when did she die?
She was born on 1 January 1920 in Al Ain (Al Muwaiji) and died on 27 July 2018 in Dubai, aged 98.
Why is she called “Fatat Al Arab”?
She was first known as “Fatat Al Khaleej” (Girl of the Gulf). In 1989, after poetry recitals performed together with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, he bestowed the title “Fatat Al Arab” — Girl of the Arabs — upon her.
What awards did Ousha Al Suwaidi win?
Her honours include the Abu Dhabi Award (2009, 5th cycle), recognition at the 11th Sharjah Festival of Classic Poetry (2010), an annual award for female Emirati poets established in her name (2011), a dedicated room at Dubai’s Women’s Museum, the posthumous Abu Dhabi Festival Award (2019), and a Google Doodle (2022).
Did Ousha Al Suwaidi exchange poems with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid?
Yes. Their poetic correspondence ran both ways: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid dedicated many poems to her, and she answered them in verse. Their joint recitals in the late 1980s led to her being named “Fatat Al Arab” in 1989.
What is known about Ousha Al Suwaidi’s family?
She was born into a literature- and poetry-loving family in Al Ain, which nurtured her early talent. Her official biography focuses on her literary life; no spouse is named in the published sources.