Arabic literature continues to be a great unknown in the West. Initiatives such as the IPAF (the Arabic Booker Prize) and Beirut39, have raised awareness of an extremely rich literary tradition. The author Jamal Naji, a Jordanian writer of Palestinian origin, has been a finalist for the prize. He talks to poet and journalist Joumana Haddad about the future of Arabic literature, its challenges, censorship, distribution and profile abroad.