Why did you feel that Segah was the maqam to use for this music?

Why Segah, I don't know. I'm not good at self-analysis; however, the maqam is considered active, mystic and uplifting, so it suits this poetry.

There's a tradition in Arabic poetry of one poet writing a poem based on a previous one. This is Mansour al-Hallaj (10th century) after Abu Nuwas (9th century) using the same vocabulary, rhyme and meter to create something similar but different. It's about the transition between this life and the future (after) life. There are four rhythmic cycles, ten beats, six beats, then the taqsim improvisation, four beats and then back to six. It's been a section about fire and about water.

It's the first prize dedicated to classical music that is not European. This is why I was really pleased to win it. People are starting to realise that classical music is more than just Mozart and Beethoven.

Believe me, Simon, this meant so much! For a piece of music and a musical manuscript to win the biggest literary prize in the Arab world, rather than a religious work, a Sharia manuscript, or hadiths, seemed exceptional.